Compton Players in favourite comedy

One would hardly have blamed the audience on three evenings of the Compton Players’ last production The White Sheep of the Family, if they had left the Village Hall wondering about their neighbours and checking their belonging, for this comedy revolves around a highly respected and charming family in Hampstead whose main occupation is relieving the unsuspecting aristocracy of valuable heirlooms of which they must surely be tired.

Rona Ikin, a newcomer to the group, and Ernest Golby took the parts of Alice and James Winter; their son, Peter, who brought disgrace to the family by giving up his career as a first class forger, was played by Peter Monger.

Susan Meakins, as their pocket-picking daughter, Pat, gave a lively performance, especially in scenes where her sisterly anger with Peter could be roused. Although character parts are sometimes easier to play, Graham Milbourn, as the lovable and forgetful vicar, gave an excellent performance, acting not only when attention focused on him, but filling in the background unobtrusively.

Other members of the “little bunch of crooks” who met on Wednesday nights were Sam Jackson, a super smart fence, played by Kenneth Ikin, and Janet, the maid, played by Marian Wellstead. Beryl Braidley, another newcomer both to the group and to crime, made safebreaking seem very attractive. Colin Bracewell as her father, the Assistant Commissioner of Police, appeared to be the only honest member of the cast.

The play was produced by Frank Meakins the set being built by John Dolan.