It’s been a fantastic season of events for the Friends. But it’s only September, so it’s not time to wave goodbye to Summer yet, we hope, Maurice!
INSIDE YOUR SEPTEMBER EDITION
p2: From the Chairman
p4: Matt on show
p6: Friends on the road
p8: PLUTO remembered
p12: Charlotte takes the stage
p14: Gwyn’s Quick Quiz
p15: Performing Arts Centre latest
p17: The winners
p18: Crossword
p20: Patrons and sponsors
p22: All the answers
Maurice Kachuk, the great entertainer, pictured at the Summer event at Luccombe Hall Hotel in July.
From the Chairman
As last year, the annual Friends Summer Event was held at Luccombe Hall Hotel in July. The event was again a sell out and a great success. The food and entertainment were excellent, and the setting was stunning. Special thanks to Jacqui Robertson for organising the event.
The Friends continue to make a significant financial contribution to the upkeep and development of the Theatre. The latest project was to fund replacement headsets for the Technical team amounting to about £7,400.
We’ve also engaged in a marketing initiative with the IoW Steam Railway. We’re offering the opportunity to win a pair of free one-year Friends Patron memberships. There are about 500 volunteers at the railway so hopefully this will generate extra interest in the Theatre.
A new initiative to promote Friends membership has also gone live in the Box Office via posters advertising the new Rewards scheme, the 10 per cent bar discount plus all the other existing benefits.
We’ve enjoyed a brilliant Summer schedule of shows, and it’s still going on, including the Beyond the West End show every Thursday until October 9. We try to offer something for everyone, so a wide variety of other entertainment includes Paul Zerdin and his puppets, the psychic Tony Stockwell, Annie the musical by the Savoyards, and the ballet Sleeping Beauty.
Remember also, our monthly Theatre Tours, including our new Family tours that include content specifically designed for young people.
Paul
Events diary
It’s good to see so many opportunities to get out, meet people and have some fun, and – just occasionally – maybe eat a bit too much!
Mandy Beatty sent this invitation, and we couldn’t resist sharing it.
It’s not until November, but you’ll need to book early if you fancy a taste of Italy.
If you’re in the market for something a little different…
How about having some fun and raising money for good causes, also at the Ocean View Hotel? The venue is hosting a fundraiser for Breast Cancer Now and for the Friends of Shanklin Theatre. The hotel is looking for willing volunteers for charity hair cuts, head shaves, beard shaves, leg waxing and chest waxing, so if you’re brave enough, contact Sarah TyrellJones at the hotel to sign up.
The good news is, you’ve got till December 13 to prepare yourself; and if you just want to watch, there’s a bar, and music, too!
Multi-talented Matt!
Matt Day manages the Box Office, compiles crosswords AND has turned his hand to generating collectable images that help promote theatre shows. When Matt was asked to help by listing shows on Facebook, he never dreamed it would turn into a new art form.
His idea was to use the profile picture on the theatre’s Facebook page as a way of promoting the events, and one of his first efforts became one of the most memorable.
Searching for ways to promote a Beatles tribute band, he took the iconic image of the Beatles crossing Abbey Road and transposed it onto a line drawing of the theatre. ‘Everybody loved it,” he remembers. ‘The image was reproduced on mugs and coasters which are still on display in the theatre boardroom.’
Matt realised he was onto a winner, and since then has produced around 70 artworks, all of which he creates on computer.
Other famous examples include the Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car flying over the theatre, and special creations for Legally Blonde, Sound of Music, Think Floyd and Genesis Connected.
They’ve become so popular that Matt has been asked to stage an exhibition at the Coffee, Cake and Chat event on September 6.
He’s chosen 25 of his favourites to go on display and remains very modest about it.
‘It’s amazing what you can do if you have the right computer programme,’ he says. ‘Basically, I copy, paste and arrange the images. It’s nice that people appreciate them, and it’ll be nice to see them all in one place on September 6.’
Matt’s working life began as an editorial assistant at the Surrey Comet, and he spent 16 years at the British Library, where he became Reading Room Manager, responsible for 300 reading desks.
