THE TICKET OF LEAVE MAN
by Tom Taylor
PRODUCTIONS
17 & 18 March 1937
St Crispin's Hall, Northampton
CAST & CREW
Waiter Mr C.H. Buttler
Maltby Mr. N. Gibbs
Hawkshaw Mr H.H. Smith
Melter Moss Mr. G Gundry White
Jem Dalton Mr R.J. Thompson
Mrs Willoughby Mrs E. Kite
Sam Miss Phyllis Liggins
May Edwards Mrs Violet H. Kent
Bob Brierly Mr W. Delamare
Green-Jones Mr E. Roberts
Gibson Mr. E. Dunwell
Emily Miss Angela Newitt
Detectives Mr R.H. Ball, Mr E.H. Strike
Guests Mrs A. Elsden, Miss P. Walding, Mr Marchant, Mr Metcalfe
Producer Mrs Oswald Dale Roberts
Stage Settings Mr William Mann
Stage Manager E. Ives
Assistant Stage Managers N. Gibbs, H. Laughton
Wardrobe Mistress M. Ives
Property Master R.H. Ball
Lighting R.J. Darby
Publicity Manager Saul Doffman
Business Manager E.B. Ball
Nineteenth Century melodrama
Tickets of leave were issued to convicts when they were released from prison on parole. This 1863 melodrama is about a recently returned convict who is blackmailed into committing a robbery. Ultimately, a detective comes to his rescue.
The story is based on a French drama called Le Detour de Melun.
During the original run of The Ticket of Leave Man at London's Olympic Theatre, audiences were introduced to Detective Hawkshaw played by Horace Wigan. It is thought to be the first British play about a detective and Hawkshaw became a synonym for a detective.
The Drama Club (later known as Masque Theatre) no doubt to revived the play because a film version of The Ticket of Leave Man was released during 1937.
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