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A Gang Show is a theatrical performance by members of
Scouts Scouting or the Scout Movement is a youth social movement, movement which became popularly established in the first decade of the twentieth century. It follows the Scout method of informal education with an emphasis on practical outdoor activi ...
and
Guides A guide is a person who leads travelers, sportspeople, or tourists through unknown or unfamiliar locations. The term can also be applied to a person who leads others to more abstract goals such as knowledge or wisdom. Travel and recreation Exp ...
. The shows are produced with the dual aims of providing a learning opportunity for young people in the
performing arts The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which involve the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. P ...
, as well as contributing to the artistic and cultural growth of their local community. Gang Shows will have members of all ages involved, however, the on-stage performers are often limited to current Youth Members (those being aged under 25 in most cases). A large amount of other areas will have members of all ages, including
backstage Backstage may refer to: * Backstage (theatre), the areas of a theatre that are not part of the house or stage Film and television * ''Back Stage'' (1917 film), a silent film starring Oliver Hardy * ''Back Stage'' (1919 film), a silent film starri ...
, technical, administration, management and other areas. Gang Shows are entirely volunteer run, and often feature a majority of work written by Scouting and Guiding members. This may be new work, or may be existing works adapted to suit the show's intended narrative. The shows may be a simple affair in a local
scout hall A Scout hall (also Scout hut, Scout den or Scout headquarters) is a building owned or rented and used as a meeting place by a Scout Group. General description A Scout hall typically consists of one or more large rooms which are used for games an ...
, but are often more involved and take place in a local
theater Theatre or theater is a collaborative form of performing art that uses live performers, usually actors to present experiences of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place, often a stage. The performers may communi ...
. A season may only run for a single weekend, but performance seasons lasting one or two weeks are common. Tickets to these shows are often available to the public, and can be a useful tool to engage the local community in Scouting.


Gang Show format

The format is a
revue A revue is a type of multi-act popular theatre, theatrical entertainment that combines music, dance, and sketch comedy, sketches. The revue has its roots in 19th century popular entertainment and melodrama but grew into a substantial cultural pre ...
or variety show; song, dance and short comedy sketches are the most common. The number of items varies between 12 and 25, some stand-alone, others a series of songs to a chosen theme or a running gag. The format was created by
Ralph Reader William Henry Ralph Reader (25 May 1903 – 18 May 1982), known as Ralph Reader, was a British actor, theatrical producer and songwriter, known for staging the original Gang Show, a variety entertainment presented by members of the Scouting m ...
, who wrote material including the signature tune, "Crest of a Wave". Other
standards Standard may refer to: Symbols * Colours, standards and guidons, kinds of military signs * Standard (emblem), a type of a large symbol or emblem used for identification Norms, conventions or requirements * Standard (metrology), an object t ...
Reader wrote include "Strolling", "Great Great Game", "Gee, It's A Wonderful life", "Gee, It's Great To Be Young", "A Touch of Silver", "Three Cheers", "Show Time", "Together", "These are the Times" and "The Scout Hymn".


