Written by Stuart Parkes, who also co-produced with Margaret Twelves. He was apparently very short-sighted, but wouldn’t wear glasses. As he also appeared in the chorus he had to be led around on stage. Stuart worked in a college, and brought along a party of German students to help. One of them, Udo Kurten, got to play the part of Neptune. Udo is now an interpreter in Germany and remembers with affection his time in our little village.
Ted Hampton remembers a trick played on an unsuspecting female member. She had a prop bucket so that she could scrub the deck of the ship. On the last night, Dave Smith put a toy rat in the bucket – she jumped a mile! June Wragg remembers the Lambeth Walk number, with all the children dressed up as Pearly Kings and Queens: all the silver buttons were sewn on by hand
Julie Waterman joined this year, and stayed for 13 years; Mark Hampton joined, 21 years. Carolyn Young also joined and has done 24 years so far (and still counting).
Adrian Ollerearnshaw played Idle jack. He seems to have been borrowed from the Birley Carr operatic group, having performed there since it started in 1947! Also performing in 1978 was Iain Thompson: Iain went on to become a professional actor and song-and-dance man
One of the children is Jo Platts. Her father was Sergeant Bobby Ring, who helped catch the Yorkshire Ripper in 1981. Apparently, Sgt Ring was given the honour of opening the Grenoside Gala as a result!
