70th JUBILEE CELEBRATION

Celebrate with us as we recreate scenes taken from shows from each decade of Torbay Theatre’s existence! In some cases, roles will be reprised by the original actors – as Daphne Goddard recounts:

“Ten years ago, while trawling through our archives, we realised that it was sixty years from the time that Torbay Dramatic Society (later re-named Torbay Theatre) was formed.  The first full-length play they performed had been Ladies in Retirement. Jill Reid suggested that we re-stage this play based on real events in 1885, and that she would like to direct it.

Auditions were held, the play was cast, rehearsals began, but the person cast as Leonora was having personal problems and I, who normally stay backstage, was reading in her part. When she eventually pulled out I got the role by default.

What a great time I had. Leonora was a terrific role to play. Jacqué Mandeno, in the role of Ellen Creed, killed me off before interval. She was wonderfully patient and supportive with someone who had not acted on stage since my teenage years.

And so for our 70th reunion I get to play Leonora again in one small snippet from Ladies in Retirement, with Jacque of course.”

DAPHNE GODDARD