‘It was an interesting job and you’d be amazed how much time I had to spend stopping people in their tracks before they defaced books!’
He became full-time Box Office Manager about six years ago, after being a theatre volunteer for a couple of years.
When he’s not creating masterpieces or keeping on top of a very busy Box Office, Matt loves watching shows at the theatre, and still makes time for one of his other great passions: compiling the StageWrite crossword.
More about that another time!
>>DON’T FORGET. You can see a selection of Matt’s clever and fascinating images at Coffee Cake and Chat at the theatre from 10am on Saturday, September 6.
The artistic theme continues at the following month’s event, when figurative painter Jeremy Gully will give a talk about his work and exhibit some of his paintings. Make a note in your diary – Saturday, October 4.
Having
fun and spreading the word!
The Friends have been out and about over the Summer –enjoying events and appearing at them; staging displays; and dressing to impress at the Shanklin Carnival.
Above: All set for Chale Show, and the County Show (below)!
A lively group of more than 20 volunteers took part in the annual Shanklin Carnival on a warm summer’s evening, wearing costumes from Victorian bathers to characters from musicals, while others showed off the new Shanklin Theatre branded waistcoats. There were also two classic cars courtesy of Mike Beston and Peter Phillips; the green MG carried our carnival queen, Cilla.
Twenty members of the Island Savoyards joined in, dressed in blue and promoting their October production of Annie.
The weather was kind and so were the crowds, with people packing the pavements in the Old Village and Regent Street. Judging by the weight of the donation buckets, a good sum of money was raised for next year’s carnival, too.
PLUTO remembered
Friends and volunteers turned out in force for Coffee, Cake and Chat in July, when Island historian Tim Wander gave a fascinating and entertaining talk on the famous ‘pipeline under the ocean’ in the Map Room, which was very much at the centre of it all.
Running a fuel pipe across the Channel in wartime was billed as the perfect solution to the problem of delivering fuel to support the Allied fightback in mainland Europe.
How else could we keep up with demand, with about 1,500 tanks ready to go, at the rate of one mile per gallon? And what could possibly go wrong?
The plan was hatched: link a pipeline to the existing network, run it under the Solent to the Isle of Wight, then lay it under the English Channel to France. And all the equipment to do it was invented and manufactured in a year.
Teams worked through the night to bury the 2.7 inch steel pipe across the Island, from Thorness to Parkhurst, Newport, and Lake; then on to Shanklin and Sandown Pier.
The undersea pipeline was tested in the Bristol Channel, and all seemed set fair, until reality set in. How on earth are we going to be able to pump fuel across more than 20 miles of seabed which was anything but flat?
Despite the understandable elation and excitement at the time, as Tim explained, only 170 million gallons of fuel was pumped across – about eight per cent of the predicted amount.
In the end, 67 Channel tankers built as back up came into use. They were fuelled at various locations on the Island, where so much fuel was being stored.
Having safely delivered their cargo, the fuel was then pumped across France to the border with Germany using the same pipework that had been installed on the Island.
Tim said: ‘It was both a triumph and a disaster, to be honest. A triumph because we got there in the end, and a disaster because the pumps we built just weren’t powerful enough to push fuel across 20 miles or more of seabed that had steep slopes and valleys.’
There are still signs of PLUTO to this day, most obviously in the ‘gates’ that were positioned in hedgerows to mark the line the pipeline took across farmland. Some of the pipes are still visible at low tide in Thorness, and many of the buildings at Isle of Wight Zoo are in fact old PLUTO structures.
Tim said: ‘It was an amazing achievement, in the true British bulldog spirit.’
He told the audience that the first PLUTO pipeline to be connected was laid from Shanklin to Cherbourg on August 12, 1944.
In the end, though, only two of the five pipelines due to be laid were connected successfully. The other three – nearly 300 miles of pipe, were abandoned on the seabed.
The whole command and control centre for PLUTO was located in what is now the Map Room at Shanklin Theatre.
