THURSDAY 20th AUGUST 2009
On arrival at the recent S.T.S.D. Conference held in Chichester, we delegates were accorded a warm welcome. This most enjoyable Conference began with a guided tour of Chichester's magnificent Cathedral.
Chichester Cathedral
On entering, one was immediately taken far back in time and to a place where for 900 years people brought their joys and their sorrows. This majestic edifice with its mixture of Roman and Gothic architecture had a profound effect as one entered its doors; and from there on the experience became a real journey through much of Britain's history. Built of limestone, Chichester Cathedral was originally built in a thickly forested area with a rather less than religious local community as prospective Parishioners!!
Throughout its colourful history, Chichester Cathedral 'stood its round' despite many a formidable warrior - including William the Conqueror in 1075 - and even withstood a change of site to its present position and was consecrated in 1199. Its majestic pillars were built of limestone brought from a local quarry and also from France. These pillars are embellished with smaller pillars of Purbeck marble from Dorset. It was finally finished in 1500.
Chichester Cathedral has been a Royalist Cathedral through the ages with a particularly close association with Henry VIII. In fact the Lambert Panel in the North Transept is an impressive panel of portraits of past Kings and Queens.
Of the many ornate Chapels and Shrines - and there are many - St. George's Chapel, which dates back to the middle of the 13th century, was restored after WWI and furnished as a memorial to the Dead of the Royal Sussex Regiment. The 7,000 names of the Fallen are written on its walls.
At the Shrine of St. Richard - Chichester's Saint-Bishop (1197 to 1253) - one can pick up a copy of his well-known prayer. A surprising feature on our tour was a modern-art pulpit. It was made of reinforced concrete in wish-bone shape with half of it below the floor to counter-balance it with the upper half. The cladding is aluminium and leather lines the inside of the pulpit.
During the Civil War, the works of art including sculptures were stripped from the Cathedral. This caused John Flaxman (1755 to 1826) to present many of his sculptures in replacement and his work adds to the many artistic features of this majestic building. Music recitals take place frequently with Christmas being a particularly busy time with carol concerts. Our tour continued through three Gothic arches and we then entered the quire [ancient spelling] with its rows of pews, massive organ, ornately-carved Bishop's chair - opposite to which stood two aptly positioned chairs for the two Assistant Bishops. We also saw the damage left when the heavy limestone spire collapsed in 1861 and came crashing down into the Church - fortunately without death or injury to anyone. The south transept window, dating back to 1315, was an amazing spectacle with its messages of hope in stained-glass designs from the Old and New Testaments.
The main Altar was marble and had plaques of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. A chandelier from the year 1700 hung high from the rafters; and if you liked a little bit of mystery ----- we saw where an underground passage started and went westward; a sign perhaps of intrigue during a troubled period in its religious history.
Our final minutes were spent studying a tapestry from France which was ordered by Bishop Hassey and a colourful window called The Chagall Window by Marc Chagall in 1972. The list of Artists, Bishops and Deans in the history of this Cathedral is most impressive but I must mention Bishop Bell (1883 to 1958) who forged strong links with refugees in Europe - especially Germany - before and after WWII.
A reading of Philip Larkin's poem ''An Arundel Tomb'' provided an appropriate note on which to make our exit from this majestic and monumental edifice of History. The Society’s thanks go to our riveting lady guide.
Aideen Crowley-Dynan, Cork, Ireland.
THURSDAY REGISTRATION
Resident delegates received their key-cards from the University Conference and Accommodation Office on Campus. In the Chapel area an STSD second-hand Bookstall was manned by Member Margaret Stredwick throughout the Conference, where delegates’ needs were also dealt with by two assistants from French’s Bookshop. Tea, coffee and soft drinks were available in this area. Over a hundred pounds was raised by the raffle for a replica of the 1623 Shakespeare First Folio which was won by Stephen Owen.
Grateful thanks are due to our generous Sponsors, NEA for advertising and stationery; HSBC for stationery; French’s Bookshop and Nick Hern Books for advertising.
