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BILLINGSHURST DRAMATIC SOCIETY: BECK & CALLING

Denise Robinson (left) and Sue Pollard (right) as Ellen and Edith Beck, with Lucy Cooper as Marjory (©AAH/Alan Wright)

Published on 1st May 2023

Billingshurst Dramatic Society staged Beck & Calling in April, telling the story of two local women’s rights campaigners, Ellen and Edith Beck. The two sisters donated The Women’s Hall to the village, which this year is celebrating its centenary. AAH went along to the dress rehearsal to meet Denise Robinson and Sue Pollard (who perform the roles of Ellen and Edith), Lucy Cooper (who plays gossipy neighbour Marjory), Trevor Bishop (postman Barney) and Ted Gooda, who wrote and directed the production…

Lucy: As well as being a long-serving member of BDS, I’m a trustee of the Women's Hall. We were aware that the hall’s centenary was approaching and couldn't let the occasion pass without celebration. So, when Ted told us that she’d like to write a play about the Beck sisters, who donated the hall to the women of Billingshurst, everyone was thrilled. I was keen to join the cast, as everything about the play appealed to me.

Ted: The history of BDS and the Women’s Hall are intertwined, as we have held productions there for many years. So, writing a play about the lives of Ellen and Edith was something I was eager to do. I’m a ghost writer by trade and teach English at The Weald, but writing Beck & Calling represented a very different challenge. It was strange, as portraits of the two women have been hanging up in the hall for as long as I can remember. They have always seemed so formidable, so I wanted to write a play that did them justice. 

Sue: The hall has been like a second home throughout my life, as my parents – John and René Humphreys – were also members of BDS. But aside from the fact that they donated the hall, we didn’t know much about the lives of the two women in the portraits. I didn’t even know they were suffragettes! Ted has done an incredible job researching the Beck sisters and her script has helped create a lot of excitement. The production has been a journey of discovery for everyone involved and has helped revitalise the Society. This is my first involvement with BDS for several years, as I really didn’t want to miss it. I know my parents would have loved to see me play the part of Edith Beck.  

Ted: Researching Ellen and Edith wasn’t easy. Most of what I found was about their kindness and generosity, which is laudable but doesn’t provide good drama. I needed something else to add depth and colour to their personalities. It was then that I found a small entry in the archives and realised they had avoided the Census. One night in April 1911, enumerators collected the details of every household in the UK, but thousands of women boycotted the Census, in protest at the government’s refusal to give them the vote. So, I imagined how that night might have played out and built a play around it. 

Denise: I play Ellen Beck, the older of the two sisters, which means I’ve had to use dry shampoo to make my hair grey! I feel honoured though, as we’re telling a small but important part of the village’s history. The play is a wonderful tribute, as it ends with them donating the Women’s Hall. Nowadays, there are many groups and activities that cater for mums with young children, but these didn’t exist 100 years ago. When the hall was built, it would have been one of the very few places where women could gather socially. It’s a wonderful space to perform in too. While it can only accommodate a small audience, the acoustics are brilliant. 

Trevor: Tickets sold very well and even the matinee sold out, as the play struck a chord with people locally. Although I ran off to London for the best part of 20 years to try and make my fortune as an actor, I very much see myself as a Billingshurst boy. So, I was keen to be involved and take on the role of Barney, the postman-turned-enumerator. Ted’s script is interesting, as it presents varying opinions on women’s rights at the time. It’s an honest portrayal, as even though some supported the suffragettes, the likelihood is that it would have been hard for the sisters to find vocal support and their campaigning would have caused conflict locally. 

Ted: A few pieces of factual information helped expand the story. We knew Midhurst had an active suffragette group that was resistant to the Census, so the play speculates on the influence that had on the women of Billingshurst. We also know that at their home at Duncan’s Farm, the Becks cared for at least one victim of the Cat and Mouse Act of 1913, when the government released imprisoned suffragettes on hunger strike, only to re-arrest them a short time later. They were certainly courageous women, but not everyone will have agreed with their actions and behaviour, so that is what the play explores. 

Lucy: I play Marjory Liddington, a nosy neighbour of the Becks. Marjory represents the ignorance that was prevalent at the time, as many women didn’t support the suffragettes, repeating what they’d read in the papers or the opinions of their husband. Marjory conveniently often visits Ellen and Edith as they’re serving tea, which provides touches of humour. But through their discussions, she begins to understand what the sisters are fighting for. Marjory’s transformation represents what happened to many women of the age.  

Denise: One of the nice things about this Society is that there are opportunities to write and direct. Like most theatre companies, we’re still recovering from the pandemic and by writing and producing in-house, we can perform in a cost-effective way, without paying big license fees associated with established plays. It also means that opening night is always a world premiere! We have several talented writers involved in BDS. As well as Ted, we have Barry Syder, who has adapted The Rivals, which will be our next production. I myself have directed a murder mystery evening, held at The King’s Head. It was hard work though, so I’ll probably stick to acting in future! 

Trevor: I first joined BDS in my 20s. I was roped into The Darling Buds of May by my sister, and was terrified when I stepped on stage. However, I fell in love with theatre and it was my experiences here that inspired me to go to drama school and become an actor. Most of my professional work was in commercials, but I was the understudy for two roles in the West End production of The Mousetrap and performed both. I would like to direct at some point, although I worry that I might be too demanding and ruin the spirit here!

Sue: I first performed with BDS in 1969. Whilst there have been breaks in the intervening years, I’ve been in the cast for 36 productions, directed 12 and have been involved in the stage management of several others. Like all theatre companies, BDS has highs and lows, and right now it’s in a good place. Will (who co-directed Beck & Calling with his wife) and Ted’s passion has been key to that and has inspired many old faces to return. There are new, more youthful faces in the cast too, which we need, so hopefully there are good times ahead. 

Further information: BDS will next perform The Rivals, which was the first production ever performed at The Women’s Hall back in 1941. The play has been adapted by Barry Syder. For more details visit: www.billingshurstdramaticsociety.com

Words/Interviews: Ben Morris

Photos: Alan Wright