>>Tim presented a detailed display board giving a full account of the project, to Theatre Operations Manager Roger Coleman.
>>Tim told us later that he enjoyed meeting everyone. He said: ‘Thanks for the hospitality and warm welcome. Happy to come back sometime and tell you the story of ENSA on the Island and about my friend Ray Edmond, The Wonder Boy singer.’
To France – and back again
Alex Ford – a very active theatre volunteer – talks about his life and the challenges and experiences that have shaped him.
Not only do I have an amazing life on the Isle of Wight, I also lead another life in France!
My family owns a Grade 2 listed cottage in Loupfouge’res which is a small village in the Loire Valley. We took it on as a restoration project about 10 years ago and it’s becoming a beautiful family home.
We have a lot of land around us and a small woodland area to the side
Every morning, we go to the bakery in the local village for our cakes and bread for the day. The sun shines and it can get as hot as 40 degrees in the summer!
Every weekend there is a car boot sale and it’s probably 10 times bigger than anything similar in the UK.
I enjoy going to our house so much and doing the restoration work.
The scenery is amazing over in France and it’s a lovely place to be.
Moving closer to home, I’m proud to share some comments I have received from the places I work.
Mountbatten Shanklin
Alex has been a great part of our Mountbatten shop team since 2017. He has always been reliable and supportive. Alex is very much respected and liked, and the Shanklin Mountbatten Shop has become a bit like Alex’s fun club. People come especially to see Alex and to listen to his laughter, as it’s definitely the best laugh you will ever hear!
Shanklin Theatre (Matt Day, Box Office Manager)
Alex is a sociable guy and most of my team knew of him… or had heard his infectious laugh echoing around the Theatre. There’s never a dull moment when Alex is in. He will give anything a go and the time came for him to try the Box Office. He spent a few months with us in early 2024 and he was eager to get stuck in straight away. Alex did a great job – welcoming and polite to customers; confident on the phone and quick to learn the booking system. He makes great tea too! I cannot fault Alex’s enthusiasm and determination to take part in all things Theatre. He now works hard at getting content for TikTok and Instagram to promote shows, too.
Ryde Red Cross Shop (Barbara Moran).
I have known Alex for a few years now, since he became a member of my team of volunteers, where he quickly made himself a valued member, and a very popular one. Everyone likes the days that Alex is working at the shop as he is always cheerful and laughing. I don't think he has a grumpy bone in his body, but maybe that's because I keep the tea and biscuits coming all day: chocolate biscuits for preference!
Alex has a very cheeky face, and the personality to match. When we work together, there is never a dull moment- he is usually winding me up about something or other.
Alex, keep doing what you do, and don't ever change, we love you just as you are. ( and please keep volunteering in the places you volunteer, you are valued more than you could ever know).
Thanks to everyone for sharing their thoughts, and thank you for letting me share this with you in StageWrite. Alex
Charlotte takes the stage
Charlotte Henry tells us how she ended up becoming Head of Stage, after studying drama and performance, and working at Buckingham Palace…
I was brought up in Worthing and Peacehaven and got into drama when I was eight years old.
I always loved theatre and went on to do drama and performance at Portsmouth University. The head of that course encouraged me to apply to drama school, and I was thrilled to get a place at Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
That meant moving to London, an expensive place to live, but the facilities were amazing, and the course was great. I learned so much, and it wasn’t just about being on stage: we learned about production, too.
It was going well, but then I was a witness in a big court case and it all got a bit too much, so I took up the offer of a year’s break in my studies.
However, I needed money if I was to stay around London and took a summer job at Buckingham Palace. I really enjoyed it, and when a learning and development job came up, I jumped at the chance and stayed there for 18 months as training co-ordinator.
That job taught me such a lot about how to be organised and how to work with people, and that’s come in very handy!
My parents live in Ryde and I’ve been a Friends member for many years. I’ve also volunteered on bar duty and ushering, so I got to know the theatre very well.
