an introduction...
This is a list of plays performed publicly by Stockport Garrick Society up to June 2005, whether at the Garrick or elsewhere. It gives each play’s title, author and venue, and identifies double and triple bills, one-act plays, studio/apron productions (described below), musical productions of various kinds, and (where known) premières and plays whose author (other than authors who were Garrick members) attended a performance. It differs from the list in the 1951 Jubilee booklet "Garrick Story" by (a) amending some small details in that list, (b) continuing the list to 2005, (c) including presentations at venues other than the Garrick, and (d) omitting performances presented to members only, unless they preceded or followed public production elsewhere (in which case the Garrick performance is described as "non-public").

In some cases, especially in the early years, the details of a performance, such as date, venue, or even the identity of the play performed, can no longer be traced. It was felt, however, that even an incomplete list of the Garrick's early activities might provide an interesting record of the Society's policies of performing in hospitals and other institutions and visiting districts around Stockport and further afield to encourage the growth of other local dramatic societies. When such societies sprang up, as at Marple and Altrincham, the Garrick developed a tradition of exchanging productions with them.

The list includes the numerous productions which, because they took place on the Society's premises, were described as "private performances" until 1973-4 to comply with legal requirements, but were in fact open to the general public, normally in a run of about half a dozen performances. On the other hand, plays which were presented only to members and their guests, such as the one-act plays which often formed the conclusion of a "social evening", are omitted unless they received further performances at a different venue.

The “studio productions” presented from 1979 to 2001 were designed as a showcase for plays which, though well worth performing, might not be expected to attract large audiences; they were allocated a reduced number of performances and were expected to work within a limited budget. During the period 1987-89 (and occasionally during 1989-91) their title was “apron productions”.

Plays presented by the younger section of the Garrick, whether known as "Student", "Junior" or "Youth", are listed in Appendix 1. Over the years, these productions have varied in the degree to which they were open to the public (at the present date they form part of the official Garrick season); but it seemed convenient to group them all together, irrespective of whether the performances were "public" or "for members and friends".

Where the name of a foreign work's translator and/or adapter is known, it is included; occasional variations in the spelling of foreign names (e.g. Vanya/Vania, Julia/Julie, Tartufe/Tartuffe) reflect the preferences of different translators. In the case of one or two operatic libretti, the translator's identity could not be established with any certainty.

When a production received additional performances later in the same season, whether at the Garrick or elsewhere, its performances are all grouped together within that season; when a season included further performances of what was apparently a production already presented in a previous season, with or without changes of cast, cross-references are given from one season to another (except for "The Drone", whose picturesque history is so unusual that the details are listed in Appendix 2); in all other cases, the appearance in this list of a previously-performed play indicates an entirely new production.

Visits to the Garrick by other groups are not included here.

I would like to thank those Garrick members who have assisted with the compilation of this list, in particular Richard Humphry and Jean Simpson, whose researches provided the basis for the list's post-1951 section, and Peter Aspinall, Pat Baker, Mike and Chris Bullimore, Philip Dent, Michael French, David Glindon, Marjorie Heaps, Joyce Hipkins, Una Holliday, Richard Humphry, Dot Knowles, Hamish and Di Lawson, Joyce Nolan, Betty Pearson, Pat Stewart, Sue Stokoe and Catherine Thompson for their helpfulness and patience, sometimes under persistent interrogation. I am also extremely grateful to Jeannie Honeyman and Maggie Foy of Altrincham Garrick Society, and Heather Baguley of Marple Dramatic Society, who unearthed valuable information about Stockport Garrick's visits to Altrincham and Marple. Andrew Lamb and the staff of the Henry Watson Music Library, Manchester, gave crucial and much-appreciated assistance with the formidable task of identifying the translators of libretti. In spite of everyone’s exertions, it is unlikely that the list is free from inaccuracies, and I would be delighted to hear from anyone who can help to plug a gap or eject a mistake.

- Robin Griffin, Archivist

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