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The Cocktail Party

1966
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About The Cocktail Party

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The Cocktail Party, verse drama in three acts by T.S. Eliot, produced at the Edinburgh Festival in August in 1949 and published in 1950. Based on Alcestis by Euripides, it is a morality play presented as a comedy of manners. Eliot’s most commercially successful play, it was more conventional and less poetic than his earlier dramatic works.

The marital problems of Edward and Lavinia Chamberlayne are of special interest to an unidentified guest at their dismal cocktail party. The guest is later identified as Sir Henry Harcourt-Reilly, a prescient psychiatrist who helps heal the Chamberlaynes’ marriage. He also counsels Celia Coplestone, Edward’s mistress and the main moral figure of the piece, to work out her salvation.

October 14 - 22, 1966

  • The Little Theatre

  • Genre: Drama

  • Playwright: T.S. Eliot

  • Director: Joy Smith

  • Raising funds for the Girl Guide Association

Cast

Gordon Henderson

Edward Chamberlayne

Mary MacNeill

Julia Shuttlewaite

Marian Sinclair

Celia Copplestone

Stephen Stickland

Alexander MacColgie Gibbs

Ken Felstead

Peter Quilpe

Don McIntyre

Unindentified Guest – later identified as Sir Henry Harcourt-Rielly

Joy Story

Lavinia Chamberlayne

Helen Chamberlain

Young Guest, Nurse Secretary, Catering Hostess

Crew

  • Stage Manager

    Louise Lammin

  • Set Design

    Ken Felstead

  • Stage Crew

    Sue Andrews, Jim Matheson, Ian Barrett

  • Set Construction

    Ken Felstead, Don McIntyre, Gordon Henders, Sue Andrews, Ian Barrett, Louise Lammin

  • Prompt

    Eileen Shannon

  • Make-up

    Dorothy Higgins, Helen Anderson

  • Dresser

    May Henderson

  • Sound

    Albert Dulfer

  • Lighting Operator

    Rus. Hammond

  • Front of House

    Mary MacLeod

  • Foyer Stall

    Marj Drew

Program

    Reviews

    From BNT newsletter June 1966

    The next production will be T.S. Eliot’s The Cocktail Party. A delightful satirical English play requiring 4 male, 4 female and two to three small parts.
    Joy Smith will be producing this play and auditions will be held on Monday 18 July and Monday 25 July if there is need of further auditions. All those interested please note those dates. Play will be performed about 21 October.
    As well as members of cast, stage crew, stage manager, set builders will be required. Anybody interested at all in any aspect of this production please contact Joy or turn up at the theatre on 18 July.

    From BNT newsletter September 1966

    The first rehearsal of the next production T.S. Eliot’s The Cocktail Party was held at the theatre last evening. The cast have guaranteed to have this play ready for production on the 14 October. Not much time, but under their producer’s guidance am sure that they will achieve their objective. Pleasing to report that we have some new members and some we have not seen for a while coming forward for this production. Members of the cast will be Mary McNeil, Helen Chamberlain, Marian Sinclair, Joy Storey; Don McIntyre, Gordon Henderson, Ken Felstead and Stephen Stickland. Louise Lammin will be stage-managing and Ken Felstead designing the sets. Production is in the hands of Joy Smith. Mary Macleod will be organising the front of house team and those willing to give of the services please contact Mary as soon as possible. The charity night will be on the 14th and will be in aid of the Girl Guide Association.