Chris Gardner let me shadow him a few times and I really enjoyed that: so much that even though I was still working at Buckingham Palace, I chatted with the technical team about joining them on a casual basis. So I was so pleased when Graham Broadbent said I could be his sound assistant on ‘Anything Goes’. I absolutely loved it!
I’ve helped out with the Christmas panto, too, and then the chance came to apply for the job of Stage Manager. It was a tough decision because I still enjoyed my work at the Palace, but I’ve got to be honest – the chance to come back to the Island and work at this lovely theatre was too good to resist.
My first show as Stage Manager was for Craig Revel Horwood.
I think the job is about being the overseer, really; making sure people who do shows here understand the way we operate, as well as making sure we have the right people to help them and seeing to it that they all enjoy the experience. It’s very much a team effort. We’re all in it together!
Charlotte
Gwyn Dawson’s
Quick Quiz
We've now reached the letter I.
As usual, I could be the first name, surname or both.
Good luck!
Gwyn
1. Who is the narrator of ‘Moby Dick’?
2. In which Christmas film does the angel Clarence save George Bailey?
3. Which Black Sabbath song is also the name of a character played by Robert Downey Junior?
4. Who wrote the novel ‘Goodbye to Berlin’ which inspired the musical ‘Cabaret’?
5. Which award winning actress is married to fellow actor Jim Carter?
6. Which Gilbert and Sullivan operetta tells the story of a fairy who marries a mortal?
7. Who is the friend of Othello who ultimately betrays him?
8. Which film starring Ingrid Bergman is based on the true story of Gladys Aylward, who was a missionary in China in the Second World War?
9. Who had a hit in 1972 with a cover version of ‘Summer Breeze’?
10.Which dancer died in 1977 when her scarf got caught in the wheels of her car?
Got all the answers? We’re impressed! If not, have a peek at page 22!
Performing Arts Centre Update
Shanklin Theatre Trustees Chris Quirk and Mike Beston have the latest on this exciting project.
Shanklin Theatre and Community Trust has submitted its initial ‘expression of interest’ application for funding to the Arts Council England (ACE).
This funding is part of the new ACE Creative Foundations Fund which provides funding for restoration and renewal projects.
The Trust is seeking substantial funding for redevelopment of the Centre, which is integral to our subsidy-free operating model, and will provide rehearsal space, and training and development for local professional and amateur groups and youth dance schools.
The Bay area outweighs other Island locations for neglect, dereliction, deprivation, and overall economic decline. Wages are low, insecure, and seasonal, and educational outcomes are poor. Yet for many years funding has not been prioritised to these areas.
The proposed project is a flagship of the “Bay Area Place Plan” regeneration initiative, supported by Isle of Wight Council, local town and parish councils in Sandown, Lake and Shanklin, and The Theatres Trust and will deliver on the “All the Wonder Isle of Wight Cultural Strategy 2023-2033”.
The building is in very poor structural condition, with unstable foundations and water ingress. But once redeveloped, it will provide a 106-seat flexible auditorium, rehearsal studios, and technical installations, allowing us to host experimental, grassroots and small-scale productions not suitable for the main Shanklin Theatre.
The project has been given full planning permission, and is backed up by surveys, architectural plans, and a quantity surveyor’s report. It will create new jobs, support development of technical skills, and provide inclusive access for SEND and community groups.
The redevelopment will incorporate energy-efficient systems, improved insulation, and sustainable materials to reduce environmental impact and operational costs.
Our business plan indicates financial viability from year one and incorporates contingency in case of delays.
In summary, this project will reduce maintenance costs, improve access to cultural activity, and secure the future of performing arts in the Bay area, expanding access for underserved communities across the Isle of Wight.
If our funding bid is successful, we will move onto stage two of the process, which means we will have until the end of October to submit a full application.
The Trust has a track record of successfully delivering capital works, including repairs originally estimated at £2.5M to the Grade II-listed Shanklin Theatre.
We will report back in the December issue of Stage Write. So please watch this space!
Chris and Mike
The winners are…
Congratulations to the winners of our bi-monthly prize draw, held in July. And thanks to everyone who supports the theatre by buying a ticket.
