This is a brief history of my interest and activity in theatre.
I never had much involvement in theatre as a child, perhaps surprisingly, since my parents had been active in amateur dramatics before I was born. A youth group my elder brother was in put on a pantomime in about 1970 and I ended up providing the music for it (on my own, after the rest of the band walked out), but my only stage appearance was as a scholar in the school play, Marlowe's Dr Faustus.
Even as a student I never did any theatre (I once went for an audition, but didn't get the part), and even watching theatre wasn't a particularly big part of my varied activities. I was much more involved in music than in drama.
But in my twenties I began going to the theatre a great deal more. I became an ardent follower of the Impact Theatre Cooperative and Cambridge Experimental Theatre. In around 1990 Richard Spaul and Richard Fredman (of CET) led an evening course in Improvisation: I took this course and enjoyed it thoroughly.
I had always been vaguely aware of G&S: I was taken to see The Yeomen of the Guard at the Tower of London in my teens, and I knew some of the music from The Mikado. But I acquired from those about me a dual attitude of disdain: the serious music world looked down on G&S, and the late 20th century at large regarded them as stuffy.
Then in about 1991, I saw my youngest brother in The Gondoliers with Cambridge University Gilbert and Sullivan Society, and my reaction was "That looks like fun!".
In October 1991 I went back to being a student, at Bradford University, and discovered there was a Gilbert and Sullivan Society there. The rest is history, listed below.
The following tables show my appearances to date and scheduled, both on and off stage.
| Date | Location | Group | Production | Role(s) | Job(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1992 | Theatre in the Mill | BUGSS (Bradford University Gilbert & Sullivan Society) | The Mikado (G&S) | The Mikado | My first appearance on stage as an adult | |
| Feb 1993 | Theatre in the Mill | BUGSS | Iolanthe (G&S) | Lord Mountararat | Musical Director | |
| Jun 1993 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG (Bradford University Theatre Group) | Vinegar Tom (Caryl Churchill) | Musical Director | ||
| Feb 1994 | Theatre in the Mill | BUGSS | Ruddigore (G&S) | Sir Roderic | Musical Director | |
| Aug 1994 | The Minack Theatre, Cornwall | Cambridge University Gilbert and Sullivan Society | The Yeomen of the Guard (G&S) | Second Citizen | ||
| Feb 1995 | Theatre in the Mill | BUGSS | The Pirates of Penzance (G&S) | Musical Director, Lighting Designer | I also accompanied the performance | |
| Mar 1995 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Everyman | Cousin and Discretion | ||
| Aug 1995 | Greyfriars Kirk House, Edinburgh | BUTG | The Hunting of the Snark (Lewis Caroll) | Director | I adapted the poem for the stage | |
| Sep 1995 | Theatre in the Mill | Incite Theatre | Under My Skin | Lighting Director | Four new short plays | |
| Nov/Dec 1995 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Stags and Hens (Willy Russell) | Technical Director | This was my qualifying show, supervised by Martin Roseveare |
| Date | Location | Group | Production | Role(s) | Job(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 1996 | Theatre in the Mill | BUGSS | HMS Pinafore (G&S) | Dick Deadeye | ||
| May/June 1996 | Wakefield Theatre Royal and Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Perfect Circles (John Martin Blythe) | Various parts | Part of Wakefield's Walk the Plank festival | |
| June 1996 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | A Midsummer Night's Dream (Shakespeare) | Bottom | ||
| Nov 1996 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Look Back in Anger (John Osborne) | Technical Director | ||
| Dec 1996 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Toad of Toad Hall (A A Milne) | Badger | ||
| Feb 1997 | Theatre in the Mill | BUGSS | The Gondoliers (G&S) | Giuseppe | Assistant Director, Assistant MD | |
