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Title: ABERDEEN CHILDREN'S THEATRE

Reference number: 4536

Date: 1959*

Director: d. Ralph G Giuliani & Ronald Sawdon

Sound: sound

Original format: 16mm

Colour: col

Fiction: non-fiction

Running time: 17.11 mins

Description: The activities and operation of the Aberdeen Children's Theatre which was the first Civic Children's Theatre to be opened in Britain. The theatre was operated by the Department of Speech Therapy.

Credits: Make Up, Costumes Isobel McHaffie
Stage Management Jane Mowat
Properties Prudence Young
Sound Effects Caroline Sawdon
FOH Management Madge Smith& Ferguson Rennie
Stage Lights Bryce, Anne.
Direction Catherine Hollingworth
sc. and commentary Ronald Sawdon & Ralph G. Giuliani
ass. d. John M. Wright
ph. Ralph G. Giuliani,
d. Ralph G Giuliani & Ronald Sawdon

Shotlist: City of Aberdeen Education Committee Presents. (0.08) Aberdeen Children's Theatre. (0.15) For the Children's Theatre. Make Up, Costumes Isobel McHaffie. Stage Management Jane Mowat. Properties Prudence Young. Sound Effects Caroline Sawdon. (0.26) For the Children's Theatre. FOH Management Madge Smith &Ferguson Rennie. Stage Lights Anne Bryce. Direction. Catherine Hollingworth. (0.37) Script & Commentary by Ronald Sawdon & Ralph G Giuliani. Assistant Director John M Wright. (0.46) Photography Ralph G Giuliani. (0.52) Direction Ralph G Giuliani & Ronald Sawdon. (1.01) Children queuing outside the theatre. (1.27) C/u of a girl looking at her watch.(1.30) Children arriving at the theatre by various methods ; by bus, walking, or pushing each other in a cart. (2.08) Children going into the theatre building, stopping to go to the toilets, and to check in their coats at the cloakroom. They then go in to wait for the performance to begin. (3.14) C/u of programme and the rows of seated children. The play is THE PIED PIPER. (3.30) Woman turns on the lights. (3.43) Gv's of the play, the court room, rats, town's people, and Pied Piper. Gv's of the different scenes, and the reactions provoked in the audience. The performers are all children of various ages. The commentary briefly tells the tale of the Pied Piper. Children applauding the performance. (6.32) Performers run off stage, while the next group of children performers take their places for the next play. The curtain opens. (6.50) Gv's of the players involved in various scenes such as sword fights in mediaeval battles, and the audience reactions. (8.06) Interval - children leaving the theatre to go for ice lollies. They look at photographs and talk with Miss Catherine Hollingworth, Superintendent of Speech Therapy. (9.01) One girl reads the back of the programme Any child who wishes to be considered is to get in touch with the Superintendent of Speech Therapy, Miss Catherine Hollingworth, 31 King St. (9.09) Little girl goes to talk to Catherine Hollingworth. (9.18) A boy rings a hand bell and the children walk back to the theatre, placing their lolly sticks in a waste paper basket as they go. (9.29) Auditions - boys miming violin playing. Gv's of the selection board which is made up of adults and children. Little girl auditions and is accepted. (10.10) Girl is shown around the theatre - make up application classes, where one boy covers his shirt more than his face with grease paint. (10.57) Workshop - props are being made and painted. (11.32) Speech classes in the lecture room, use of a burning candle to help demonstrate the correct method of speech for performing. (12.05) Costume room where costumes are hand or machine sewn. (12.50) Children miming they are working in a mine when an explosion happens due to the lighting of a cigarette. (13.37) Coffee is given to the children. (14.05) Gv's of a play being read, and various stages of its rehearsal. Children going home. (15.10) Gv's of the play's performance in front of an audience. (16.04) Gv's various aspects of the theatre group such as arrival at the theatre, watching the plays, eating ice lollies and applying to perform. (16.37) Jennifer Anstock. Sandra Buchan. Georgina Coventary. Kathleen Ellington. Dorothy Foote. Christina Low. Sheila MacIntosh. (16.45) Jane McKie. Anne McWilliam. Margaret Scorgie. Margaret Stour. Alice Tough. Gillian Urquhart. (16.50) Roger Bruce. Kenneth Christie. William Clark. Robin Cook. Walter Coutts. Allan Cowie. Alan Frater. Raymond Logan. (16.56) Brian McDonald. Graeme Murdoch. Malcolm Rennie. Peter Stewart. Joseph Sanderson. David Stephen. Malcolm Strachan. David Ward. (17.04) Aberdeen Children's Theatre . The End. (17.11)