The draw took place in the theatre bar under the supervision of the FOST Committee.
1st J Clarke
2nd S Tutt
3rd L Thorpe
4th L Rann
5th D Cardwell
6th D McElroy
7th J Marsh
£500 Whitwell 4086
£200 Ryde 4559
£100 Shanklin 0243
£75 Cowes 4112
£75 Shanklin 1637
£50 Birmingham 1083
£50 Shanklin 1008
FOST Monthly Members’ Draw
June winners
Joan Buckett, Katrina Chapman and Sue Wompra; July winners
Catherine Absolom, Sarah Coleman and Sophie Day
They each received £10 theatre vouchers
CROSSWORD
Compiled by Matt Day
Celebrating the 50th anniversary of Fawlty Towers. All answers relate to the show: some more than others…
ACROSS
1. He meant ‘’hostages’’, but Keir Starmer called for the release of these (8)
7. Returning guest unlawfully hides food in cases (7)
8. American, biographical, hit musical which features songs and rap throughout (8)
10. Famous hot sauce brand named after a Mexican region and chilli pepper (7)
12. Springy character featured in The Magic Roundabout (7)
14. Wine and rabbit starters – don’t mention it! (3)
15. Manuel was from this country (5)
17. Frankfurters and Hamburgers, for example (7)
21. Fried egg dish (8)
22. Household items - anagrammed as Warty _____ on the Fawlty Towers sign (6)
23. Cutlery sold by Mr Hutchinson in The Hotel Inspectors episode (6)
25. Hairpiece (3)
26. Snake with feathers? (3)
30. Rice, chicken and seafood dish prepared in a large, flat pan (6)
31. Afternoon nap (6)
33. Basil abbreviated a High St business to P Off… what did the P stand for? (4)
34. See 36 across
35. Gnawing mammal such as a mouse, squirrel or hamster (6)
36. And 34 ac. Pest killer for the 35 across (3, 6)
37. Basil Fawlty was from this Dorset town (7)
38. IOW town not visible from a Torquay hotel bedroom window? (7)
DOWN
1. Actress Prunella who played Sybil Fawlty (6)
2. Cold dish featured in episode title Waldorf _____ (5)
3. In The Builders, Mr O’Reilly was threatened with this garden ornament (5)
4. Manuel is a write off (6)
5. One who admires the upper classes or behaves in a superior way (4)
6. A qualified doctor specialising in the field of mental health (12)
9. A 1974 Peter Benchley thriller/horror made into a film by Spielberg (4)
11. Orchard fruits (6)
13. City and county town of 28 down (6)
16. The Great _____; novel by F Scott Fitzgerald (6)
18. Female title (4)
19. Daily deliveries enjoyed by the cricket-mad Major Gowan (10)
20. Sport using two or four racquets… but not Brahm’s third racket (6)
24. Orwell’s odd birds (4)
27. Month of Basil and Sybil’s anniversary (5)
28. Torquay is located in this county (5)
29. Celebratory gathering for a marriage (7)
32. A branch like growth on a moose’s head (6)
34. Green vegetables (4)
35. Uncooked, like the fish in the Gourmet Night episode (3)
Turn to page 22 for the answers
FOST PATRONS
The FOST committee recognises the value of the support of our FOST Patrons and Corporate members and expresses its gratitude by offering them additional benefits:
The current FOST Patrons’ list (dated 09/08/25) can be found below.
