St Gregory's Amateur Dramatic / Operatic Society



  • Frank Finlay as The Mikado
  • St Gregory's Catholic Church in Farnworth was Franks local Church - there was also a school, which he attended, and a church hall. His earliest memory of performing was aged six whilst at the infant school. In those days clubs and societies were common and St Gregory's had both. The earliest record we have of Frank on stage is as part of a review show for the Farnworth Catholic Youth Club in 1945 in St Gregory's Parish Hall.

    Here we have Frank as The Mikado in The Mikado by Gilbert and Sullivan (1949) and later in And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1950).

    The Review Of The Season Up To Date mentions Frank but also Doreen Shepherd who would later become Frank's wife. They appeared together in two productions with the Farnworth Little Theatre.








  • And Then There Were None (Frank is third from the right).

    And Then There Were None
    by Agatha Christie (1950)

    Cast:
    Frank Finlay
    Bernard Lowery
    Ivy Scott
    Bernard McHugh
    Frances Sims
    Terence Syddall
    Jack Hindle
    Brian Egan
    James Geoghegan
    Anne Compton
    Brian Makin

    Directed by Vincent Murray

    Frank Finlay again displayed his usual accomplishments; he was superb, and quite terrifying in the climax.

    Farnworth Journal




  • Yeoman Of The Gaurd
    by Gilbert and Sullivan (1948).

    Frank is third from the left as Sir Richard Cholmondley.

    Also in the cast are; John McNamara, John Kennedy, Margaret Axford, Mary Royle, Jim Callaghan, Leonard Hyland, J. Carney, Gerard Turner, Alan Burton, and Betty McFarlane.