History

In 1931, Reader, a
Rover Scout Rovers or Rovering is a programme associated with some Scout organizations for adults, originated by The Boy Scouts Association in the United Kingdom in 1918 to provide a programme for young men who had grown up beyond the age range of the Boy ...
trying to make his mark in theatre in the United States and London, was asked to write a Scout-based variety show to raise money for a swimming pool at Downe Scout Camp (now a Scout Association National Activity Centre). Rehearsals began under Reader's direction on 25 May 1932, his 29th birthday. Initially the show did not have a title, but during a rehearsal break, Reader recalled, he asked a cast member if everyone was ready, to which the response was "Aye, aye Skip, the gang's all here". The first production, ''The Gang's All Here'', ran between 30 October and 1 November 1932 at the
Scala Theatre The Scala Theatre was a theatre in Charlotte Street, London, off Tottenham Court Road. The first theatre on the site opened in 1772; the last was demolished in 1969, after a catastrophic fire. From 1865 to 1882, the theatre was known as the ...
in central London. The show was not a sell-out, but enough was raised to fund the swimming pool and the show was well received.
Baden-Powell Lieutenant-General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, ( ; 22 February 1857 – 8 January 1941) was a British Army officer, writer, founder of The Boy Scouts Association and its first Chief Scout, and founder, with ...
, the founder of Scouting, persuaded Reader to produce another show in 1933. This was ''The Gang Comes Back'', which ran for a week. Reader continued to write and produce the London Gang Show. In 1934, the show became ''The Gang Show'', and "Crest of a Wave" was performed for the first time, becoming over the years the anthem for the show. In 1937, the London show became the first amateur production to have a
Royal Command Performance A Royal Command Performance is any performance by actors or musicians that occurs at the direction or request of a reigning monarch of the United Kingdom. Although English monarchs have long sponsored their own theatrical companies and commis ...
(an honour repeated in 1957 and 1964). A feature film called ''
The Gang Show ''The Gang Show'' is a 1937 British musical film about a Boy Scout Troop who stage a variety show to raise funds, when the lease of their meeting place expires. The film was a vehicle for material from Ralph Reader's Gang Shows that had bee ...
'', starring Ralph Reader and The Gang, premièred at the
Lyceum Theatre, London The Lyceum Theatre ( ) is a West End theatre located in the City of Westminster, on Wellington Street, just off the Strand in central London. It has a seating capacity of 2,100. The origins of the theatre date to 1765. Managed by Samuel Arno ...
in April the same year, and in New York in December 1938. Following the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, the London Gang Show restarted in December 1950 at the
King's Theatre, Hammersmith King's Theatre was a live entertainment venue in Hammersmith, West London, on the corner of Hammersmith Road and Rowan Road. It was built in 1902 as a music hall, with a seating capacity of 3,000. History The theatre was designed by W. G. R. Sprag ...
, in the presence
Princess Margaret Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon (Margaret Rose; 21 August 1930 – 9 February 2002) was the younger daughter of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. She was the younger sister and only sibling of Queen Elizabeth II. ...
. In 1952, the show moved to the larger
Golders Green Hippodrome The Golders Green Hippodrome was built in 1913 by Bertie Crewe as a 3,000-seat music hall, to serve North London and the new London Underground Northern line expansion into Golders Green in the London Borough of Barnet, London, England. Tak ...
and in 1954, Queen
Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
was the guest of honour. 1972 was the 40th Anniversary of the Gang Show and was attended by the Queen and
Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (born Prince Philip of Greece and Denmark, later Philip Mountbatten; 10 June 19219 April 2021), was the husband of Queen Elizabeth II. As such, he was the consort of the British monarch from h ...
; highlights of the show were televised by the BBC and famous former cast members,
Dick Emery Richard Gilbert Emery (19 February 19152 January 1983) was an English comedian and comic actor. His broadcasting career began on radio in the 1950s, and his self-titled television series ran from 1963 to 1981. Life and career Richard Gilbert Emer ...
,
Graham Stark Graham William Stark (20 January 1922 – 29 October 2013) was an English comedian, actor, writer and director, known for his close, personal friendship with Peter Sellers, appearance in several The Pink Panther films and Victor/Victoria.
, David Lodge and
Brian Johnston Brian Alexander Johnston (24 June 1912 – 5 January 1994), nicknamed Johnners, was a British cricket commentator, author, and television presenter. He was most prominently associated with the BBC during a career which lasted from 1946 until h ...
were interviewed.


