Last week we said our "farewells" to George and Marion Webster who have both been such an integral part of our Group for the last thirty plus years. They will both be greatly missed by us all.
Our President David Grieve paid tribute to their membership of the group:
Tonight I want to say a few words
of embarrassment about two special people who between them have been have been
key members of this group for well over fifty years.
I will begin however by talking a
little about someone else in the group namely Lorraine Jamieson. When I think of Lorraine’s many roles with
the group two words always stick in my mind and I quote: “A Handbag”, words
which she delivered with great aplomb in her role as Lady Bracknell in “The
Importance of Being Ernest”
I say this because in that same
production someone played a very small – almost non-speaking role and yet stole
the show every night as he tottered down the stage, rattling his tray of cups
and glasses. The character was Merriman
the butler. The backstage crew were almost running a book on how long he make
his walk downstage last. Two very different examples of stage presence
which have stuck in my memory.
If you have not already guessed,
I am talking about George Webster.
George joined the group in 1986 when
he recalls singing “Boy Thingmy Whalsay” in Islesburgh community centre – and
not understanding a word that he sang.
His first Garrison Theatre was in South Pacific the following year.
Since then he has played many
different roles including, on one occasion. swearing at the entire cast from a
seat in the auditorium. That was in “Noises
off” in 2000.
Despite his many parts in all
kinds of plays and musicals, George is best known for his pantomime roles
either as Dame or as the daft idiot son of the dame. He made his first Islesburgh panto appearance
in 1988 as one of the bungling Thieves - 40 - playing opposite Peerie Jim
Irvine as 39. That was in Ali Baba and
the Forty Thieves. Then 30 years later
in our most recent panto Babes in the Wood he played the part of a rabbit
alongside Andy Long.
George has on a few occasions
defected to the darkside and has been listed in programmes for his work behind
the scenes, building and painting scenery or working in the stage crew.
Marion on the other hand has
never crossed over into the light. She
has instead been part of the dark and silent (usually) team of stage crew who
are essential to every production.
Marion’s name first appears in an
Islesburgh programme in 2000 when she was part of the stage crew for the panto
Robinson Crusoe and since then she has helped to build and paint scenery, help
with get-ins by loading and unloading David Wiseman’s van, helped cast
(including George) with costume changes, made tea and coffee and sold
programmes. Working quietly and
efficiently in all those roles, Marion has proved herself to be a real asset to
the group.