| June 1997 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Bone (Matthew Groom) & Searching for the Sun (Alan Kaye) | Technical Director | ||
| Nov 1997 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Tasty Morsels | Technical Director | An evening of new short plays, selected from a competition | |
| Dec 1997 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Lend Me Your Ears (Minton & Whyte) | Co-director, Musical Director, Accompanist | This musical spoof on Reservoir Dogs and other Tarantino movies had had only one previous production, in Oxford and Edinburgh. | |
| 1997 ? | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Chelsea are Shit (Michael O'Brien) | Technical Supervisor | ||
| Feb 1998 | Theatre in the Mill | BUGSS | The Mikado (G&S) | Director | ||
| Nov 1998 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Illusions of Truth (devised by BUTG) | Technical Director | ||
| Feb 1999 | Theatre in the Mill | BUGSS | (Space) Pirates of Penzance (G&S) | The Pirate King | ||
| Mar 1999 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Consequences | Technical Director | An evening of short new pieces | |
| Apr 1999 | Reconvene (the 1999 National Science Fiction Convention), at the Adelphi Hotel, Liverpool | The Reconvene Rubber Tree Company | Captain Tartan Saves the World - Again! (David Wake) | Jeff Tracy, Footnote 1 | Lighting Director | A one-off extravaganza based on Captain Scarlet, Thunderbirds, Pinocchio, X Files ... |
| Nov 1999 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | Princess Ida (G&S) | Guron | ||
| Nov 1999 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Oh What a Lovely War (Littlewood) | Musical Director | ||
| Nov 1999 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | The Woman (Edward Bond) | Technical supervisor | ||
| Mar 2000 | Theatre in the Mill | BUGSS | Ruddigore (G&S) | Old Adam | ||
| Mar 2000 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea (Andrew Crowther) | George | World premiere | |
| May 2000 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Foolish Lives, Foolish Loves | Actor, Singer | A compilation of scenes from Shakespeare and Ben Jonson, with music by Purcell and Bernstein | |
| Nov 2000 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | The Yeomen of the Guard (G&S) | Lieutenant of the Tower | ||
| Dec 2000 | Theatre in the Mill | BUTG | Wyrd Sisters (Pratchett, ad. Briggs) | Co-director |
| Date | Location | Group | Production | Role(s) | Job(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Feb 2001 | The Priestley (now Bradford Playhouse) | BUGSS | The Mikado (G&S) | Accompanist | I arranged the score for two pianos, and played it with my brother Philip | |
| Apr 2001 | Paragon (the 2001 National Science Fiction Convention), at the Hanover International Hotel, Hinkley | The Reconvene Rubber Tree Company | 20:01, a Sunday Odyssey (David Wake) | Footnote 1 | Lighting Director | More of David Wake's genius. Based on 2001 and 2010, with liberal doses of Captain Tartan, Red Dwarf etc. etc. One performance only |
| Aug 2001 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Present Laughter (Noel Coward) | Assistant Stage Manager | ||
| Nov 2001 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | HMS Pinafore (G&S) | Dick Deadeye | ||
| Dec 2001 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Comfort and Joy (Mike Harding) | Lighting Director | ||
| Mar 2002 | The Priestley (now Bradford Playhouse) | BUSOM (Bradford University Society for Operettas and Musicals) | Chess (Andersson, Ulvaeus & Rice) | Musical Director | The first time I ever waved a stick! BUSOM is BUGSS under a new name | |
| Jun 2002 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians Total Theatre | Skylight (David Hare) | Lighting Director | ||
| Nov 2002 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | Ruddigore (G&S) | Old Adam | ||
| Dec 2002 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians Total Theatre | Silly Cow (Ben Elton) | Stage Manager | ||
| Mar 2003 | Theatre in the Mill | BUSOM | A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum (Sondheim) | Band Leader | ||
