Noeline Brown

Noeline Brown

Noeline Brown first appeared at the Pocket Playhouse, Sydenham in “Roundup on the Moon” in 1961 for the Pocket Children’s Theatre. This role was quickly followed by roles in “Major Barbara” (1962), “My Sister Eileen” (1962), “Hansel and Gretel” (1963) and “Bell Book and Candle” (1963.

In 1961 Noeline Brown was acclaimed for her leading female role in “The Sleeping Prince” at the Pocket Playhouse, Sydney’s Unique Little Theatre, and her professional career began the next year. Since then Noeline has become a renowned actress and comedienne winning both popular and critical acclaim including a Logie award in 1978 for the most popular NSW female personality.

She is married to writer/producer Tony Sattler. Together they run a production company -Wintergreen Productions, live in the Southern Highlands and Noeline continues to write, act and do community work. She has been interested in social, political and community issues throughout her career and has worked for arts organisations and institutions including the Actors Benevolent Fund.

In 2006, she received a “Children’s Week Community for Children Award” for “volunteering to improve the
lives of children”.

On 12th April 2008 she was appointed Ambassador for the Ageing. Also in 2008 she was the recipient of The Glugs Norman Kessell Memorial Award for her performance in “Glorious”.

In 2005 she wrote her autobiography, Noeline Brown – Longterm Memoir.

For further information her web site is http://www.noelinebrown.com.au

Roger Barratt

Roger Barrett

Roger Barratt was an extraordinary man. He came to the Pocket Playhouse in 1966. He was 17 years of age and had just left school. He said “I want to learn about lighting”. He learnt quickly—and the extraordinary man he was never forgot where he made his start in theatre lighting. He was always there when a special effect was needed.

In 1966 he designed the lighting for “Five Finger Exercise” and “Blithe Spirit”. In 1967 “Our Town” and “The Business of Good Government” performed by the Pocket Playhouse in St Brigid’s Church, Marrickville were added to his list of achievements. His lighting of the arrival of the arch angel Gabriel in a pool of shimmering gold light was memorable. He made a special colour wheel for the finale of “The Limelighters” in 1970 and simulated blood running under a door in “Heloise” (1971).

1968 was a vintage year for Roger at the Pocket. He was the recipient of a prestigious Pocket Award for Lighting Effects for “The Killing of Sister George”, “The Little Foxes” and “Exit the King”. In 1969 he designed the lighting for ‘The Came to a City” and was engaged by The Australian Opera for “Un Ballo in maschera”.

From that point during the next twenty odd years he became a top lighting designer and worked on over 300 productions and for every major management in Australia and “Sugar Babies” both in Australia and London with Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney.

Nothing was impossible in Roger’s world. It just took a little longer and patience to achieve. Even when Norman retired to Mudgee he kept in touch with him. Sadly, he died on June 13, 1995 following a courageous battle with leukaemia, aged 47 years.

David Brown

David Brown

David Brown has had a long and varied career in Australia and overseas. On leaving school he entered the advertising world and became interested in the theatre.

In the 1960s he was cast in roles in two world premieres David Ireland’s “Image in the Clay” and Oriel Gray’s “The Torrents” at the Pocket Playhouse. He also acted in “Mrs Gibbons Boys” before leaving for London.

In London he worked in television advertising, production and scriptwriting before touring Europe and returning to Australia and further work in advertising.

In the late 1960s he was back in London working in publicity and promotion for the “Evening Standard” newspaper. From June to September 1970 he spent three months in Canada and America visiting newspapers and art centres.

On his return to Australia in October 1970 he was appointed the first Publicity Manager of the Sydney Opera House and remained as Head of Public Affairs after a staff restructure until his retirement in 1997 when he was the recipient of the Public Service Medal for his contribution to the Sydney Opera House and performing arts.

On Australia Day, 1993 he was the first Australia Day Ambassador to Mudgee Shire at the request of Shire President, Peter Mansfield.

David and Norman have been friends for almost 50 years and remain in constant contact by email, telephone and personal visits.

Joy Lewis

Joy Lewis c1947

Joy Lewis commenced her professional acting career with Kathleen Robinson and Whitehall Productions at the Minerva Theatre, Kings Cross in Sydney.

In 1946 she appeared in “Life With Father” at the Minerva Theatre. This production toured to Adelaide in 1947 and returned for a further season at the Minerva in 1948.

In 1947 Joy appeared on stage in “O Mistress Mine” at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne and in June 1948 at the Majestic Theatre in Adelaide.

Back in Sydney in May 1948 she was in the cast of “Pride and Prejudice” at the Minerva Theatre and in September 1948 in “The Winslow Boy” again at The Majestic Theatre in Adelaide.

Joy Lewis was also a court reporter and stenographer for many years. She first came in contact with Norman McVicker when she brought her young nephew Brett Johnson to the Pocket Children’s Theatre. Years later he was to be an Arts Adviser to NSW Premier, Bob Carr.

