We are very sad to learn of the death of John Mardle. His wife, Lesley Mardle, who died in 2020, will be familiar to many regulars at Westacre Theatre for her stunning performances in many productions over the years. However, behind the scenes, her husband John was also a stalwart of Westacre Theatre in his own right. For many years he worked tirelessly during the summer months, alongside Andrew Smith, to help create the stage Read more…
Walking around this empty building it strikes me that the Theatre is nothing without the people who breathe life into it. It is the people – the audiences, the cast, the crew, the front of house volunteers – who are the heart of the place. And, for the first time in months, life was breathed back into Westacre Theatre. We had a wonderful season planned this year to mark 30 years since Andy and Isobel first Read more…
Among the many who came to see A Christmas Carol, the more keen-eyed of you may have noticed that I was playing the role of Bob Crachit. This is a little bit of a departure from my usual zone of comfort, namely, being the one behind the audience, in a dark box, hidden entirely from view. Not the one standing on stage with a few kilowatts of light pointed at me. But this raises an Read more…
As I write this I am sat in the control room watching Casablanca. Not for fun, you understand. This is work. And tremendously hard work it is too. The beautiful subtlety of the lowering houselights. The expert twiddling of the volume knob. The highly skilled manner of pressing ‘Play’. Not just anyone can do it, you know. Casablanca is our Valentine’s Day film. And what better way can I think of than spending my Read more…