| Jun 2003 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Relative Values (Noel Coward) | Lighting Director | ||
| Jun 2003 | The Priestley (now Bradford Playhouse) | ACT | Welcome to Paradise (Andrew Crowther) | Lighting Designer | World Premiere. Unfortunately I was sick, and was unable to get to the performances | |
| Oct 2003 | The Priestley (now Bradford Playhouse) | ACT | Twelfth Night (Shakespeare) | Sir Toby Belch | Enthusiastic review by the BBC here | |
| Nov 2003 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | The Mikado (G&S) | The Mikado | ||
| Nov 2003 | The Priestley (now Bradford Playhouse) | ACT | Nativity (Jonathan Hall) | Lighting Director | ||
| Feb 2004 | The Priestley (now Bradford Playhouse) | ACT | The Love Act | Singer | Assistant MD, Accompanist | An evening of short pieces and songs, on the theme of Love. |
| Feb 2004 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians Total Theatre | Curtain Up On Murder (Bettina Manktelow) | Lighting Director | ||
| Mar 2004 | Theatre in the Mill | BUSOM | The Boyfriend (Sandy Wilson) | Lord Brockhurst | I also played an accordian on stage to accompany Fancy Forgetting | |
| Apr 2004 | Concourse (the 2004 National Science Fiction Convention), in the Pavilion Theatre at the Winter Gardens, Blackpool | The Reconvene Rubber Tree Company | Tartan Restrung (David Wake) | Footnote 1 | Lighting Director | This time, the Matrix series, |
| May 2004 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Murderer (Anthony Shaffer) | Lighting Director | ||
| ? 2004 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | A Night on the Tiles (Frank Vickery) - rehearsed reading | Director | ||
| Nov 2004 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | Iolanthe (G&S) | The Lord Chancellor | ||
| Mar 2005 | Theatre in the Mill | BUSOM | Salad Days (Slade & Reynolds) | Uncle Zed and a dancing bishop | ||
| Apr 2005 | Civic Theatre, Leeds | West Riding Opera | Faust (Gounod) | Stage Manager | ||
| Apr 2005 | Paragon2 (the 2005 National Science Fiction Convention), at the Hanover International Hotel, Hinkley | Paragon2 | World Premiere Audience Participation Richard III (David Wake, with some assistance from Shakespeare) | Clarence | From an idea by Jasper Fforde (see The Eyre Affair), realised by David Wake | |
| ? 2005 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | The Imaginary Invalid (Molière) - rehearsed reading | Gerald (Beralde) | ||
| Aug 2005 | Augustine's, Edinburgh | Paradise Green Promotions | Trial by Jury (G&S) | Usher | ||
| Nov 2005 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | The Grand Duke (G&S) | Chorus member | ||
| Dec 2005 | Theatre in the Mill | Theatre in the Mill | Whose Shoes? (Mike Kenny) | Lighting Designer |
| Date | Location | Group | Production | Role(s) | Job(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2006 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Loot (Joe Orton) | McLeavy | ||
| Feb 2006 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians Total Theatre | Hans, The Witch and the Gobbin (Alan Cullen) | Sound | ||
| Mar 2006 | Theatre in the Mill | BUSOM | Kiss Me Kate (Cole Porter) | Harry/Baptista | ||
| Apr 2006 | The Carriageworks, Leeds | West Riding Opera | The Magic Flute (Mozart) | Stage Manager | ||
| Apr 2006 | Bingley Arts Centre | Bingley Gilbert and Sullivan Society | The Mikado (G&S) | Chorus member | ||
| Jul 2006 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Art (Yasmina Reza) | Serge | ||
| Nov 2006 | The Priestley (now Bradford Playhouse) | ACT | The Visit (Dürrenmatt) | Doctor | Incidental music (played live on accordian) | |
| Jan 2007 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | The Lion in Winter (James Goldman) | Lighting and sound | ||
| Feb 2007 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians Total Theatre | Tom's Midnight Garden (Philippa Pearce) | Uncle Alan, Abel | ||
| Mar 2007 | The Priestley (now Bradford Playhouse) | BUSOM | Fiddler on the Roof (Bock and Harnick) | Tevye | ||