Sheila Nye, Chichester Conference Chairman
THURSDAY WELCOMING RECEPTION
Held in the Chapel area and sponsored by Vanguard Examinations this was followed by
Strolling by the Sea,
a talk on South Coast Theatres by Frances Hughes.
Why do we frequently refer to theatre groups as ‘a band of strolling players’? Because that is exactly what they were until modern times. Actors had to walk between the villages and towns where they performed. Very few actor/managers were successful or wealthy enough to be able to afford the luxury of a horse and cart. This was just one of the many fascinating facts that peppered Frances Hughes’ illustrated introduction to the Sussex Conference 2009 on the growth of theatre and performance in Sussex from the middle of the 18th century.
Sussex was no exception to the rest of the country in the number of itinerant theatrical companies wandering its countryside trying to find suitable venues in which to perform, but probably had the advantage of being a favourite stamping ground for many of the London based companies. And what were the venues? Mainly rooms in inns or barns. Indeed Chichester’s first recorded ‘theatre’ was a room in an inn with an audience made up of the local fishermen and farm labourers. Actors in those days had to be well versed in the skills of improvisation if they were to survive.
Despite the problems and difficulties famous companies, led by the likes of Colley Cibber and his daughter, Charlotte, toured the region. It was here that a young Edmund Kean was discovered performing in a barn, albeit a barn that was beginning to show the traits of a theatre with scenery and a trap door. Edmund Kean was to be drawn back to perform in Sussex many times despite his fame on the London stage.
Buildings dedicated as theatres began to spring up designed by men like Trotter under the patronage of the Duke of Richmond and given further impetus by the patronage of George IV and the development of Brighton as a result. London actors and companies were drawn like a magnet to the south coast. Edmund Kean gave one performance of his Richard III, a triumph at Drury Lane, in Brighton which generated £1,000. Actors of the standing of Charles Kemble and Sarah Siddons graced the stage as did lavish productions requiring elephants, horses and dogs. Auditoria earned the right to be referred to as ‘the pit’ with the stench of unwashed bodies (often which had been sewn into their clothes), rotting food and unemptied chamber pots.
Even so, the rich and famous were drawn to these centres of entertainment. Charles Dickens, a frequent visitor to Brighton and probably an actor manqué, was one such and several of the characters in his books were based upon actors he had seen in the theatre. But even with additional performances from Edmund Kean the fortunes of the theatres were flagging.
Nye Chart took over the running of Brighton, bringing such stars as Macready and Helen Faucit to the theatre. Perhaps the most astonishing thing, however, was the fact that, on his death, his wife took over the management, something unheard of in those days. She ran the theatre with great success for the next fourteen years with actors like Henry Irving and Sarah Bernhardt, Gilbert and Sullivan - and Carl Rosa.
The next major boost to the fortunes of the south coast theatres came with the onset of the 2nd World War when London theatres closed and Sussex became the natural place to move to in order to continue to perform. Noël Coward, John Gielgud, Michael Redgrave, Ralph Richardson, Donald Sinden, Peggy Ashcroft were regulars in the area.
After the War it was the vision, drive and determination of John Evershed that set up the Chichester Festival Theatre with its innovative thrust stage design, and to be a centre of excellence separate from and different to London. Always wanting the best, he invited Laurence Olivier to be the first artistic director, and a 3 month agreement turned into a 3 year stay. Brighton remained a centre providing variety Theatre entertainment with stars like Max Miller and Marlene Dietrich.
At the start of her talk, Frances Hughes stressed her conviction that it was essential that each generation of actors should know and understand the cultural and performing heritage that had preceded them and of which they were now a part. Frances proved herself a part of that heritage, presenting a rattling good yarn that informed, entertained and provoked thought in equal measure and providing an excellent introduction to the Conference, our visit to the Chichester Festival Theatre and the cultural history of performance along the south coast.
Gregan Davis, Cave Brough, Yorkshire.
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