That’s entertainment

Published Monday 22 September 2008 at 18:15

I read with interest your article on producer Duggie Chapman (September 11, page 27). I was surprised to see there was no mention that he was asked by the Isle of Man tourist board in the early eighties to come over to run the Gaiety Theatre Douglas, the 1,000-seat Matcham theatre, following the retirement of manager Bob Wilkinson.

At that period of time, apart from an eight-week summer season and a winter season of just local societies occasionally using the theatre, it was dark more weeks than open. Determined to get the venue on its feet, Duggie got cracking in forming a friends of the theatre group and bringing to Douglas high-profile entertainers and plays.

Within six months the theatre was buzzing and there were many full houses in the winter season, which had not been achieved before. He became a great personality at the Gaiety and it was a sad loss after two years there that he decided to return to the mainland and his own company.

He was always present at the performances and I know for a fact that with only part-time staff there, he did all the marketing and print distribution himself and was sadly missed by the Gaiety patrons when he left. I am so pleased to see that he is still promoting shows. His production of We’ll Meet Again that he brought to the Villa Marina, was truly outstanding.

Rex Graham

Knockaloe Beg Lane

Raggatt

Isle of Man