| Apr 2007 | Contemplation (the 2007 National Science Fiction Convention), at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Chester | He's Spartacus | Inveigle (David Wake) | Father Luke | This world premier is of a straight play | |
| Apr 2007 | The Carriageworks, Leeds | West Riding Opera | The Impresario (Mozart)
The Conspirators (Schubert) Abu Hassan (Weber) |
Stage Manager | ||
| Nov 2007 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | The Pirates of Penzance (G&S) | Sergeant of Police | ||
| Nov 2007 | The Priestley (now Bradford Playhouse) | BUSOM | I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change (DiPietro & Roberts) | Ensemble member | ||
| Feb 2008 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians Total Theatre | Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (Roald Dahl) | Grandpa Joe | Lighting designer | |
| Mar 2008 | Orbital (the 2008 National Science Fiction Convention), at the Radisson Edwardian Hotel, Heathrow | The Terminal Zone (Andrew J Wilson) | Lighting director | |||
| Aug-Sep 2008 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | The Lady in the Van (Alan Bennett) | Underwood | ||
| Nov 2008 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | The Sorcerer | Chorus | ||
| Dec 2008 | Theatre in the Mill | BUSOM | Company (Stephen Sondheim) | 2nd keyboard | ||
| Jan 2009 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Laying the Ghost (Simon Williams) | Lighting director | ||
| Feb 2009 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians Total Theatre | Look Back in Anger (John Osborne) | Colonel Redfern | Moved to the 1980's. Further performances in July in Halifax and Bridlington | |
| Mar 2009 | Theatre in the Mill | BUSOM | Merrily We Roll Along (Stephen Sondheim) | Joe Josephson | ||
| Apr 2009 | LX (the 2009 National Science Fiction Convention), at the Cedar Court Hotel, Bradford | He's Spartacus | Invidious (David Wake) | Father Luke | Sequel to Inveigle. I was in hospital for most of the convention, so in the end Peter Wareham played my part and I watched! | |
| Jun 2009 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Cider with Rosie (Simon Roose-Evans, after Laurie Lee) | Laurie | Very complimentary review in Halifax Courier | |
| Aug 2009 | The Vault, Edinburgh | Flying Yak Theatre Company | Look Back in Anger (John Osborne) | Colonel Redfern | The Halifax production from February, further shortened, at the Edinburgh Fringe | |
| Nov 2009 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax G&S Society | The Gondoliers (G&S) | Don Alhambra del Bolero | ||
| Dec 2009 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Twelfth Night (Shakespeare) | Lighting director |
| Date | Location | Group | Production | Role(s) | Job(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2010 | Halifax Playhouse | Halifax Thespians | Man from the Sea (Geoff Daniels) | Frank | One of an evening of short new plays. |
| Date | Location | Group | Production | Role(s) | Job(s) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 2010 | Theatre in the Mill | BUSOM | The Pirates of Penzance (G&S) | Major General Stanley |
I was technical manager of Theatre in the Mill from 1996 to 1998.
After BUTG ran Greyfriars Kirk House at the the Edinburgh Fringe in 1995, Thomas Sandford invited me and Richard Chapman to join him in running it the following year. We formed a partnership called Venue 28 Promotions, to do so. In 1997 we formed a company, Paradise Green Promotions, which continued to run the Kirk House every summer, and added a second venue, Augustine's in 1998, with two performance spaces. In 2007, The Kirk House was no longer available to us, and we built a new venue The Vault in the basement of Augustine's. We intend that this will become a year-round theatre. Since 2008 we have run a fourth space, The Annexe, built as a temporary theatre each year in another basement of the church.
I took a rest from the board from November 2005 until November 2009, but am now back on it.
I am currently on the committee of this society
Page created by Colin Fine . Last updated: 2010/02/05