Past President Doreen Gray's wonderful speech at the opening of the workshop about how it has been so difficult over the years to build sets:
When I looked back over the years of set
making two words sprang to mind - ‘homeless’ and ‘nomads’!!
In the beginning we were a settled
tribe. We were a club belonging to
Islesburgh Community Centre and in those far off halcyon days we could work in
the theatre for weeks prior to a show and until two in the morning if we so
wished! We were happy and at peace. Alas, as the demand for the Theatre grew our preparation
time became restricted and thus our wanderings began.
Our travels through the years took us to
many locations.
Sets were made in Hay’s shop on
Commercial Road, a hut in front of the Anderson High, the Galley Shed and the
hut belonging to the Up Helly Aa Committee at the docks. For many years St Olaf’s Hall was used during
Sunday school holidays. That was a great
space but all the flats had to be brought down from Knab Road, prepared, carted
back up along with all the new scenery to be stored until it was time to be
transported to the Garrison. Then the
place had to be cleaned – you could have hovered and swept for a month trying
to get the dust out of the gaps in the floorboards! Alas the rulers of that temple needed
gold coins and we were homeless again.
Another holy place was found – St Clements! We worked happily among the stacks of folding
beds and left over Island Games tee shirts albeit dodging the leaks from the
roof and the possibility of the kitchen falling down around our ears. Mind you
we were warm!! We got an enormous
electricity bill and discovered that, for goodness knows how long, a heater had
been left on upstairs to keep a pool table in good condition. Nobody at SIC seemed aware of this!!
You know what is coming now. Our temple was no longer available – actually
the Baptist Church was storing their chattels there while their new temple was
being built!!
The
nightmare of wondering if productions could go ahead began again and we were
now seeking shelter from any benefactor who would look kindly upon us.
Thankfully good people like Harry
Jamieson, LHD and Jeffrey Ma took pity upon us and due to their generosity we
were able to produce sets in their stores and garages. We are indebted to them for their generosity.
However our set makers and scenery painters worked under very difficult
conditions. We owe those people an
immense debt of gratitude because they continued to produce sets of the highest
standard. It is entirely due to their
commitment that Islesburgh Drama group continued to operate. We had members willing to produce but, to
quote from my speech at the 60th Anniversary Ball, No sets = no productions
= no Islesburgh Drama Group. We were at
crisis point.
But Halleluiah!! We have a new temple!!! A home! And what a home!
The chief keeper of the keys is as happy
as a sand boy and Kate I hope that all the work in your house is complete
because he is going to be spending most of his time here.
This workshop will be used for making
sets but also to train new designers, builders and scenery painters. Other groups will also be invited to make use
of it.
Jennie, you must feel very proud, and
have a feeling of immense satisfaction, whenever you see this building. You led
us through the maze of form filling, the intricacies of SCIO, the changing of
the Constitution, the mysteries of seeking planning permission and building
Warrants, Budgets and the mammoth task of securing funding. We had set backs but you never wavered in
your belief that we could achieve our goal.
We all know that but for you we would still be homeless. At every committee meeting, certainly over the
last three years, we have thanked you for your outstanding work but the
Committee now wish to publicly recognise your immense contribution.