I have been involved in the Gaiety since I was fifteen so I suppose I am celebrating half of it’s
life.
As a member of the Legion Players I was involved working back stage. Such wonderful memories of George Craine the Stage Manager and followed by Tony Mc Evoy. Both were dedicated to back stage and time mean’t nothing.
I sat on the Consortium (representing the Manx Amateur Drama Federation) which ran and owned the Gaiety. The Directors were Ken Daly and John Marsland.
MADF were part of the body of people urging the Government to buy the theatre. Fortunately Mr Jack Nivison MHK. MLC took up the baton and thanks to his leadership and foresight Tynwald voted to buy the theatre for the people of the island.
One of my early memories was a December production by the Legion Players which had to be cancelled on the night of the dress rehearsal. A member of the public had complained when they had attended recently the Dress Circle had moved. The theatre was closed for inspection. The inspection found that the Cantilever which was part of the Dress Circle and is mean’t to move as part of its engineering. The show must go on , only a week later!
One of my proudest and most poignant memories was on the last night of the Easter Festival of plays in March 2002. I had the honour of going on stage before the final play to announce the death of Her Majesty, The Queen Mother earlier that day. I asked the audience to stand and the British National anthem was played. The irony was waiting in the wings to perform their play was a team from the Republic of Ireland , they also stood to honour this very great woman. The team went on to win the festival.
Just some of my Happy Memories.