ALAN DOSSOR & THE LIVERPOOL EVERYMAN

 

"Even at the time and without the benefit of hindsight one knew just what an extraordinary company of actors Alan Dossor had assembled. As well as Bernard Hill and Tony Sher there was Johnathan Price, Alison Steadman, George Costigan, Trevor Eve, Liz Estensen, Philip Joseph, Matthew Kelly, Pete Postlethwaite, Julie Walters, Bill Nighy ..... awesome really."

WILLY RUSSELL

 

Former members of Liverpool's Everyman Theatre have been reliving the theatre's past glories for a BBC Radio 4 programme.

The series, The Reunion, is reuniting people who worked together some years ago and on Sunday, August 22, it will be the turn of the Everyman.

Among those taking part will be Willy Russell, Barbara Dickson, Julie Walters, Matthew Kelly, Alan Dossor - all interviewed by Sue McGregor and a selection of taped/archive contributions from a myriad of others involved with the Everyman at this time - George Costigan, Alan Bleasdale, Bernard Hill, Trevor Eve.

The theatre may be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year but the programme hosted by Sue MacGregor will concentrate on 1974. It was a time when the theatre, by then well established, was giving early breaks to some of today's biggest theatre names.

Dossor describes the 1970s as a "phenomenal time" in theatre. "We really believed we could change things with our work and make things better," he says.

It was Dossor who commissioned 26-year-old Willy Russell, then training as a teacher, to write the musical John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert, his first success, featuring Barbara Dickson who was to make her theatre dedut in the show.

THE REUNION
BBC Radio4
Sunday 22nd August
11.15am