Amazing that I looked at FH website the day after you left message.
I try to keep in touch with the centre of the universe once every couple of months.
Lots of water passed under the bridge since we last met. I have seen a bit about your career on the odd web site. You obviously travel a lot (mainly in USA?).Good to hear from you. If you get this reply and you want to swap an e-mail I’m on brianforbes241@live.co.uk – Brian Forbes.

Browsing through Fencehouses website and saw your comments (a bit late to reply – however)

We never had a reunion for the Youth Theatre however when Mrs Green retired in the late 70′s we did have an evening where we combined performances from the existing youth theatre and from ex members.

I ran the Youth Theatre for three years till 1980 when a combination of dwindling numbers (there was no school feed any more) and my own work commitments finally drew down the curtain (theatrical pun!!!).

As far as I know non of the members from our era did anything professional. One of the latter members, Judith Vardy now runs a dance/stage school down south. Of course I suggest we all used our inherited skills one way or another in later life. “All the World’s a Stage” and all that.

The only person I’ve had contact with in recent years is Edd Sproul although elsewhere on this web site you’ll find some chat with John Pallin who provided all the programme stuff. I’ve no further info on Barbara Green. David Harris set up one of the first Performing Arts degree courses in Manchester in the early eighties. The only interest I have now is organising occasional village “events”.

Finally, as a fellow “Class of 66″ member you may be interested in this. Three months ago I was looking through a second hand book shop in Helmsley on the North York Moors near where I now live. I found a book on improvisation written in the early 60′s which referred to a warming up technique used by the author using the Sandy Nelson album “Let There be Drums”. We’ve all been there!

Great to hear from you – Brian Forbes.

p.s. You probably weren’t aware but FHYT did once get a mention in “The Stage” the national magazine for those who tread the boards. At times we were quite revolutionary in our own way (driven by Barbara Green) but we didn’t really know it, we were just having fun.

Im Rhona’s daughter…she married Harry Harvey who later ran Harvey’s Street lighting business, had the large compound opposite the old co-op behind Morton crescent.

I can’t guess where Shirley is?

I knew about Mrs Green’s daughter and grand kids My parents told me.

My mother died 15 yrs ago and my father lives in Kings Lynn…I live in Sydney Aus.
It was amazing to see the photos.

So does the Youth Theatre still exist?
What happened to Brian Forbes> I thought he lived in Chester le Street.

Does the school still exist? or is there a super school somewhere else? I used to live near the BeeHive pub on the way to Newbottle.

I was thrilled to get your reply.
Thanks

I would be happy to hear from other veteran Youth Theatre participants.

I might remember a few more names as the brain cells wake up.
I think it was Edward ….Spiggins or something
Is Shirley in the later photos in the bottom left hand corner?

How long has the Fence Houses website been set up?
Are you the webmaster?

Have there been any Youth Theatre reunions?
Did Brian Forbes or anybody really get into more serious acting or teaching?

Do you remember there were the Mr Griffiths and Mr Harris who pushed us along as well as Mrs Green.
Were you in the passion plays at Durham Tech?
Did you ever go to those South Shields workshops?

Thats it must get on with my present life and not in the past.

Ann Fisher