Jock Shaw Interview: Girls Joining the Gang Show
Title
Jock Shaw Interview: Girls Joining the Gang Show
Date
4 September 2017
Description
Oral interview with Robert 'Jock' Shaw, one of the long-standing producers of the Gang Show, the biennial variety show at the Theatre Royal presented by Nottinghamshire Scouts and Guides.
What's the story?
Established at the Theatre Royal since 1953, the Gang Show involves around 200 young people from the Scouting and Guiding movements in the county.
The show is a mix of songs, dance and comedy sketches, which gives the performers an opportunity to hone their skills over a six-month period of rehearsal before the week-long show in the spring.
Born and brought up in West Bridgford, Robert ‘Jock’ Shaw was involved with the Scouts as a child and later became a Scout Leader, as well as one of the Gang Show producers.
Jock’s passion and enthusiasm for both theatre and his work with young people is evident throughout.
In this interview Jock talks about girls joining the Gang Show in 1987:
I mentioned Scouts, but I’ll jump a little bit. 1987, just about seven years in of my brother doing it. The best thing I thought that happened was that girls were in the Gang Show. Because before then, it was boys only. Now you could go to see a Gang Show, as I did in Coventry once, and you’d see a dance scene and there’s fellas in dresses with beards and it didn’t do anything for me at all. I thought, this is crackers. And that’s not me at all. So in 1987, girls entered the cast: the Guides came in. And it was the best thing since sliced bread. And since then, we’ve never looked back. The girls pushed the boys – I shouldn’t say that, but we were equal stevens with an equal number of Guides and Scouts. And then, of course, there’s the young cast as well, who are Brownies and Cubs. The younger elements, the Rainbows and Beavers are too young to go onto the stage. And the Cubs and Brownies always perform and have gone home by 9 o’clock, which is a legal requirement.
The show is a mix of songs, dance and comedy sketches, which gives the performers an opportunity to hone their skills over a six-month period of rehearsal before the week-long show in the spring.
Born and brought up in West Bridgford, Robert ‘Jock’ Shaw was involved with the Scouts as a child and later became a Scout Leader, as well as one of the Gang Show producers.
Jock’s passion and enthusiasm for both theatre and his work with young people is evident throughout.
In this interview Jock talks about girls joining the Gang Show in 1987:
I mentioned Scouts, but I’ll jump a little bit. 1987, just about seven years in of my brother doing it. The best thing I thought that happened was that girls were in the Gang Show. Because before then, it was boys only. Now you could go to see a Gang Show, as I did in Coventry once, and you’d see a dance scene and there’s fellas in dresses with beards and it didn’t do anything for me at all. I thought, this is crackers. And that’s not me at all. So in 1987, girls entered the cast: the Guides came in. And it was the best thing since sliced bread. And since then, we’ve never looked back. The girls pushed the boys – I shouldn’t say that, but we were equal stevens with an equal number of Guides and Scouts. And then, of course, there’s the young cast as well, who are Brownies and Cubs. The younger elements, the Rainbows and Beavers are too young to go onto the stage. And the Cubs and Brownies always perform and have gone home by 9 o’clock, which is a legal requirement.
Type
Oral interview
Location of item
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Rights
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Contributor
Interviewers: Julia Holmes & Sue Threakall
Transcriber: David Chilton
Transcriber: David Chilton
