In 1966 My wife, Marianne, and I set up “The Mull Little Theatre” on the beautiful Isle of Mull off the west coast of Scotland. We took our productions throughout the Scottish Highlands and Islands, then through the length and breadth of Britain, and eventually, to places in Holland and Germany. Cash flow was always a problem. Unable to employ all the actors we required to put on large cast plays we were forced to look at ways round this problem. We experimented with puppetry, glove, shadow, and strung. The photograph is one of our earliest attempts at making and dressing a working doll – Here he is, sitting in a fall of this year’s snow, reading "A Shropshire Lad" by A. E. Houseman – the only book I possess that is of a suitable size. I made the body – Marianne made the costume. In order to try out our skills as puppet masters I wrote a little play for some 30 puppets. It's subject was the putting of Shakespeare on trial for writing a play in which witches got away scot free with their nefarious works of magic. The actress, Anne Mackenzie Davidson, had charge of William. Anne gave generously of her support to Marianne and myself at the very beginning of the Mull Little Theatre venture. Just as, twenty or so years later, towards the end of Marianne's life in the early 1980, Colin Macphillamy gave us unstinting support both as an actor and as a friend so that the show could on.
To order a copy of Taking Off telling the story of the Mull Little Theatre please contact:-
Mairi McArthur, The New Iona Press, The Bungalow, Ardival, Strathpeffer, Scotland IV14 DS; or, mairimacarthur@yahoo.co.uk; or telephone 07881 92103.
Special price including UK p&p: £5. Payment by cheque or Paypal. If you are ordering from abroad please add the appropriate amount for p&p;- the book weighs approximately 315 grms
'Please bring your dining chair with you!'
The setting was a guest house on the Hebridian island of Mull, one summer evening in 1966. The line was addressed to the after-dinner guests. The scene then moved across to a tiny, converted byre. And a unique adventure took off - the Mull Little Theatre. This is the story of Barrie and Marianne Hesketh's life together - from their early acting careers and the steps that led them to Scotland - to the leap of faith that created the country's smallest professional theatre - through drama on and off stage, at home and on tour - and finally to Marianne's courageous struggle with terminal illness. A story of survival, told with spirit and humour.
'...a story of aristry and perseverance and love' (From the foreword by the late Paul Scofield)
