Beverley Graham Interview: Beverley's Love of the Theatre Royal
Title
Beverley Graham Interview: Beverley's Love of the Theatre Royal
Date
26 July 2018
Description
Oral history interview with Beverley Graham, a keen amateur dancer, and also a long-time supporter, valued audience member and active participant of the Theatre Royal.
What's the story?
Beverley Graham was born in 1953 in Kirkby-in Ashfield in Nottinghamshire.
From having attended dance schools from an early age, Beverley has always had a passion for theatre and performing. This has developed into a genuine love for the Theatre Royal, which shines through in her interview.
She has attended numerous shows over the years, more so since becoming a Premium Member of the Theatre Royal in 2013. She is also a regular participant in the venue’s dance classes and has even performed on the stage.
In this interview Beverley describes how in retirement her and her husband are enjoying coming to the Theatre Royal, and how theatre can be a good form of escapism:
Since my husband and I retired, we do come to the theatre a lot more. Because we can go on a Monday night – it doesn’t matter about getting up on the Tuesday. I get so much enjoyment out of coming to the theatre. The feel good factor, the culture. You’re seeing different things. Because we don’t go and see the same thing every time. We do like the plays, the musicals, the concerts. We see different things and it’s just a different angle of life from what you may be in yourself.
The Theatre Royal is my favourite. I love the inside of it, I love the opulence of it. I love the design, the beauty of it. I think of the Theatre Royal as being what a theatre should be like. The colours, the style: it’s my ideal theatre. I would hate to move away from here and not be able to get here. And I have seen some nice theatres. I’m trying to think of where we went the other week. We went to The Plaza at Stockport. That’s 1920s/30s and they’ve actually designed it back to how it was originally. It was nice, but give me the Theatre Royal any day. Hopefully they don’t mess about with the design of the Theatre Royal. I don’t want it to be streamlined. It’s a shame they no longer have the posters up: they have all the screens up. Please do not change it. Just keep going on and just keep providing us with the enjoyment and the productions that they have been doing.
From having attended dance schools from an early age, Beverley has always had a passion for theatre and performing. This has developed into a genuine love for the Theatre Royal, which shines through in her interview.
She has attended numerous shows over the years, more so since becoming a Premium Member of the Theatre Royal in 2013. She is also a regular participant in the venue’s dance classes and has even performed on the stage.
In this interview Beverley describes how in retirement her and her husband are enjoying coming to the Theatre Royal, and how theatre can be a good form of escapism:
Since my husband and I retired, we do come to the theatre a lot more. Because we can go on a Monday night – it doesn’t matter about getting up on the Tuesday. I get so much enjoyment out of coming to the theatre. The feel good factor, the culture. You’re seeing different things. Because we don’t go and see the same thing every time. We do like the plays, the musicals, the concerts. We see different things and it’s just a different angle of life from what you may be in yourself.
The Theatre Royal is my favourite. I love the inside of it, I love the opulence of it. I love the design, the beauty of it. I think of the Theatre Royal as being what a theatre should be like. The colours, the style: it’s my ideal theatre. I would hate to move away from here and not be able to get here. And I have seen some nice theatres. I’m trying to think of where we went the other week. We went to The Plaza at Stockport. That’s 1920s/30s and they’ve actually designed it back to how it was originally. It was nice, but give me the Theatre Royal any day. Hopefully they don’t mess about with the design of the Theatre Royal. I don’t want it to be streamlined. It’s a shame they no longer have the posters up: they have all the screens up. Please do not change it. Just keep going on and just keep providing us with the enjoyment and the productions that they have been doing.
Type
Oral interview
Location of item
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Rights
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall Nottingham
Contributor
Interviewers: Sue Threakall & Julia Holmes
Transcriber: David Chilton
Transcriber: David Chilton
