Edinburgh International Festival 1956 - "Pleasure of Scotland" brochure - featuring Mary O'Hara

UNDER THE PATRONAGE OF HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN AND HER MAJESTY QUEEN ELIZABETH THE QUEEN MOTHER

International Festival In association with the Scottish Committee of the Arts Council of Great Britain, the British Council and the Corporation of the City of Edinburgh

Church of Scotland A S S E M B L Y HALL

1956

ASSEMBLY

HALL

for two weeks commencing TUESDAY, 28th AUGUST, 1956 Evenings at 7.30 p.m.

Matinees at 2.30 p.m.

THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL SOCIETY presents the

STRATFORD ONTARIO FESTIVAL COMPANY in

HENRY V by

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE Produced by Designer : MICHAEL LANGHAM TANYA MOISEIWITSCH Music by LOUIS APPLEBAUM (August 28, 29, 30, 31. September 1, 4, 6 and 8.

Matinees—August 30, September 1, 4 and 8) and

OEDIPUS REX by

SOPHOCLES (in a version by W. B. YEATS) Produced by Designer : TYRONE GUTHRIE TANYA MOISEIWITSCH Music by CEDRIC THORPE DAVIE Masks designed by TANYA MOISEIWITSCH and JACQUELINE CUNDALL (September 3, 5 and 7. Matinee—September 6) Tickets—Area, 15/-, 12/6 Area Unreserved, 6/6, 3/6 Balconies, 15/-, 12/6 Balcony Unreserved, 6/6 Bookable in advance at the Festival Office, Synod Hall, Castle Terrace, or half an hour before the commencing time at the Assembly Hall

THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL SOCIETY

PRESENTS

Pleasure of Scotland An entertainment of traditional Scottish dancing, singing and piping

Devised by .,,

..

..

GEORGE SCOTT-MONCRIEFF

Directed by

ANTHONY BESCH

Designs by

MOLLY MACEWEN

Musical arrangements by . .

..

FRANCIS COLLINSON

Conductor and Chorus Master

Manager of Assembly Hall

RICHARD TELFER

..

..

KENNETH MILES

Cast introduced by JAMESON CLARK (Man of the House) with MARY O'HARA JOHN BURGESS JAMES CAMPBELL JACKIE JOHNSTONE JOAN MACKENZIE JEANNIE ROBERTSON and JIM WILKIE BRUCE HENDERSON ANNIE ARNOT JAMES MACBEATH KATIE ANN HAGGERTY NEIL MACLENNAN KATE NICHOLSON EDINBURGH ACADEMY DANCERS (Organiser: Stewart Fowlie) : Margaret Constable, Frances Crichton, Anne Harper, Glenda Magrill, Leslie Stewart, Larry Evans, Alec Wilkie, Richard Scott, Michael Tod, Kenneth Turner.

LOCHAILORT FIDDLE BAND : Farquhar MacRae (Leader), Walter Begg, George Howie, Donald MacRae, Dugald MacRae. LEWIS WAULKING WOMEN : Mrs Nan MacLeod (Leader), Joan Maclver, Ishbel Mackenzie, Mrs MacLeod, Nan MacLeod, Anna Morrison.

FESTIVAL CHORUS : Chris Beveridge, Jean Carson, Helen Cockburn, Jane Cossar, Irene Coupland, Jessie Cunningham, Mary Elliott, Marie Frier, Dawn Hall, Isobel Lamb, Mima McDonald, Mabel Mclntosh, Catherine McQueenie, Margaret McQueenie, Agnes Robertson, Irene Rowe, Lorna Strachan, Betty Tait, Margaret Taylor, Sally Telford, Marion Wilson, Tom Aiton, James Campbell, George Cant, David Cunningham, James Farrer, William Gracie, Hugh Graham, James Hine, Eric Innes, George Johnstone, John Mackay, Hugh McKechnie, Douglas Mann, Ian Ross, Michael Rowe, Alistair Scott, William Scott, John Small, Stanley Wallace, Jack Watt.

BASS SOLOIST : William Tiplady.

The EDINBURGH FESTIVAL SOCIETY wishes to record its gratitude to the SCHOOL of SCOTTISH STUDIES and in particular to Mr STEWART SANDERSON, Mr JAMES Ross, Mr CALUM MACLEAN and Mr HAMISH HENDERSON.

PROGRAMME PART I 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

THE KINDLING OF THE FIRE—Kate Nicholson DANCE—The Duke of Perth CHORUS—Bonny Dundee CHORUS—The Bonny Lass of Albany DANCE—Hamilton House GAELIC SONGS—Joan Mackenzie DANCE : Seann Triubhas—Jackie Johnstone Puirt a Beul—Annie Arnot 8. WAULKING SONGS—Women of Lurebost, Lewis 9. GAELIC SONG—Kate Nicholson 10. HEBRIDEAN DANCES—Katie Ann Haggerty Piper—Neil Maclennan 11. DANCE—Foursome Reel 12. HARP SONGS TO HARP—Mary O'Hara 13. CHORUS—Willie Brewed a Peck o' Malt INTERVAL PART II 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

10.