Organisation

When the Gang Show started in London in 1932, Reader organised the cast as a
Scout Troop A Scout troop is a term adopted into use with Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Scout Movement to describe their basic units. The term troop echoes a group of mounted scouts in the military or an expedition and follows the terms cavalry, mounted i ...
; an arrangement which persists only in a few shows now, mainly in Australia and New Zealand. Members of the first troop wanted an identifying feature, deciding on a red
scarf A scarf (: scarves or scarfs) is a long piece of fabric that is worn on or around the neck, shoulders, or head. A scarf is used for warmth, sun protection, cleanliness, fashion, religious reasons, or to show support for a sports club or team. ...
or necker. The red scarf has become a worldwide symbol, and to distinguish shows, an insignia in gold thread (UK: the initials GS in Reader's handwriting shot through with the show's name - AUS: usually a design related to the masks of comedy and tragedy and incorporating the show's name) is embroidered into the point of the scarf. Ralph Reader was originally called "The Holborn Rover" and was with the 4th Holborn Group, whose scarf was half red and half green. Reader chose to have the Gang Show scarf red to be part of the 4th Holborn. Members of shows in the United Kingdom used to only be allowed to wear the scarlet scarf if they were nationally recognised, i.e. they came up to prescribed minimum standards of performance and production. It is now worn by almost all Gang Shows. While 'National Recognition' is no longer a thing, UK shows still need to be regularly assessed (every five years) in order to maintain standards. In 1972, Reader founded the London Gang Show Fellowship so current and former members of the London show could keep in touch. Membership later expanded to anyone interested in Gang Show, and the LGSF still meets annually.


Gang Shows around the world

Since the first in London, productions have been organised around the world, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and Canada. While individual in character, they share the ethos of Reader's concept and have common elements, often including a finale performance of "Crest of a Wave". In 1958 Reader went to Chicago to produce and direct the first Gang Show in America. He returned to Chicago next year to guide the second. Reader first went to Chicago in 1920 as a teenager and began his stage career there. Newcastle Gang Show started in April 1937 followed by Peterborough Gang Show in November 1937 and apart from the war years has run ever since.
Harpenden Harpenden () is a town and civil parish in the City and District of St Albans in the county of Hertfordshire, England. The population of the built-up area was 30,674 in the 2021 census, while the population of the civil parish was 31,128. Harpe ...
Gang Show has performed every year since 1949, making it the longest continuously running Gang Show in the world. In the United States, the only known Gang Show in existence is performed annually in
Derby, Connecticut Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, approximately west-northwest of New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven. It is located in southwest Connecticut at the confluence of the Housatonic River, Housatonic and Naugatuck River ...
, produced by BSA Troop 3, Pack 3 and Venture Crew 33 since 1924, also making it one of the world's oldest continuous Gang Shows.


Gang Show spin-offs

In some countries an over-18 only show often referred to as a Bag Show are produced, often with a dinner and a more cabaret style and with more adult content such as risque jokes and burlesque elements. This is done for Rover Scouts and leaders. In Melbourne, Australia, the Showtimes came out of the strong theatre culture of the area. These are smaller than the local Gang Show, with the exception of Whitehorse Showtime which is actually the largest show in the Southern Hemisphere, originally pulling from a single district to produce a show. Currently, there are four of these shows; Whitehorse Showtime, South Metro Showtime, Camberwell Showtime and Strzelecki Showtime. Because these showtimes are not Gang Shows, they do not have the red scarf instead choosing a different colour, such as Strzelecki Showtime's gold scarf or Whitehorse Showtime’s lilac scarf .


Signature tunes

"On the Crest of a Wave" has become the signature tune throughout the world and is usually performed at the end. It may be sung as just the chorus (traditionally twice, the first time with gusto, the second part-quiet and staccato, part with gusto once more) but there are also two verses. "A Touch of Silver" (sometimes referred to as "Silver on the Scarlet"), written by Reader and Brisbane Gang Show producer Hugh "Kirra" McKee, is the signature tune of the Brisbane Gang Show and may be sung by any show that has performed for at least 25 seasons. "Birds of a Feather" written by Reader, is the signature tune of the Albury Gang Show and is sung at the end of every show performed by the group.


See also

*
Ralph Reader William Henry Ralph Reader (25 May 1903 – 18 May 1982), known as Ralph Reader, was a British actor, theatrical producer and songwriter, known for staging the original Gang Show, a variety entertainment presented by members of the Scouting m ...


References

{{Reflist


Bibliography

* Reader, Ralph ''This is The Gang Show'', C. Arthur Pearson Ltd ondon 1957 * Reader, Ralph ''Ralph Reader Remembers'', Bailey Brothers and Swinfen ondon 1975


External links

World Wide Forum
Audio – Gang show anthem of On the crest of a waveGang Show Forum
Global Gangshow
Gang Shows around the world
History
The London Gang Show Fellowship
Theatrical genres Scouting events Variety shows