Elizabeth Allen
Shirley Armstrong
Isobel Ellis
Michael Ellis
John Ash Jo Everitt
Joanne Ballington
Christine Benson
Graham Benson
Michael Bingham
Veronica Bingham
Alana Bird
Amy Bird
David Bird
Ron Bird
Ruth Bird
Sylvia Fallows
Nicholas (OBE) Finney
Jacqueline Flux
David Frankling
Peter Gibson
Sue Godden
Alan Gooders
Paul Larner
Sue Lawton
Julie Maher
Michael Maher
Tim Marshall
Sarah McCarthy-Fry
Pat McCree
Linda McLinden
Andy Millmore
Jason Monk
Vicky Gooders-Graham Priscilla Morris
Linda Graham
Tony Hagan
John L Brett Christopher Hardy
Margaret Bristow
Finton Burns
Elaine Carter
Peter Clark
Debbie Clement
Andrew Corkish
Charlotte Corkish
Paul Coueslant
Kelvin Currie
Maggie Currie
B Daniels
Larry Darby
Lynda Darby
Martin Darch
Jean Davies
Gwyneth Dawson
Matt Day
Carole Dennett
Louise Diffey
Marilyn Dyason
Brenda Dyer
Lorraine Harley
Ray Harrington-Vail
Neil Hedges
John Hester
J Holland
Jan Hookey
Vivien Howell
John Hulse
Geoffrey Jackson
Jennifer Jones
Steven Julians
David Kast
Lesley Kast
Patricia Kenny
Paul Kenny
Gwyneth Kersey
Mary King
Fiona Klein
Geoff Klein
Simon Lacey
Julie Larner
Kay Mottram
Josh Murray
Michael Murwill
Wendy Murwill
Anthony Needham
Margaret Newman
Bill Nichols
Lizzy Nichols
Marie Nicholson
Chris O'Connell
Susan Osborne CBE
Guy Palin
Janice Palin
Helen Parkar
Phyllis Payne
Ben Pearson
Marilyn Pearson
Terry Pearson
Shani Petter
Carol Pointer
Julie Riggott
Jane Robert
Jacqui Robertson
Robert Robertson
Emma Robinson
Alan Rodway
Patricia Rodway
Michael Sayers
Rosemary Sayers
Trudy Scott
Doreen Sheath
Anthony Smith
Anthony
Paul Smith
Peter Stockman
Patricia Sztypuljak
Victoria Thorneton-Field
Sue Thurgood
Roy Trevatt
Jeremy Turk
Mark Upson
Dorothy Uren
Jennifer Venables
Rodney Walmsley
Ann Ward
Ian Ward
Sonja Ward
Janet Wardle
Anne Watson
Heather Whitchurch
Donna White
Maxine White
David Pointer S White
George Powell
Leonora Powell
Andrew Reed
Kevin Wilson
Su Wompra
FOST CORPORATE SPONSORS
FOST Corporate sponsors are businesses passionate about the Theatre who support it with their Corporate membership. In return, their company is advertised on our Theatre website and our FOST newsletter circulated to over 700 members from the Isle of Wight and beyond. Corporate membership is £100 a year
1. Scales 2. Salad 3. Gnome 4. Waiter 5. Snob 6. Psychiatrist 9. Jaws 11. Apples 13. Exeter 16. Gatsby 18. Miss 19. Newspapers 20. Tennis 24. Owls 27. April 28. Devon 29. Wedding 32. Antler 34. Peas 35. Raw
Mr Zebedee was a minor character, one of a trio with Mr Xerxes and Mr Young. Bruce Boa played the loud American, Mr Hamilton.
Gwyn’s Quick Quiz
1. Ishmael
2. It’s A Wonderful Life
3. Iron Man
4. Christopher Isherwood
5. Imelda Staunton
6. Iolanthe
7. Iago
8. (The) Inn of the Sixth Happiness
9. (The) Isley Brothers
10. Isadora Duncan
Friends of Shanklin Theatre (FOST)
Organisational Structure
Executive Committee:
Chairman – Paul Harris
Friends Promotion Officer – Jacqui Robertson
Friends Secretary – Liz Hinkes
Friends Treasurer – Peter Frankling
Contact: FOSTpromotion@shanklintheatre.com
Stage-Write magazine
Editor: Kevin Wilson
Contact: kevhwilson@gmail.com
While every care has been taken to ensure the accuracy of StageWrite magazine, the publishers do not accept any liability or provide any guarantee that the information is accurate, complete, or up to date. The publisher and its contributors have used their best efforts in preparing these pages and this publication, but make no warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, regarding the information supplied.
