FOR 100 years, Darlington Operatic Society has been a springboard for performers to make the stage their career.
For instance, in Merrie England, performed at the Hippodrome in 1924, a chap called Graham Tennant made his debut.
Mr Tennant, who lived in Yarm, founded a stationery firm in Darlington but his real claim to fame was that after DOS in 1924, he found himself on the wireless in the 1930s in the Ovaltiney’s Concert Party on Radio Luxembourg.
READ FIRST: HOW DARLINGTON OPERATIC SOCIETY MADE ITS HOME AT THE HIPPODROME 100 YEARS AGO
AND: HOW IN A DAY OF GREAT DRAMA, THE OPERATIC SOCIETY SAVED THE HIPPODROME BUT LOST £50,000
The star of the show was Harry Hemsley who thrilled audiences by doing the voices of four different children, including the youngest, baby Horace, who was always gurgling. Mr Tennant somehow played Horace, and because no one could understand what he was gurgling, his thoughts had to be interpreted by his sister, Winnie.
This led to the creation of one of the hottest catchphrases of the 1930s: “What did Horace say, Winnie?”
After that triumph, in the 1950s, Mr Tennant found himself on television alongside comedian Kenneth Horne in a show called Trader Horne, which also starred Ann Croft who was married to David Croft, the writer of Dad’s Army and ’Allo ’Allo, among others.
Mr Tennant appeared in many other radio and television shows – he was Mary Ann Cotton’s defence counsel in a TV dramatization of her trial, but even he couldn’t prevent the West Auckland mass murderess from hanging – and after he died in 1993, a book of the light-hearted poems, for which he was well known, was published.
The line of national performers that Graham Tennant started comes down the hundred years to, among others, Peter McGovern and Luke Jasztal.
Luke is currently appearing as Sam Carmichael in Mamma Mia! in London’s West End, and has been touring the world in productions of The Bodyguard Musical, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and Blues Brothers: Approved, as well as appearing on TV in shows like the BBC’s Doctors.
What are your earliest memories of DarlingtonOS?
Peter: My Mum was a member and I loved going to the Civic Theatre to see her perform twice a year. My Grandad, usually quite a reserved man, loved Rogers & Hammerstein and I remember seeing how joyful he looked during their overtures, singing along and tapping his feet.
The first show I saw was Oklahoma in 1991 and from then onwards I either saw or performed in every DOS show until I moved to London in 2005. I kept every programme and I’d get very excited if I met someone in the street who I’d seen on stage. They felt like super heroes.
The first show I took part in was Oliver! in 1993, aged seven. Everything about the theatre, from the tiny ice creams to the large velvet curtains seemed magical to me. I couldn’t wait to get involved.
Luke: I knew I wanted to be an actor from the age of 15. I’d tried to get into drama school immediately after my A-levels but I wasn’t accepted, so I decided to gain some performing experience at DOS. I stayed for three years, doing six shows in total, and it was the best of both worlds: working to earn money through the day and then performing in the evening.
One of my earliest memories is my first review for my first production, Hello Dolly. Embarrassingly, I can still remember it word for word to this day. Helen Brown wrote in The Northern Echo on Apr 27, 2001: “There is one actor you certainly won't miss and that is Luke Jasztal as Barnaby. It says in the programme he's just 19, works for Orange and wants to be an actor. He already is an actor and a jolly fine one at that and he may well be saying "bye-bye Orange, hello Emmerdale" very soon.”
I’m still waiting for that Emmerdale audition.
What are your favourite memories of working on a DarlingtonOS production?
Peter: Corny as it sounds, my favourite memory is probably the sitzprobe for West Side Story. It’s always a special moment, hearing the band for the first time, but nothing has ever topped singing that incredible score with a live orchestra for the first time. After the hard slog of rehearsal, meticulously learning the material, it’s a moment where all the elements begin to come together and you can look forward to sharing your hard work with an audience.
Luke: Walking down centre stage as the lead character Tony in Copacabana after an incredible ensemble opening dance number. The spotlight, the music, the pressure, the adrenaline, the feathers and sequins in my peripheral vision and the blurred audience waiting to hear what I had to say next…
I remember saying to myself that if I enjoyed this part, if I received good reviews and if I wasn’t too nervous then I’d move to London and give it a go on my own terms – and that is exactly what happened!
What would be your strongest memory of performing at Darlington Hippodrome?
Peter: That would have The King and I in 1999. There was a large children’s chorus and all five of my siblings were involved – including my younger sister who, although unseen, was also on stage kicking away inside my Mum’s tummy. That was the first and last time we all appeared together on stage and is a very special memory for the family.
I remember the love and kindness from older members such as Heather Wane, who was DOS Secretary, and Barrie Dargue, who was hilarious.
The creatives in my time were director Martyn Knight and choreographer Jo Hand who always pushed me to achieve my best.
I wonder if I would have continued my journey into the industry without the support of the creatives and the opportunities I gained at DOS. I will be forever grateful for my time there.
READ NEXT: THE CHEEKY WAYS THE OPERATIC SOCIETY HAS PROMOTED ITS SHOWS OVER THE DECADES
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