THE Flanagans of Dalton believed in keeping it in the family when it came to amateur dramatics, reported The Mail in spring 1995.
Mother, father and daughter all had parts in Barrow Amateurs’ production of The Pajama Game, which was staged at Forum 28.
ACTORS: Bill Calvert at Hines and Kay Charnley as Gladys in The Pajama Game in 1993
Mum Olive got the family started when she joined the society in 1988 for its production of Sweeney Todd.
“It’s something I always wanted to do,” said Olive, whose previous ‘showbiz’ experience had been singing in a band as a teenager.
Next recruit into the society was husband Tony, who was well-known as a drummer with several successful rock bands in Furness, including Captain Five. Since joining, he had been a regular leading member of both the operatic and dramatic branches of the society.
Daughter Sarah joined up next to play the female lead in 1992’s production of Little Shop of Horrors.
PERFORM: Robin Twyford as David and Beryl Dixon as Helen, the Brownie mistress, in Out of Focus in 1993
In The Pajama Game, Olive played Mae, a factory worker; Tony was Hasler, the factory boss and Sarah was Babe Williams, head of the union grievance committee - and the love interest in the show.
In October 1993 Barrow Amateurs were getting ready to provide the laughs at the Sixth Form College as they took to the stage with their latest production Out of Focus.
The previous year they had added ‘and dramatic’ to their title of Barrow Amateur Operatic Society and had done a successful production of Alan Ayckbourn’s Season’s Greetings.
SCENE: The Grievance Committee in The Pajama Game in 1993, from left: Philip Goulding as Pres, Olive Flanagan as Mae, Sarah Flanagan as Babe, Julia Sharpe as Brenda and Martin Craig as Joe
In October 1993 they were continuing the comedy with Peter Gordon's show with a touch of pantomime set in a church hall where the vicar's wife handles the bookings.
Tickets were selling well for the show, which featured a Brownie mistress (Beryl Dixon) with eyes for a passing policeman (Robin Twyford), a wayward badminton player (Kevin Neale) with designs on his secretary (Sarah Flanagan), and Leonard (Ray Turner), who comes to give a slide show but finds the hall treble, if not quadruple, booked by the scatty vicar's wife (Emma Neale).
Jayne France was the director.
SHOW: Kath Smith as Kath and Ray Turner as Leonard, who has turned up at the church hall to give a slide show, in Out of Focus in 1993
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