11.

12.

13.

14.

15.

FNTRY—Company Piper—John Burgess DANCE—Eightsome Reel CHORUS—Little Jock Elliot BOTHY BALLADS—James Macbeath CHORUS—Willie's Gane to Melville Castle CHORUS—Carles o' Dysart SHETLAND STORIES—Bruce Henderson SCOTTISH HORNPIPE—Jackie Johnstone Fiddler—Jim Wilkie THE SONG OF THE BANNERS—James Campbell DANCE—Double Gille Calum BALLADS—Jeannie Robertson DANCE—The New-Rigged Ship CHORUS—The Bonny Earl of Moray THE SMOORING OF THE FIRE—Kate Nicholson CHORUS—Guid Nicht and Joy be wi' Ye All

(The order of the programme is subject to alteration]

About Pleasure of Scotland All art forms need from time to time to return to their sources if their vigour is to be renewed. Traditional song and music have lately received fresh attention in many countries. In Scotland we have a fine heritage of song, although some of its best elements have been allowed to lapse in neglect.

Pleasure of Scotland is concerned to give a hearing to natural, spontaneous singing both in the Gaelic and in Lowland Scots, in the old manner, unaccompanied except perhaps with clarsach or harp. Dancing is provided both of the Highland kind and by country-dancing of the sort that has never been allowed entirely to fall into desuetude. Pipe music, also, is very much a living tradition : it is impossible in a show of this kind to present it in its most elaborate form, the Great Music or Pibroch, but there will be piping as well as fiddling. A story-teller will represent an oral tradition that is now nearly extinct. Francis Collinson has arranged some traditional songs as unaccompanied choruses, and Molly MacEwen's costumes derive from earlier and more brightly-coloured Scottish dress.

GEORGE SCOTT-MONCRIEFF.

In the preparation of this programme, George Scott Moncrieff and I have attempted to present some aspects of the living traditions of Scotland as they are expressed in music, song and dance. Though in the space of two hours we could not hope to represent every aspect of the existing traditions, we have tried to give some impression of their scope and variety.

With so wide a choice of material before us, it was clear from the beginning that our task would consist mainly of selections, and in this we received invaluable help from many sources. The School of Scottish Studies gave us the opportunity of hearing the many tape-recordings made during the course of their research into Scottish oral traditions. We compiled a list of potential performers and, in April of this year, we were able to visit them in their own homes in the Hebrides, the Highlands and Lowlands.

Eventually we were able to form a company drawn from most parts of Scotland, including, in the case of the chorus and dancers, Edinburgh and its immediate neighbourhood.

With the help of this company, our aim has been to create in the surroundings of the Assembly Hall the spirit and atmosphere of a ceilidh, in which the performers are also the guests, and where the audience can participate in the gathering.

ANTHONY BESCH.

GENERAL MANAGER

}

(

KENNETH MILES

Stage Director Stage Manager Wardrobe Mistress

I PLEASURE OF -! [ „ } : I

For

WALTER DICKSON MOYADEL JOHNSTON Mrs MACADAM

Lighting installed and operated by MAJOR EQUIPMENT COMPANY LIMITED (Incorporating Robert Steel of Edinburgh) SMOKING

IS NOT PERMITTED

IN THE

AUDITORIUM

The taking of photographs is prohibited without the permission of the Manager The SOUVENIR PROGRAMME is now on sale at the Festival Office and at booksellers at the price of 3s. 6d.

ROYAL LYCEUM

THEATRE

EDINBURGH

for one week commencing MONDAY, 27th AUGUST, 1956 Evenings at 7.30 p.m.

Matinees- Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30

p.m.

THE EDINBURGH FESTIVAL SOCIETY presents the

PICCOLO

TEATRO, MILAN

Director : PAOLO GRASSI with ANTONIO BATTISTELLA MARINA BONFIGLI TINO GARRARO GIUSI DANDOLO GHEGGO RISSONE VALENTINA FORTUNATO MARGELLO MORETTI in

ARLECCHINO The Servant of Two Masters by

CARLO GOLDONI (August 27, 28 and 29) Producer: GIORGIO STREHLER Scenery and Costumes : EZIO FRIGERIO Music composed by FIORENZO CARPI and

QUESTA SERA SI RECITA A SOGGETTO Tonight We Improvise . . .

(August 30, 31 and September 1) produced by

Dr HINKFUSS (MARCELLO MORETTI) and with the concurrence and the active participation of those members of the public who will graciously consent to be present Tickets—Stalls, 12/6, 9/-, 5/-; Grand Circle, 12/6, 9 / - ; Upper Circle, 5/-; Balcony, 3/6, 2/6; Boxes, 50/-, 36/- (to seat four) All seats are bookable Tel. : FOUntainbridge 4353/4

ROBERT MITCHELL & SONS Printers CLYDE STREET, EDINBURGH