Jock Shaw Interview: History of the Gang Show at the Theatre Royal
Title
Jock Shaw Interview: History of the Gang Show at the Theatre Royal
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 provides a brief history of the Gang Show at the Theatre Royal. The show was established in Nottingham by Scout Leader Bob Ross in 1951 and then moved to the Theatre Royal two years later. It has been there ever since.
1951 and 1952, a fella called Bob Ross, who was a Scout leader, in Nottingham, thought we could perhaps put on a Gang Show or a show of some sort. So he did two reviews, not a Gang Show. He did two reviews in ’51 and ’52. I found the tickets were 3s 6d each, which in today’s money is, whatever it is. I can’t remember. What is 3s 6d? Cut that bit out anyway! So it was 3s 6d in the stalls. In 1953, we moved to the Theatre Royal and we’ve been here every other year since. So in 2019, which will be our next show, that’ll be 67 years here at the Theatre.
And as I mentioned to you earlier, before this interview, this is the longest running amateur production at the Theatre and our dress rehearsal is on a Sunday and we go Monday right through, with two performances on the Saturday. Having followed on from the Co-op Arts Theatre we moved to the Theatre Royal in ’53. I was actually in one of the shows. I’ve always been in the Production side, as opposed to on stage. I was actually in one of the programmes in the 70s. And then my brother, in 1980, took over as Producer from Bob Ross. So Bob Ross had done 29 years of service, as we do a Gang Show every other year, plus bits in between, and then my brother took over in 1980, and he ran until ’99, when I came in to produce. So you can see, that was my brother.
And so when my brother was in the show, of course, that’s when I got more deeply into the production, because I started as Assistant Producer and Choreographer, doing choreography and everything else. Which we’d both learnt, in a way, going back to St Giles’ Church Fellowship doing a pantomime every year. So Steve had been a comedian in the show. I’d produced, I think in Theatre, I’ve done everything but make-up and lights, I think. Something like that. I’ve had a go at everything else. Painting scenery, as I do for Gang shows, drawing the sets up, doing something.
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 provides a brief history of the Gang Show at the Theatre Royal. The show was established in Nottingham by Scout Leader Bob Ross in 1951 and then moved to the Theatre Royal two years later. It has been there ever since.
1951 and 1952, a fella called Bob Ross, who was a Scout leader, in Nottingham, thought we could perhaps put on a Gang Show or a show of some sort. So he did two reviews, not a Gang Show. He did two reviews in ’51 and ’52. I found the tickets were 3s 6d each, which in today’s money is, whatever it is. I can’t remember. What is 3s 6d? Cut that bit out anyway! So it was 3s 6d in the stalls. In 1953, we moved to the Theatre Royal and we’ve been here every other year since. So in 2019, which will be our next show, that’ll be 67 years here at the Theatre.
And as I mentioned to you earlier, before this interview, this is the longest running amateur production at the Theatre and our dress rehearsal is on a Sunday and we go Monday right through, with two performances on the Saturday. Having followed on from the Co-op Arts Theatre we moved to the Theatre Royal in ’53. I was actually in one of the shows. I’ve always been in the Production side, as opposed to on stage. I was actually in one of the programmes in the 70s. And then my brother, in 1980, took over as Producer from Bob Ross. So Bob Ross had done 29 years of service, as we do a Gang Show every other year, plus bits in between, and then my brother took over in 1980, and he ran until ’99, when I came in to produce. So you can see, that was my brother.
And so when my brother was in the show, of course, that’s when I got more deeply into the production, because I started as Assistant Producer and Choreographer, doing choreography and everything else. Which we’d both learnt, in a way, going back to St Giles’ Church Fellowship doing a pantomime every year. So Steve had been a comedian in the show. I’d produced, I think in Theatre, I’ve done everything but make-up and lights, I think. Something like that. I’ve had a go at everything else. Painting scenery, as I do for Gang shows, drawing the sets up, doing something.
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
