The British Drama League - Cornwall (Vinyl, 1966)
Track listing:
1. Standard Passage
2. My Fear - Mo Shiner
3. Loath To Go - A Cornish Rhyme (Circa 1850)
This is a reissue of a 1920's 78rpm Gramophone recording. Specific year as of yet not known.
The British Drama League was founded in 1919 with the objective of promoting amateur and professional theatre in England. Its headquarters were located at Fitzroy Square in London and it was established by Geoffrey Whitworth. The League's initiatives included advocating for the establishment of the National Theatre, providing library and research services, launching the journal Drama in 1919, and encouraging the inclusion of drama in the national curriculum. In 1972, the name of the organization was changed to the British Theatre Association. Unfortunately, due to financial difficulties, the Association disbanded in 1990. The play scripts that were held in its archives are now under the ownership of the Theatre Museum in London.
It is typical of British culture for a voluntary society to play a central role in the education and development of amateur dramatics. Moreover, it is noteworthy that this was not the organization's primary objective when it was established. The British Drama League's original goals, as outlined by its founders in 1919, were to assist in the advancement of the theatrical arts and establish a strong connection between theatre and the wider community. During that time, the average British citizen considered theatre primarily as a form of entertainment—a simple "night out." Educators often dismissed it as an extraneous and non-essential aspect of education. In fact, there was still a lingering Puritanical aversion towards theatre in some academic circles, associating stage performances with immorality.
Geoffrey Whitworth, the driving force behind the foundation of the League, had an unwavering belief that theatre, as the most popular and relatable of all arts, could be a powerful force for societal improvement. He successfully garnered the support of distinguished professionals from the theatrical world, with Harley Granville-Barker serving as the League's first Chairman. Whitworth also garnered the support of influential individuals from political, academic, and social spheres. In a small, dimly lit room above London's vegetable market, he set out on his mission to awaken the British populace to the meaningfulness of theatre. The early days of the League were marked by the first theatre conference, the inaugural international theatre exhibition, meetings with government officials, and the call for the establishment of a National Theatre.
The simultaneous rise of the amateur theatre movement, as we know it today, was no coincidence. Whitworth tells us that he conceived the idea for the League after attending a play reading by munition workers during the First World War. It was evident to him that in a mechanized world, millions of people could find solace and joy not only by watching performances but also by actively participating in them. He recognized that these amateur actors would form the foundation of a more discerning audience, one that the theatre desperately needed. Acting, which previously had been limited to the pastimes of the privileged few, could become an accessible pursuit for the masses. Consequently, as the League expanded, the initial few hundred supporters were joined by thousands of amateur practitioners seeking to not only contribute to the theatre but also to improve themselves through training and practice.