Escapade
This play was presented in the West End in the mid 1950s at the now demolished St James’s Theatre. It subsequently transferred to the Strand (now the Novello) Theatre, where I saw it, starring Phyllis Calvert, Nigel Patrick and, although he was close to 30 at the time, playing a schoolboy, Alec McCowen, whose obituary today has led me circuitously to this site.
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The role of Paton was temporarily taken over by Jeremy Spenser while Lance Secretan took a three-week holiday. (The Stage 16th April 1953, page 8.) Later in the run, Secretan was occasionally replaced by Christopher Cresswell.
Act II of the play was televised (from the Strand Theatre) on 27th July 1953. Noelle Middleton explained to viewers what had happened in Act I. (The Stage 16th July 1953, page 12.)
Cast & Crew
Cast
| Andrew Deeson | Hugh Griffith |
|---|---|
| Andrew’s stenographer | Patricia Marmont |
| Daventry | Alec McCowen |
| Dr Skillingworth | Ernest Clark |
| John Hampden | Nigel Patrick |
| Miss Betts | Dorothy Turner |
| Mrs Hampden | Edith Sharpe |
| Paton | Lance Secretan |
| Peter Henderson | Michael Aldridge |
| Sir Harold Cookham | Michael Logan |
| Stella Hampden | Phyllis Calvert |
| Walters | John Carew |
| William Saxon / a press photographer | David March |
| Paton (temporary replacement) | Jeremy Spenser
(16th April – May 1953) |
| Andrew’s stenographer (replacement) | Mary Ward
(started 6th July 1953) |
| Stella Hampden (replacement) | Patricia Marmont
(started 6th July 1953) |
| Paton (temporary replacement) | Christopher Cresswell
(started August 1953) |
| Andrew Deeson (replacement) | Cameron Hall
(started October 1953) |
Crew | |
| Designer | Hutchinson Scott |
| Director | John Fernald |
| Press Representative | David Fairweather |
| Stage Director | Roy Healy |
| Stage Manager | Ian Main |
| Assistant Stage Manager | Sheila Taylor |
| Chief Wardrobe Mistress | Margaret Rowsell |
| General Manager | Stanley Brightman |
| Miss Calvert and Miss Marmont’s dresses by | John Tullis |
| Scenery built by | Brunskill & Loveday |
| Scenery painted by | The Harkers |
- Added by michael sharpe, last modified by Jared William.
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