L to R: Ian McKellen, James Cairncross, Gabrielle Hamilton, Andrew Keir, Peter Griffin, Josie Kidd, Gawn Grainger, Mark Follett.
Despite the songs and occasional jollity, this was the most depressing play to act in — we all agreed.
Despite the songs and occasional jollity, this was the most depressing play to act in — we all agreed.
Next Play:
ALL IN GOOD TIME
SERJEANT MUSGRAVE’S DANCE
Written by
John Arden
Directed by Robert Chetwyn
Ian McKellen in the role of Private Sparky
Arts Theatre, Ipswich, Suffolk
24 September 1963 - 5 October 1963
Words from Ian McKellen
Another ambitious choice from Robert Chetwyn, who was always concerned to mix the light with the heavy, the merely entertaining with the more thought-provoking. I enjoyed playing the young lad. Sparky, giving my “little-boy-lost” performance. Encouraged by my new agent Elspeth Cochrane and by James Cairncross (whom she also represented), John Neville and Frank Dunlop attended the matinee performance on 1st October. They were recruiting a company for the newly-built Nottingham Playhouse. I passed muster and was invited to join them in the autumn.