In May 1966, Norman enticed Joy out of theatrical retirement to play in his production of “Barretts of Wimpole Street” which opened at the Pocket Playhouse, Sydenham, on May 14th 1966. That was her last performance in a theatre.

In the years that followed it was Joy who turned Norman’s often illegible handwritten drafts of plays into intelligent play scripts. At the age of 90 she now lives in retirement on the Central Coast but retains an interest in theatre as a member of Charles Little’s Theatre Appreciation Group. Joy and Norman remain in constant contact with each other.

Timothy Bennett

Timothy Bennett as ‘Prince Armand’ and Loretta Thompson as ‘Beauty’ in “Beauty and the Beast”

Timothy Bennett was just starting out as an actor when he appeared in “The Red Shoes” in 1970 for the Pocket Children’s Theatre. Later, in 1972 he was to play the leading male role in another children’s play “Beauty and the Beast”.

Meanwhile he graduated to acting in evening performances and first appeared in “Heloise” in March 1971.

When “Gods and Warriors” the Noh plays of Japan was projected Tim was among the aspirants for a role. At the first reading the producer Norman McVicker explained that it was to be an all male cast requiring some actors to play female parts in accordance with Noh tradition.

In one of the plays an “angel” was an acting/ dancing character. At first Timothy baulked at playing what he thought was an unsuitable part. Norman convinced him otherwise and in 1971 Timothy was the recipient of the Pocket Playhouse Constance Robertson Memorial Award for outstanding achievement as the “Angel” in “Gods and Warriors”.

Timothy also appeared in “Portrait of a Queen”, “Banjo”, “Fairy Tale Theatre” and “Damper and Tea” to name just a few plays.

When the Pocket Playhouse closed in 1973, after a few years, Timothy gravitated to the Genesian Theatre where he has appeared not only as an actor but as a director as well. He learnt tap dancing to play in “Stepping out”.

Now retired from full time work at Sydney University he devotes his spare time to Genesian Theatre activities.

Kevin Peatfield

Kevin Peatfield as he appeared in “Gods and Warriors” (The ‘No’ plays of Japan) 1971.

Kevin Peatfield was a member of the resident company of the Pocket Playhouse from 1964 until the theatre closed in 1973. During this time he was an actor and also a stage manager.

Prior to joining the Pocket Kevin had acted in musicals with the Kogarah Musical Society. At the Pocket he enjoyed the Saturday afternoon performances with the Pocket Children’s Theatre. In 1964 the played the leading role of the piper in “The Pied Piper” to be followed by many roles in adult plays as well as those in the children’s theatre.

Leading roles were in “Our Town”, “The Limelighters”, “A Mass for the Theatre”(in the crypt of St Mary’s Basilica, during a Sydney Festival), “Gods and Warriors” “Heloise” and in “Spoon River” which also toured professionally for The Arts Council of NSW to 28 country towns.

In 1966 Kevin Peatfield was the recipient of “The Constance Robertson Memorial Award” for backstage work. Kevin was a man of the theatre undertaking many of the tasks backstage such as building and painting sets, making props and helping young actors achieve their own goals.

As manager of the Universal Record Club and later with Festival Records his knowledge of music was invaluable when background or musical segues were needed for a play.

After the Pocket closed in 1973 he continued to act with Opera Australia in a number of productions and notably played the role of the “maitre’d” in “The Merry Widow” with Joan Sutherland in two seasons.

Kevin has retired from both daily work and theatre activities but keeps himself informed of the latest productions and trends.

John Gillies

John Gillies as ‘Abelard’ and Sylvia Stephens as ‘Heloise’ in their leading roles in the Norman McVicker production of “Heloise”

John Gillies first came to the Pocket Playhouse as a young man to play a ‘Munchkin’ in ‘The Wizard of Oz’ for the Pocket Children’s Theatre in 1964. He continued to play roles in the juvenile theatre on Saturday afternoons as well as in the seasons of adult plays.

His roles included the role of Hansel in “Hansel and Gretel”, “Colombe”, “The Teahouse of the August Moon” to name just a few and notably the role of ‘Abelard’ in “Heloise” for which he was recipient of the 1971 Beatrice Tildesley Pocket Award for the most worthwhile acting performance.

A keen student of the life and times of Joan of Arc in 1972 he produced “The Lark” with considerable success for the Pocket adult theatre.

John Gillies was a school teacher by profession retiring in 2009. He directed several productions for School and Higher School Certificates for both State and Private Schools.

John was the co-author original concept, ABC’s TV children’s drama series “Top Mates” the series recipient of Logie and Penguin Awards in 1979.He specialised in teaching hearing impaired students and wrote and directed a video on hearing impairment, causes and educational possibilities for the Department of Education and Training.