Aladdin/Mikado - Blaisdon Production

One of the highlights of being at Blaisdon Hall was the annual production of one of the many concerts and Operettas.  This photo is of the 1953 production by Father John Connolly SDB (RIP).  Mrs. Keating was responsible for the disguises (Sorry I mean Make-up).  Still Alan Ferry was able to supply many of the names.  My original guess that this was The Mikado was somewhat of the beam.

Top Row L to R: **, Colin Englishby, **, Freddy Grace,   Fr John Connolly SDB, Peter (Fatty) Caine, Peter Whitehead

** friends of Father John Connolly, hence not made up

Middle Row L to R: Donald Bibi, Jim Meenahan, Tony Brady, John Dunbar?, ------, John Caine,  Roger Allen

Bottom Row L to R:  Peter Noone, Anthony Oates, ?  Clarke, Terry  Chaplin, Michael Allum, Ronny  Daly

Names thanks to Tony Brady

A little more interesting info from Tony Brady on the above stars and their other talents:

Hello! A correction to the Aladdin photo: Peter "Fatty ""Bunter"etc. should be spelt Caine.  His brother is also in the same photo.  Both boys came from Manchester - The Salford Children's Society being the link.  Peter excelled at all sports: he was Captain of More House in his prime.  He had a fine tenor voice and was invariably in great humour, he never resented his nicknames.  He was very protective of his brother who tended to weep easily if things were not going his way.  The production title Aladdin is confusing as the show was a conflation of Aladdin with The Mikado. Peter's character was Poo-Bah.  Terry Chaplin was the Alled Jones de nos jours.  He had the most beautiful singing voice he is particularly femininely fetching here.  Terry's tour de force in the production was
"Uvulla Oh Uvulla" which is actually from Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, just to add to the confused/clever production values.  Father Connolly and Father Frank Rodgers ( who arranged all the music & libretti) were extremely talented in adapting contemporary songs to fit traditional productions such as this one.  Peter Caine was also a tuba, euphonium, English horn and cornet player.  He was also The Sergeant in the Blaisdon Hall Army Cadet Troop. Tony Brady.

I remember a John Connolly of my time, 46-48, who also had a magnificent Soprano voice and was used invariably at our wonderful concert evenings in that 'shed', behind the workshops.  John,  who like myself was from St Joseph's, Enfield, eventually joined the Army and the last I heard of him, which was many years ago, he was a Full Major in his regiment.  John Ward