Peter Bradshaw Interview: First Days as Assistant Manager
Title
Peter Bradshaw Interview: First Days as Assistant Manager
Date
19 July 2017
Description
Oral history interview with Peter Bradshaw, Assistant Manager at the Theatre Royal from 1974 to 1977.
What's the story?
Peter Bradshaw was Assistant Manager at the Theatre Royal from 1974 to 1977. This was the time when the theatre was particularly run-down, leading to its closure and massive refurbishment in 1977.
In this interview Peter talks about starting work at the Theatre Royal, even remembering his first show Pat Phoenix in Gaslight, plus a Des O'Connor anecdote.
Because the Display Manager’s secretary knew the manager of the Theatre Royal and she said “I know where there’s a good job for you if you’re interested”. And, of course, when she told me, I came over to see Leonard Glaxton, because he’d been the Assistant Manager to Frank Mathy, who was a very old Moss Empires Theatre Manager who had actually come from the Glasgow Empire, the “death place” for all artists. It’s the only place that Des O’Connor went on stage and just fainted on purpose so that they could drag him off because he was frightened to death of the audience. Anyway, that’s by the by.
So, yes, I came over to see Leonard and I started in September 1974. I can even remember the first show that I was with. It was Patricia Phoenix, Alan Browning in Gaslight. That was my first show and then after that … oh, my office was part of the old Empire, overlooking the car park which was at the back of the theatre, more or less facing the stage door, so every Monday I’d be at my office desk and you’d see the artists arriving and the big wagons. Oh… wonderful!
In this interview Peter talks about starting work at the Theatre Royal, even remembering his first show Pat Phoenix in Gaslight, plus a Des O'Connor anecdote.
Because the Display Manager’s secretary knew the manager of the Theatre Royal and she said “I know where there’s a good job for you if you’re interested”. And, of course, when she told me, I came over to see Leonard Glaxton, because he’d been the Assistant Manager to Frank Mathy, who was a very old Moss Empires Theatre Manager who had actually come from the Glasgow Empire, the “death place” for all artists. It’s the only place that Des O’Connor went on stage and just fainted on purpose so that they could drag him off because he was frightened to death of the audience. Anyway, that’s by the by.
So, yes, I came over to see Leonard and I started in September 1974. I can even remember the first show that I was with. It was Patricia Phoenix, Alan Browning in Gaslight. That was my first show and then after that … oh, my office was part of the old Empire, overlooking the car park which was at the back of the theatre, more or less facing the stage door, so every Monday I’d be at my office desk and you’d see the artists arriving and the big wagons. Oh… wonderful!
Type
Oral interview
Location of item
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Rights
Theatre Royal & Royal Concert Hall
Contributor
Interviewers: Phil Smith & Mena Severn
Transcriber: David Chilton
Transcriber: David Chilton
