LOOKING Back regular Mick Willis has sent in details of past dramatic productions staged by Weymouth YWCA.

In the 1950s, the YWCA in Weymouth was situated in King Street, opposite the railway station.

In 1951 the club has a very successful mixed drama group and that year they staged a play called Flowers for the Living, which Mr Willis remembers as being something like ‘an early EastEnders’.

The cast included Jean Lakey – who became Mrs Willis the following year– Barbara Cockerell and Desmond Parkinson. The gritty three-act play was set in an East End slum at the time of de-mobilisation and was produced by Ursula M Nicholson.

In July 1951, members of the drama group decided to try something much more sophisticated and opted for the Noel Coward classic Hay Fever with, again, Jean Lakey, Barbara Cockerell and Desmond Parkinson among the cast members.

Mr Willis also remembers the entertainment staged at the Alexander Gardens Theatre in Weymouth.

He said: “In the late 1940s and 1950s, the AGT as we called it was the venue for several fine band concerts, usually on a Sunday.

“August 29, 1948, saw the appearance of Ted Heath and his Music which featured the compere and vocalist Paul Carpenter, who was later replaced by Lita Roza and Dickie Valentino. Kenny Baker was the lead trumpet while the lead trombonist was Jackie Armstrong.

“Other bands who featured at the Alexander Garden Theatre were Harry Gold and his Pieces of Eight and Oscar Rabin and his Music. The theatre always had a summer show – Joan Regan, Terry Fayne and David Ecans was one, Bill Maynard and Terry Scott featured in Great Scott and Maynard.

“Bruce Forsyth also had a summer show but this was prior to his runaway success on Saturday Night at the Palladium on television.”