They are busy people, journalists… always in a hurry. Only a few are specialists… so, remember to just give them the basics – they won’t be insulted; grateful. (It also means they don’t have to stay for the whole performance.)
Here’s what I though they needed to know about Tom Gallacher’s Mr Joyce is Leaving Paris.
It was a first rough draft, but you get the idea. The King’s Head cast was the very best ensemble we had for the play.
Note that on page two of the programme the Company Secretary is named as Joan Corry. That’s Dan’s wife, Joan Crawford… not the famous one ha ha ha! But key to the whole operation for some years – and left out of the theatre’s story.
Also, Peter Stevenson was perhaps the best stage manager I’ve ever worked with. He got so peed off with Dan’s inefficient and messy management style that he walked – went to work for Compassion in World Farming. Still with them, the last I heard.
And the deputy stage manager was Margie Barbour who emailed me to say that she’d attended the very last performance in the old back room of the pub and sent me a shot of the programme.
John Scully is down as set designer. Scully was a local jobbing builder who drank in the pub – Dan was very easy with customers. Dan recruited him and, compared with a trained designer, John was very cheap.
The only thing was… John built sets physically in real time. He nailed and screwed them onto the tiny stage. So, you had to be up all night making sure there was enough room for the actors’ rehearsed moves. Dan loved all that… romantic, alternative living.
You will also note that at the top of page two of the programme: “The King’s Head Theatre Club acknowledges financial assistance from the… Athur Guinness Company.” According to Dan and Joan, this was marginal.
You can read more about these people in Are You Going to do That Little Jump?
And look out for more about the actors in the next instalment featuring Mr Joyce is Leaving Paris at the King’s Head pub theatre, Islington.
Future stars were eager to perform in that shabby back room!
