The Archives: My introduction to the theatre

The first three productions I attended were all in my hometown of Leicester, and are all covered in the same post due to what little I can remember of them.

Oliver!

November 1999 at the Haymarket, Leicester

Cast

Fagin… Julian Forsyth

Nancy… Linzi Hateley

Bill Sikes… Eddie O’Connell

Mr. Bumble… Peter Edbrook

Mr. Sowerberry… Greg Pichery

Mrs. Sowerberry… Fiona Dunn

My family and I attended this production as an early Christmas treat, Oliver! being one of myself and my sister's favourite films as children. Directed by one Leicester's famed directors, Paul Kerryson,  this show was performed at Leicester's now empty Haymarket Theatre. I can remember little of this performance, only that I was somewhat petrified of Bill Sikes, and particularly fascinated by the staging, which revolved to reveal Fagin's den. The dramatic climax, in which the fleeing Sikes is shot, brought myself and many other patrons out of their seats.

Theatre Links:

• Julian Forsyth (Fagin) would later go on to play Dr. Dillamond in Wicked from 2010.
• Liniz Hateley (Nancy) was the original Mrs. Banks in the London Production of Mary Poppins.

The Wizard of Oz

December 2000 at the Haymarket, Leicester

Cast

Dorothy … Annalene Beechey 

Glinda/Aunt Em … Wendy Mae Brown

Scarecrow/Hunk … Simon Greiff

Tin Man/Hickory … Tom Canavan

The Lion/Zeke … Jon Clairmonte

The Wicked Witch of the West/Mrs. Gulch … Vicky Ogden

The Wizard of Oz/Professor Marvel … Mark Roper

The Crows … Ben Garner

                        Greg Pichery

                        Adam Woodhouse

Another early production at the Haymarket, which I attended with the local 'Beavers' the junior division of the Cub Scouts. I can remember little of this performance, but was particularly impressed by the arrival of the Wicked Witch on a motorbike, resembling a leatherette version of the teacher from "Angela Anaconda".

Theatre Links:

• Annalene Beechey would go on to play another Wizard of Oz related role, the understudy Glinda during the first run of Wicked in the West End.

 

Joseph and His Technicolor Dreamcoat

December 2000 at the De Montfort Hall, Leicester

Cast

Joseph … Eaton James

Narrator … Vivienne Carlyle

Jacob/Potiphar … Michael G. Jones

Pharaoh/Simeon … Trevor Jary

Mrs. Potiphar/Handmaiden … Sarah-J Gough

Butler … Dan Greavey

Baker/Naphtali … Russel Hicken

Reuben … Dan Greavey

Issachar … Ryan Keeton

Levi … James Nash

Asher … John Melvin

Dan … Ben Stock

Zebulon … Stuart Tayler

Gad … Iain Pritchard

Judah … Karl Jones

Benjamin … Jason Heppenstall

Handmaidens… Lisa Quibell

                           Ellie Sprack

                           Jenette Humphris

The final of my early visits to the theatre, a week after my trip to see the Wizard of Oz, my primary memory of this performance was watching the Pharaoh, and asking my parents whether it had really been Elvis Presley playing the role.