The Early Years

From her early teens Mum was always drawn to the footlights - be it as avid theatre-goer or taking a leading role in Youth Theatre productions.

Having Wimbledon Theatre on her very doorstep as well as living just a bus ride away from London’s West End provided ample opportunity to regularly sample the various dramatic offerings of the stage.

She was a keen observer of people, their traits and mannerisms, and could readily morph into a totally different and credible characterisation.

Her family’s Suffolk origins, her upbringing in London’s southeast boroughs and her time as a child evacuee in Devon gave her an exquisite command of these regional accents.  She continually added to these by mimicking unsuspecting locals she would meet along her way - in Wales she went into a shop to buy some bread and after 10 minutes of chatting away came out sounding like she had lived all her life in the neighbouring valley!

She first started getting noticed in the local press through her performances with the St Peter’s Church Youth Fellowship.  Following her marriage it was with the ‘Wayfarers’ - St James’ Church Drama Group in Morden, Surrey - that she impressed, becoming a leading lady in most of their productions between 1965 and 1971, when the family moved to Gloucester. 

Her title role in “Goodnight Mrs Puffin” was a sublime masterclass in comedy timing and character acting as she portrayed the soothsaying Cockney stranger in this little gem of a comedy play.

She also performed with the Merton Park Ladies Drama Group, an early sign of her committed involvement in later years with various Ladies (only) Drama Groups.


The Later Years

Once settled in her new home in Gloucester, Mum threw herself with a vengeance into the local Am-Dram scene, establishing her credentials as a talented and valuable member of several Amateur Dramatic groups at local and county level.

Making her first impression with the LADS - Ladies Amateur Dramatic Society - she was soon taking on some significant roles with the GODS - Gloucester Operatic & Dramatic Society - as well as the St Barnabas Players, Kings Players, Crown Players and the Longlevens Women’s Institute.

With the WI and LADS taking regular part in local and regional Festivals of Drama, the critical acclaim of Mum’s acting always shone bright - always favourable and praiseworthy critiques from festival adjudicators and press reporters alike, she frequently collected ‘Best Actress’ Awards for her major roles.  Perhaps her most successful and satisfying accolade was achieving the Best Actress Award at the GDA’s Full Length Play Festival in June 1988 for her part as Maud in “Born in the Garden”.

With age comes responsibility, so the saying goes, and for Mum this meant an increasing involvement with producing and directing, especially for the LADS & Longlevens WI.  Again performances at various drama festivals brought high accolades and several festival awards, if not directly for Mum, then for her acting colleagues, from whom she had coaxed the award worthy performances. 

Even though her failing physical health curtailed an active role in any stage production, her valued guidance was often sought after for acting direction and she frequently delivered cheery or thought-provoking monologues at various functions and parties.

Perhaps regretting not seeing all her various and varied performances, I shall always keep close her gripping and acerbic portrayal of Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine in the St Barnabas Players production of “The Lion in Winter” (in whose performance the adjudicator likened  Mum to Judi Dench!) while at the opposite end of the acting spectrum her characterisation of well-meaning ignorance as Mrs Uggett in the short comedy sketch “A Day in the Country” was jaw-achingly funny, winning festival cups for both her and fellow actress Sheila Hanman.