Much Ado About Nothing (1983 Queensland Theatre Co) - ★ Toby Simkin ★ Broadway Entertainment

Much Ado About Nothing
The Queensland Theatre Company

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING by William Shakespeare at the Albert Park Amphitheatre, Brisbane from 13 August to 1 September, 1983 for the Queensland Theatre Company.

Directed by Alan Edwards; Choreography by Deborah Wray; Composed by Alan Lawrence; Designed by James Ridewood; Lighting Design by James Henson; Assistant Directed by Gregory Gesch; Stage Managed by David Spiller; Deputy Stage Managed by Toby Simkin; Assistant Stage Managers Louise Cullinan & Barry Melville and Ferret Scout Car Mark 2 driven by Lt. Col. K.J. Fletcher of the 3rd Cavalry Regiment.

Starring Bille Brown (Benedick) and Carol Burns (Beatrice, niece of Leonarto) with Peter Barley (Antonio, Leonarto’s brother), John Bayliss (Count Claudio), Chris Betts (Don John, bastard brother of the Prince of Arragon), Alexandra Black (Ursula, housekeeper to Leonarto), Stu Cochrane (Member of the Watch), Ross Daniels (Conrade), Sue Dwyer (Hero, daughter of Leonarto), Russell Heading (Borachio), Kevin Hides (Friar / Sexton), Laurence Hodge (Leonarto, Governor of Messina), Geoff Metcalf (Chauffeur), Maggie Nevins (Margaret, maid to Leonarto), Peter Noble (Messenger / Member of the Watch), John Rush (Balthasar, Don Pedro’s batman), Barry Searle (The Boy, son of Antonio / Member of the Watch), Darien Sticklen (Verges), Stewart Stubbs (Don Pedro, Prince of Arragon), Leo Wockner (Dogberry) and Deborah Wray (Woman).

Servants, choir and band played by members of the cast.

Understudies included Geoff Metcalf and Deborah Wray.

And for the Queensland Theatre Company:
(collectively over my tenure)

Executive Staff: Alan Edwards, AM MBE (Founding Artistic Director); Joe MacColum / John Krummel OAM / Gregory Gesch (Resident Director); Peter Duncan* (Assistant Director); Arthur Frame AM (Production Manager); Gillian Coar (Executive Officer); Christine Walsh / Ken Kennett OAM (Public Relations & Publicity Officer); June Craw OAM (Finance and Business Officer); Lewis Savage (Ticketing & Subscriptions Officer); Helen Mayes (Clerical Assistant); Lloyd Nickson (Director, Theatre in Education); Richard Magnus (Fundraising Chairman); Diane Leith (Administration) and Susan Bonning / Jennie Lewis (Receptionist).

Production Staff: Graham Maclean / James Ridewood (Resident Designer); Bill Shannon / Beverley Hill (Design Assistant); Caroline Gyucha (Scenic Artist); James Henson (Lighting Designer); David Lees (Electrician); Michael Wormald / Gary Cameron / Paul Parkinson / David Palm (Properties); Howard Steele (Head Carpenter); Des Dougan / Peter Vosiliunas (Carpenter); Cornelis Boogaart* (Apprentice Carpenter); Marie Perry-Watson / Lexi Wright / Jay Mansfield-Askew / Cynthia Bowen (Wardrobe Supervisor); Ken Bushby / Thelma Cope / Meredith Fogg / Margaret Reeves / Danny Healy / Arlie McGill / Anne Long / Kerry Yates (Wardrobe); Ellen Kennedy / David McCrudden / Kit Oldfield / Patrick Whelan / Kristin Reuter / Jan Levi / Victor Ashelford / Colin Wilson / Barry Melville / Toby Simkin / Brian Barnes / Vito Arena / Peter Reeve^± / Sussanne Humphries / Julianne White (Stage Management); Vicki Birch / Yvette (Capt) O’Brien (Production Secretary); Dawn Grieg (Wardrobe Hire) and Ivan/Gloria Pierce, Gregory Gesch & Derrick George (Photographers).

Representation: Yolande Bird / Diana Franklin (London Representative); Michael Menzies / Stuart Thompson (New York Representative) and John Krummel OAM (Sydney Casting & Repertoire Consultant).

S.G.I.O. Theatre Staff: Jim Wright (Manager); Alban Riley / Don Fergusson (Assistant Manager); Peter Petrovich / Ray Calcutt (Head Mechanist); Patrick (Paddy) Teuma / David Malacari (Head Electrician) and Dallas Black / Kay Fifas (Booking Office)

Albert Park Theatre Staff: Wayne McKenna (House Manager); Margo Morris (Box Office)

Associate Artists: Bille Brown AM; Carol Burns; Reginald Cameron OAM, Ivar Kants; Joe MacColum; Warren Mitchell; James Ridewood, Cliff Simcox; Babette Stephens AM MBE and Geraldine Turner OAM.

QTC Guild: Magda Wollner (Coordinator); Alice Beacroft, Joan Chamberlain, Bobbie Glyn Evans, Maureen Fallon, Sonja Farmer, Beryl Foote, Neil Fulwood, Dolores Garland, Elaine Heath, Edna Heathwood, Margaret Hill, Ena Huppert, June Jamieson, Eva Klug, Irene Lefman, Patrick Mellick, Hillary Mosten, Maureen Mortensen, Barbara Nielsen, Joyce Nixon Smith, Gloria Phillips, Vivienne Reddy, Marea Reed, Melina Reed, Margaret Robinson, Grace Reynolds, June Sheedy, Ann Shevill, Toby Simkin, Sybil Simpson, Elaine Skinner, Anne Smith and Jess Yeowart (Volunteers)

* Salaries were assisted by a special grant from the Theatre Board of the Australia Council, a statutory body of the Commonwealth Government.
^± Services were provided by the National Institute of Dramatic Art.
^ Services were provided courtesy of the Queensland Theatre Orchestra

The Queensland Theatre Company acknowledged the financial assistance of the Queensland State Government and the Commonwealth Government through the Theatre Board of the Australia Council without which the continued operation of the Company would not have been possible. The Queensland Theatre Company was a founding member of CAPPA (Confederation of Australia Professional Performing Arts)

DID YOU KNOW?

During a night-time performance, in the Albert Park Amphitheatre, of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, which had been reset in Italy during World War II, an airliner flew over the amphitheatre. Bille Brown, who was alone on stage at the time in the character of Benedick, stopped his soliloquy in mid-sentence and walked to the edge of the stage and looked up at the airliner. He then looked directly at the audience and said “reassuringly”: “It’s okay, it’s one of ours – Alitalia!“.