The Groundling and the Kite – Jenny Brewer

‘The Groundling and the Kite’ was a drama in the Play for Today anthology.

Crew photograph from 1983
This was the last Play For Today made out of Pebble Mill. Shot during the very hot summer of 1983 in and around Hampstead in London and transmitted on BBC1 in 24 July 1984. This was the last show I worked on as a Production Assistant before becoming a Production Associate. I have discovered the full play is available on You Tube should you wish to watch: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4clkwmzOHlE

 


The Groundling and the Kite crew. Thanks to Jenny Brewer for sharing the photo.

From front row R to L Keith Froggatt, Cameras; Charles Bond, Designer; Alan Miller (with the bald head) Gaffer Spark from Lee Electric with 3 sparks alongside him

Next row Colin Rogers, Producer; Graham ??; Prop and Support Vehicles

Next row Ian MacNulty; Grip; Jenny Brewer, Production Assistant; John Duttine, Actor; Peter Jefferies, Director; Carol Parks, Production Associate

Next Row William Hartley, Production Manager; Lenny Preston, Writer and Actor; John Kenway, DOP; Liddy Bennett, Assistant Floor Manager; Geoff Nawn, Design; John Parker, Sound Recordist

Next Row John Cole, Sound; Chap from Costume ?; Gwen Arthy, Make Up Designer; Trevor Elwell, Scene Crew Supervisor; alongside Nigel ?? and others on the scene crew; Tom Beech, Props Buyer; Nigel Roberts next to Tom Beech, Ray Clulow, carpenter, behind Nigel & one of the painters behind Ray. Hiding behind the pillar might be Phil Hawkins, scene crew supervisor.

Back Row Mark Thompson Unit Driver; Lesley Weaver, Make Up; Sue Peck, Costume Designer; and ?? from Costume

 

 

 

Pebble Mill Blue Plaque

 

On Wednesday 8 September 2021 a BBC Heritage Trail blue plaque was unveiled on the site of BBC Pebble Mill, now a rehabilitation hospital, to commemorate the building and all the fantastic programmes that were created there. A small number of former BBC staff attended the ceremony. The plaque was unveiled by Midlands Today presenter, Nick Owen, who presented the last ever news programme from the broadcast centre.

Included in the photographs are:

  1. Annie Gumbley Williams, Jim Dumighan
  2. ?, Nick Owen
  3. Ken Pollock, Nick Owen
  4. Ken Pollock, Ivor Williams, John Duckmanton
  5. Norman McLeod, John Williams, Nick Owen
  6. Annie Gumbley Williams, Nick Owen, Jenny Brewer

Gillian Lynne

Copyright resides with the original holder, no reproduction without permission. Gillian Lynne directing Barbara Kellerman, with Bob Jacobs floor managing behind.

Gillian with cameraman David Short

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The choreographer and director, Gillian Lynne has died aged 92.

“Quite a lot of us will remember working with her at Pebble Mill.  I was her Production Assistant on MORTE D’ARTHUR, an extraordinary piece produced by Robin Midgley and performed by John Barton, RSC, with Jeremy Brett and Barbara Kellerman in the leads.  A strong mix of narration with the tableaux painted by a mixed bag of actors and dancers including Sir Anton Dolin.”

Jenny Brewer

Here is a link to Gillian Lynne’s obituary on the BBC website: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-44677722

Here is the entry for Morte D’Arthur from the Radio Times (transmitted 5th May 1984), from the BBC Genome project:

Morte D’Arthur

by SIR THOMAS MALORY edited by JOHN BARTON
Malory’s prose masterpiece was written in 1470 while he was imprisoned in Newgate Jail. He wove together the many legends of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table, and created the great romantic story of Arthur, the sword Excalibur, the treachery of his son Mordred, and the love of Lancelot for Arthur’s Queen Guenevere, which has inspired painters, poets and writers throughout the centuries. and Music composed by STEPHEN OLIVER Costume ANN ARNOLD
Make-up SUSIE BANCROFT Lighting PETER BOOTH Designer GAVIN DAVIES
Produced by ROBIN MIDGLEY
Devised and directed by GILLIAN LYNNE

https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/14c0be58416840708647d6087c2fb6af

Joan Walsh

 

Pebble Mill canteen, photo by Philip Morgan, no reproduction without permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joan Walsh, who worked in the BBC canteen in Birmingham from 1952, sadly died last week (Oct 2017), aged 93. Louise Willcox has pieced together some of information about Joan’s career, with the help of former colleagues.

Joan worked at Carpenter Road, before Pebble Mill opened in 1971, rising through the ranks to become the second in command of the canteen. Eileen Bywater was brought in as Canteen Manager and she and Joan looked after the Pebble Mill canteen office. Jenny Brewer says that she was incredibly capable, delightfully calm and a joy to deal with.

Please add a comment, if you can add any more information about Joan.

The following comment were left on the Pebble Mill Facebook page:

Judy Markall: ‘Lovely lady. Her birthday was 28th May. I have many fond memories from when she was friends with my mom and then myself.’

Anne Smith: ‘Lovely lady, have lots of good memories of working with Joan and Eileen.’

Tracy Crump: ‘Sad, worked under Eileen and knew Joan.’

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Gosta Green Revisited photos

Lez Cooke introducing the screenings. Photos from Izzie Archer of Flatpack, no reproduction without permission

Lez Cooke introducing the screenings. Photos from Izzie Archer of Flatpack, no reproduction without permission

Lez Cooke, Peter Booth and Joyce Hawkins. Photo from Izzie Archer of Flatpack, no reproduction without permission

Lez Cooke, Peter Booth and Joyce Hawkins. Photo from Izzie Archer of Flatpack, no reproduction without permission

Photo from Izzie Archer of Flatpack, no reproduction without permission

Photo from Izzie Archer of Flatpack, no reproduction without permission

Audience for Gosta Green screenings. Photos from Izzie Archer of Flatpack, no reproduction without permission

Audience for Gosta Green screenings. Photos from Izzie Archer of Flatpack, no reproduction without permission

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These photos are from the Gosta Green Revisited screenings, held at the Midlands Arts Centre on the 15th October 2016.

The photos are from the Flatpack Film Festival organisers, who arranged the screenings.

The screenings included: Rainbow City, The Newcomers, and Sinking Fish Move Sideways and were followed by a question and answer session with cameraman Peter Booth, and costume designer Joyce Hawkins, interviewed by academic researcher, Lez Cooke.

In the audience photo you can see Ann Chancellor-Davies in the front row, and in the second row, towards the right, Jenny Brewer, Peter Ansorge, and me (Vanessa Jackson).

Please add a comment if you can identify others.

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