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Farnborough Grammar School

Prospect Avenue, Farnborough, Hampshire

Telephone : Farnborough 539

The Dramatic Society



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The school dramatic society put on one or two stage shows each year. In later years the girls of Aldershot County High School also played a part. Latin master, Thomas Grosch (Nuncs) records in his autobiography that when he first arrived at F.G.S. in September 1943, stage productions were limited to Christmas cabarets (“duly censored”) but he was keen to produce plays on the school stage. However war time shortages of materials caused difficulties and the first proper drama was not staged until circa 1947. It was ‘The Ghost Train’ by Arnold Ridley for which Tom Pascoe constructed the set and Nuncs spent a day at Cosham railway station recording train noises. Every part was taken by a grammar school boy including the role of “A bride on honeymoon”. Following productions included ‘Treasure Island’ and ‘Emile’.

In 1950 ‘The Jab’ arrived as the new headmaster and promptly abolished the fledging Dramatic Society, allegedly because he took an immediate dislike to Nuncs, and it was not resurrected until Dr. Booy arrived in 1957.

Productions during that later period were…

A Fool and his Money1957 : A Fool and his Money

Bourgeois Gentleman
1957 : The Bourgeois Gentleman

The Government Inspector
1958 : The Government Inspector


Someone at the Door 1959 : Someone at the Door

Toad of Toad Hall
1960 : Toad of Toad Hall

1961 : Twelfth Night
1961 : Twelfth Night


1962 : Tom Sawyer 1962 : Tom Sawyer
Programme

1962 : Trial by Jury
1962 : Trial by Jury
Programme

1963 : A Man for all Seasons
1963 : A Man for all Seasons
Programme


1964 : Noye's Fludde 1964 : Noye’s Fludde
Programme.

1964 : She Stoops to Conquer
1964 : She Stoops to Conquer

1965 : The Reluctant Doctor
1965 : The Reluctant Doctor
Programme


1965 : The Browning Version 1965 : The Browning Version
Programme.

1966 : Hobson's Choice
1966 : Hobson’s Choice
Programme.

1968 : The Crucible
1968 : The Crucible


Dramatic Society reports also appeared in School Magazines as follows…
(Chronological sequence)

The Government Inspector
Someone at the Door
Toad of Toad Hall
Twelfth Night and Tom Sawyer
Tom Sawyer and Trial by Jury
A Man for all Season and Noye’s Fludde
She Stoops to Conquer (Aldershot News Report)
The Reluctant Doctor and The Browning Version
The Crucible


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