“Rope” was performed onThursday 5, Friday 6, and Saturday 7 June at the Theatre Royal.
 Rope advert Townsville Daily Bulletin Wed 4 June 1952 | |
| Townsville Theatrical Society ‘Rope’, Theatre Royal Thursday 5, Friday 6, and Saturday 7 June 1952 Cast Brandon………………………………………………………….Bill Spencer Granillo……………………………………………………………Bill Reeves Ronald Kentley……………………………………………….Ian Bruce Sabot………………………………………………………………Barrie De Courcey Raglan…………………………………………………………….Stewart Benson Leila………………………………………………………………..Beryl Stabler Sir Johnstone………………………………………………….John Langsford Mrs De Benham………………………………………….....Mattie Mercer Rupert Cadell…………………………………………………..Jim Thompson Producer…………………………………………………….. Roy Holliday Stage Manager……………………………………………. John Eckersley Assistant……………………………………………………… R. Jackson Electrical Effects…………………………………………. Alan Stephenson and Keith Ormes Musical Effects…………………………………………… Alan Stephenson Special Effects…………………………………………….. Bob Jackson and Norm Hunter Wardrobe Mistress…………………………………….. Loan MacKenzie Orchestra…………………………………………………… (Mrs Summerfield’s) Messrs D. Lloyd, L. Grau, V. Johnston, W. Newman, F. Feather, J. Phillips, S. Saunders, Mrs L. Benstead. |
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 "Rope" review Townsville Daily Bulletin Fri 6 June 1952 | The article on the left reads: 'Rope' Is a Gripping Production Suspense, sustained with an almost cold-blooded restraint in an atmosphere pregnant with eerie horror made 'Rope', which opened a three-night season at the Theatre Royal on Thursday night, one of the most memorable presentations by the Townsville Theatrical Society for the current season. Depending for its main power on the remorseless psychological distintegration of Brandon (played by Bill Spencer) as co-author in the Borgia-like murder of a fellow university undergraduate, the strange, yet entirely human half-lights of a murder of pure vanity, with the 'perfect crime' develop in a fascinating pattern of personalities whose interests are united throughout by the sinister trunk which occupies the centre of the stage. With accomplice Granillo's (Bill Reeves) nerves giving from the outset, Brandon proceeds to 'enjoy' the perfection of his crime by inviting to his rooms, where the body is concealed in the trunk— upon which they will dine— a group of people, including the dead boy's father. When the guests arrive, Stewart Benson, as Raglan, successfully occupies the attentions of Leila (Beryl Stabler) whose feminine interest in the trunk and its contents heightens the tension of the second act, which is broken only by the laugh stolen by Mrs. De Benson (Mattie Mercer). John Langsford matures the bibliomaniac, Sir Johnstone, father of the dead boy, in a performance which adds temper to the production, while Jim Thompson as Rupert Cadill, develops a grip on the play through the subtle interpretation of Sabot, given by Barrie De Courcey, which confirms his suspicions of Brandon and Granillo's guilt and enables him to carry the production to its grippingly convincing climax as Brandon's own nerve finally gives way. The production is by Roy Holliday. |
