Guide Hall, Worthing

‘Next Wednesday sees the first night of three plays from the Phoenix Players. Under the general heading of “Caprice,” they are presenting this play by Alfred de Musset, followed by George Bernard Shaw’s “The Shewing Up of Blanco Posnet,” and “Signarelle,” [sic] by Moliere’ (Worthing Gazette, Wednesday 2 March 1960). ‘Three plays for the price of one was the bargain offered by the Phoenix Players at the Forest-road Guide Hall on Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. There was farce from Moliere, comedy from de Musset and drama from Shaw … The highspot of the evening was Shaw’s “The Shewing-Up of Blanco Posnet” which was notable for the outstanding performance of John Smurthwaite, well backed up by Joan Child. A presentation such as this will be hard to beat in the forthcoming drama guild festival. This is a play that stands or falls on the ability of the players to put over the venom and basic cruelty of their ideas and way of life. The crowd must really hate this drunken horse thief and wish him no better fate than a lynching. Here was a crowd that did just that. The immense vigour and energy that the supporting players brought to their roles achieved a compete realism in the scenes of violence. It is hard to recall scenes played more vividly than those from this excellent production by Millicent Parsons’ (Worthing Gazette, Wednesday 16 March 1960).

‘Winners of the Worthing and district Drama Guild’s fourth annual one-act play festival were the Phoenix Players’ “B” entry with their production of Bernard Shaw’s “The Shewing up of Blanco Posnet.” Their producer, Millicent Parsons, received the Dandridge Cup at the Guide Hall, Forest-road. Worthing, at the conclusion of the three-day festival on Thursday … A special new trophy for the best individual performance, presented to the guild by Mr. and Mrs. Harold Currey, was won by John Smurthwaite, who played the name role of Blanco with both gusto and feeling.’ Worthing Gazette, Wednesday 30 March 1960.