THERE could not be many 17-year-old veterans of the amateur stage around and even fewer who could take on the leading role in a show, wrote The Mail in November 1998.
ACT: Margot Lewis in the lead role as Eliza
But Walney Amateur Operatic Society had put its confidence in one such local thespian in its production of My Fair Lady, the Lerner/Loewe classic, adapted from Shaw’s Pygmalion.
FUNDS: George Tyson, Barrow branch manager for Prudential Assurance Co, presents a cheque for £300 to Walney Amateurs’ leading lady
Barrow Sixth Form College student Margot Lewis was putting the finishing touches to her role of Eliza Doolittle, the common flower girl who is transformed into a society beauty for a bet by Professor ‘Enery ‘Iggins.
And rehearsals were hotting up for the rest of the cast who would swing into action at Barrow Civic Hall later in the month.
Audiences would remember Margot as Minnie Fay in Walney’s production of Hello Dolly, when she supported her mum Paulette in the lead.
CAST: Members of the chorus prepare for one of the ballroom scenes
And despite her tender years she already had four shows under her belt and had been a member of Walney Juniors since she was a tot.
Margo has also appeared in college plays, sang in the choir and played piano.
Mrs Lewis has stepped down from her usual lead role to take on the part of Mrs Higgins and David Fidler, last seen as the impressive Pharoah in the Furness Mystery Plays, would be the exacting Professor.
SING: Eliza (Margot Lewis) and supporting members of the gentlemen’s chorus in a scene from My Fair Lady in 1988
PLAY: A scene from My Fair Lady
Gordon Woodhouse would be imploring the cast to ‘Get him to the church on time’ as Eliza’s dad, Alfred Doolittle.
Stuart Hurd was Col Pickering and David Diggle played the love-struck Freddy. Sandra Adams was Mrs Pearce, Wendy Barratt was Mrs Ensford Hill, Gerald Babb was Karpathy, Stan Fagin played Jamie, Nick Carson was Harry and the maids and manservants were played by Carol Williams, Nicola Bailey-Woods, Eileen Patefield, Lynne Diggle, Jim Green and Graham Robinson.
ACTING: Eliza (Margot Lewis) and Doolittle (Gordon Woodhouse) in a scene from the first act of My Fair Lady
SCENE: “Buy a flower off a poor girl” - Eliza (Margot Lewis) and Col Pickering (Stuart Hurd) with Professor Higgins (David Fiddler)
Bridget Ford, a new producer to the society, was putting the cast through its paces.
Doreen Dunlop was musical director and the choreographer was Helen Cockhill.
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