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Doctor in the House adapted by Ted Willis
The popularity of this Richard Gordon novel, which was subsequently made into a film with Dirk Bogarde and James Robertson Justice, was too much for Wyong Drama Group to resist, and Aub Brown put up his hand to produce the play (December 1963). He also took on the role of Sir Lancelot Spratt. The play was produced on Friday 6 December and Saturday 7 December 1963 at the Youth Hall. Adapted from the novel by Richard Gordon about the off duty lives of a group of medical students, this play weaves their happy triumphs and brave failures, love affairs and parties into a many coloured pattern. Several individuals confined under the same roof employ a blithe exterior to hide their hopes and fears, ineffectually concealing an underlying earnestness of purpose. The play provides a good variety of character parts: young men, some playboys, some serious; the college porter and the eccentric professor; the dragon matron; nurses pretty and dull; and the landlady extraordinary. Shy and naive Simon Sparrow is an enthusiastic, first year medical student who has found lodgings in a rundown flat with two other medics. Tony Grimsdyke is studying for the fun and a "degree in tavern and women" would be more appropriate. His rugby playing friend, John Evans is slightly more enthusiastic about the course. Vera a beautiful Sicilian shares Tony's room, and has her sights set on a permanent relationship. Nurse Riggie Winslow visits regularly, mainly in search of food, but like all the other nurses, she must make sure that she is not caught in the male students' rooms by the matriarchal Matron. Bromley is a hospital porter who will do any task required for the students – at a price. Their self-opinionated, bullying professor, Sir Lancelot Spratt has little time for the matron, and so when Simon falls for Janet the trouble really starts. Audiences may remember the funniest line in the film – this is when Simon says to a well-endowed teenage girl, as he places his stethoscope on her chest, "Big breaths" and the reply comes "Yeth, and I am only sithteen!" Doctor in the House Programme (pdf file, 304,729 bytes)
Photo GalleryThe below pictures are thumbnails. To see the full-sized pictures, simply click on the thumbnail images. Many thanks to Barry Beggs for providing the photos.
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