amateur theatre
Amateur theatre, also known as amateur dramatics, is theatre performed by amateur actors and singers. Amateur theatre groups may stage plays, revues, musicals, light opera, pantomime or variety shows, and do so for the social activity as well as f ...
group from the
Isle of Man
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, anthem = "O Land of Our Birth"
, image = Isle of Man by Sentinel-2.jpg
, image_map = Europe-Isle_of_Man.svg
, mapsize =
, map_alt = Location of the Isle of Man in Europe
, map_caption = Location of the Isle of Man (green)
in Europe ...
in operation during the 1910s and specialising in
Anglo-Manx
Manx English (Manks English), or Anglo-Manx (Anglo-Manks; gv, Baarle Ghaelgagh), is the historic dialect of English spoken on the Isle of Man, though today in decline. It has many borrowings from Manx, a Goidelic language, and it differs wid ...
dialect productions.
Through the initiation of
Sophia Morrison
Sophia Morrison (24 May 1859 – 14 January 1917) was a Manx cultural activist, folklore collector and author. Through her own work and role in encouraging and enthusing others, she is considered to be one of the key figures of the Manx cultur ...
,Mona Douglas, 'Story of a Militant Manxwoman: Sophia Morrison was a Champion of Manx Culture' (1964), in "Restoring to Use Our Almost-Forgotten Dances": The Collection and Revival of Manx Folk Song and Dance ' by Mona Douglas, ed. Stephen Miller, Onchan: Chiollagh Books, 2004, pp. 61 - 65 the group met for the first time in July 1912 at Christian Street School, Peel.'Drama' in ''A Bibliographical Account of Works Relating to the Isle of Man: Volume II'', compiled and edited by
William Cubbon
William Cubbon M.A. (28 May 1865 – 1 January 1955) was a Manx nationalist, antiquarian, author, businessman and librarian who was the first secretary of the Manx Museum, later becoming Director of the Museum.''Isle of Man Examiner Yearbook ...
, London: Oxford University Press, 1939, pp. 1005 - 1030 They commenced playing in 1913 with Christopher R. Shimmin as producer.
On 13 January 1913 the Players premiered Shimmin's short Manx dialect play, ''Illiam Kodhere's Will'', in the Gaiety Theatre in
Douglas
Douglas may refer to:
People
* Douglas (given name)
* Douglas (surname)
Animals
*Douglas (parrot), macaw that starred as the parrot ''Rosalinda'' in Pippi Longstocking
*Douglas the camel, a camel in the Confederate Army in the American Civil W ...
.Original cast list in ''Illiam Kodhere's Will'' by Christopher R. Shimmin, Peel, Isle of Man: Yn Cheshaght Gailckagh, 1913 The Players then took their production of this and another of Shimmin's plays, ''
The Charm
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'', to the David Lewis' Theatre in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
. It was reported of this performance (by Sophia Morrison) that "There was a crowded house. The Liverpool newspapers gave unstinted praise to both plays and players."'Notes' by Sophia Morrison in ''Mannin'', No. 2, November 1913 In the winter of that same year, the Players did a production of Shimmin's next plays, ''Luss ny Graih'' and ''The Dooinney Moyllee''.
The Players were keen to use the profits from their performances for charitable purposes in line with their Manx ideals. This included a donation of £52 in 1913 to The Manx Society, for "the publication of Manx books and music, music prizes, and so forth,"'Notes' by Sophia Morrison in ''Mannin'', No. 5, May 1915 at a time when the Society was in desperate need of money, ''The Manx Quarterly'', No. 13, Vol. II and a donation in 1915 to help fund the provision of copies of T. E. Brown's poems for all schools on the island.
When
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
broke out, '' Mannin'' reported that: "The Peel Players' revenue had been devoted to war objects, so that their work had been somewhat curtailed for lack of funds." This continued for the following year, when ''Mannin'' reported that the Players:
"have this season given their profits to war funds, or for gifts to Peel men on active service and in training; £10 went to Douglas Needlework Fund, £10 to Douglas Belgian Hostel, £5 8s. to Ramsey Belgian Hostel, and the rest to Peel men serving on sea or land."
It was only two years after this, in January 1917, that Sophia Morrison, the inspiration behind the Players, died. The central connection between Morrison and the Players was demonstrated by some of their members forming her
pallbearers
A pallbearer is one of several participants who help carry the casket at a funeral. They may wear white gloves in order to prevent damaging the casket and to show respect to the deceased person.
Some traditions distinguish between the roles o ...
: John J. Joughin, Christopher R. Shimmin, C. Cashin and C. H. Cowley.'Obituary: Miss Sophia Morrison' ''The Manx Quarterly'', No. 18, Vol. IV The Peel Players did not last long beyond this time.
People who acted with the Peel Players include: Christopher R. Shimmin, William B. Meyrick, John J. Joughin, Evelyn Christian, Amy Preston, C. Cashin, C. H. Cowley, W. H. Crellin, John W. Kelly, Hilda Vick, Amelia Keegan, Lionel Lucas, Charles W. Palmer, Tom Dodd, Sam Harrison and Annie V. Cain.
Although the Peel Players were only a small amateur group, they are perhaps the most significant theatre group in modern Manx history. Through their central place in the Manx Cultural Revival and their premiering works by perhaps the island's most important playwright, in Christopher R. Shimmin, the Peel Players have been compared to the
Abbey Theatre
The Abbey Theatre ( ga, Amharclann na Mainistreach), also known as the National Theatre of Ireland ( ga, Amharclann Náisiúnta na hÉireann), in Dublin, Ireland, is one of the country's leading cultural institutions. First opening to the pu ...
in
Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
for their significance to Manx culture.
Plays produced
* ''Illiam Kodhere's Will'' by Christopher R. Shimmin
* ''
The Charm
''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...
'' by Christopher R. Shimmin
* ''Luss by Graih'' by Christopher R. Shimmin
* ''The Dooinney Moyllee'' by Christopher R. Shimmin
It had also been hoped that the Players could stage productions of ''Catchin Kirree'' by F. Corris and ''Ellie's Stranger'' by
W. Clucas Kinley
William Clucas Kinley (1866-1920), Manx journalist and playwright.
William Clucas Kinley was born in 1866,