Page 25 - My Story

I sat at home waiting for the agents to call. They didn’t. I started visiting agents, they didn’t seem
interested. I wrote letters to the BBC and various repertory companies. I did get a couple of broadcasts -
reading poetry by African writers on the BBC World Service. There was hardly any television in those days
but I probably wrote to the studios. I did a show case play with Robert Rietty, playing a really small part.
Nothing came of that, but I met some nice people working backstage. Eventually I visited an agent who
thought that the repertory theatre at Great Yarmouth was looking for an assistant stage manager. He
arranged an interview for me in London with John Dodd, the owner and manager of the theatre and he
agreed to take me at the then equity minimum of £4.10 a week.

Professional picture of me

My mother came with me to Great Yarmouth on the Green Line bus. We found digs for me and
also the local food shops and the theatre. I had quite a nice room with a kindly landlady. I believe I had
water in the room but shared a bathroom. My mother returned to London.

The next day I reported at the theater. The other ASM was Coleen, a local girl, who showed me
the ropes. I didn’t have too much idea of the duties of an ASM, but it seemed we did everything. Sorted
costumes, found props, usually by schmoozing local store owners so that we could borrow stuff for the
current production, painted scenery. Great Yarmouth was a weekly rep. so the turnaround was pretty
rapid. We ASMs also had to act as well as doing ASM duties so as we opened with one production, we
were starting to rehearse the next. Fortunately, I had no difficulty learning a part in those days. If I read
it through just before I went to sleep, I usually woke up knowing the lines. We led busy lives but were
also pretty social, the whole rep finishing up most evenings in the pub. John Dodd ran a Packard with a
rumble seat and he and his girlfriend, Sheila, who played most of the lead roles, were quite a glamorous
couple.

Great Yarmouth is on the North Sea and famous for its kippers and bloaters – these are herrings
smoked in different ways. When I could afford it, I sent my parents both kinds of fish, which I know they
enjoyed. While I was in Great Yarmouth, Jackie got engaged to Peter Wineman and there was a family
party to celebrate the engagement, which I missed.

The other thing I missed was the last London smog in December of 1952. This was worse than
any smog that had gone before. You could not see a hand in front of your face. The smog and soot crept
into the houses through the windows, making the curtains sooty before you could finish hanging them.
Transport was stopped, many indoor events such as theatres and concerts had to be cancelled and 4,000
people died during the four days it lasted. It was following this that the government of Winston Churchill,
yes, our war time prime minister was back, brought in the Clean Air Act and we had to start burning
smokeless fuels in our fireplaces.

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