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1. Nottingham Playhouse

There are more photos from this production below. Selecting any of the small thumbnail images will show a larger version of the picture in the main part of the page. »

The Magistrate by Arthur Wing Pinero - Inspector Messiter

- Theatre Royal, Bristol. Directed by Patrick Lau.

I was 'promoted' to the role of Inspector Messiter in this production - to be honest I can't remember quite why now. I was originally to play the smaller part of the policeman. Messiter was a small role itself, but he had a couple of nice scenes. Fresh and keen as I was then, I did a full ageing make-up every night to give me a bit of 'weight' in the part!

The play chugs dependably along from comic moment to comic moment culmiating in a great crescendo of farce, the production had a great cast of experienced actors well-directed by Patrick Lau, and the set was a wonderfully old-fashioned concoction of gilt and plush. All in all, it was a pleasure to finally walk the boards of the beautiful Theatre Royal main stage as a professional in a terrific production.

One notable occurence during the run was that one night during the show we had a breakdown of the newly-installed (and very cutting-edge for the time) computerised lighting board which ran through every one of its pre-programmed cues in about fifteen disco-inferno seconds before plunging the stage into prolonged blackness. Failing to get it up and running again, after a quick announcement and a vote from the audience we carried on with the show in stygian gloom, the actors holding torches to illuminate their faces!

Among us 'small-part players' was a young Ingrid Lacey, who was to go on to find fame playing Helen Cooper in 'Drop the Dead Donkey'.