Chase Me Comrade

From Great North Road

Contributed by Barry Woodrow.

One of a set of plays known collectively as Whitehall Farces, made famous by Brian Rix and his colleagues at the Whitehall Theatre, London during the 1950's and 1960's. In those days, the BBC would often televise a Whitehall Farce on major public holidays.

Chase me Comrade.	Chase me Comrade.	Chase me Comrade.	Chase me Comrade.
Chase me Comrade.	Chase me Comrade.	Chase me Comrade.	Chase me Comrade.
Chase me Comrade.	Chase me Comrade.	Chase me Comrade.	Chase me Comrade.

The play is a spoof on the defection of the Soviet ballet dancer, Rudolf Nureyev, to the west in 1961. Our production at NKAS was in February 1974.

The character Petrovyan wears ballet tights throughout Act 1. Towards the end of rehearsals I took over this part, and played the character throughout the public performances.

Unfortunately, a typo crept into our advertisement in the "Times of Zambia", which read "Chase me Comrade - A Whiteball Farce". At the NKAS annual awards in April of the same year I was in grave danger of winning the Wooden Spoon award - the nomination read "To Barry Woodrow, for producing a Whiteball Farce and then going on stage to prove it!".

MEC (Maggie Currey) writes in the ToZ review of "first night nerves" in Act 1. Certainly - but enhanced by the radio failing to "brodcast" the news when switched on by Gerry (Alan Ricketts). Can you imagine how difficult it is to ad lib when there are only two of you on stage, one of whom speaks only English, and the other only Russian??

The photographs were taken during late rehearsals, when the set and costumes were almost - but not quite - ready.