Peter Cheeseman 1932-2010

I have just heard of the death of Peter Cheeseman the founding Director of the Victoria Theatre following a long fight against Parkinsons Disease. He was 78. Even from the distance of nearly half a century the importance of Cheeseman's pioneer work in community theatre and theatre in the round cannot be understated. There was a time in the 1960s when some of the work being produced at the Old Vic from its Hartshill site was of world renown.

I am pretty sure that musical documentary theatre like the Knotty on the North Staffs Railway, Zigger Zagger on football supporters and the Fight for Shelton Bar blazed a new path in theatre making North Staffs the centre for new art and creativity.

The reputation of the Old Vic also led to new talent working in the area. Alan Ackybourn, Ben Kingsley and Robert Powell, all saw their careers flourish under the direction of Cheeseman.

I can remember clearly my first visit to the Old Vic at the age of 10 at Christmas 1965 to see a adaptation of the "Christmas Carol". I was captivated and a love of the Theatre has stayed with me. Over the years I saw a number of excellent productions at the Vic. Productions that have stuck in my mind include a 1981 production of "Midsummer Night's Dream" and a 80s production of the Dariel Fo play " An Accidental Death of an Anarchist".

In the mid 80s the Theatre moved from its Hartshill site to a new site just over the border in Basford. I can recall Cheeseman coming to a meeting of the City Council and arguing successfully for support against some sceptical views.

The new theatre opened in 1986 and I can recall going to an opening day where Cheeseman showed off the new theatre to an appreciative public.

I continued to attend and have particularly enjoyed the new take on Shakespeare from the visiting theatre Northern Broadside. A production a couple of years ago of the rarely produced "King John" sticks in the mind

It has to be said that there were some misses as well I still still hear the titter of laughter at the end of a 1989 production of "Macbeth" and the ill advised use of a papier mache head at the end of the production.

I also remember the 30 year association of the Victoria Theatre with the Lindsay String Quartet and I used to travel over from the Abbey for the regular Sunday night concerts that opened me up to the works of Haydn,
Schubert and above all Beethoven.

I have taken my daughter to the New Vic most recently to see a production of the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. I hope that she has been equally bitten.

In the middle of a election campaign the role that the Arts can play in raising the spirits and giving an insight into the human mind will not register. Art especially theatre can make a profound impact upon the live of the people of North Staffordshire. Cheeseman is quoted as saying that the Arts make our lives worth living. hear Hear I say