A message from our Secretary, Sally Waghorn: Good afternoon everyone. I'm sorry to interrupt your Easter weekend with some sad news but wanted to let you know we have been advised two of our members have recently passed away.
Both Terry Denman and Mike Ware were key members of the society in the past and below are some words from Adam and Guy on each of them and the fantastic contribution they made to the Thespians.
Our sincerest condolences go to their families and friends.
MIKE WARE
Mike Ware was one of the backbones for the Haslemere Thespians for longer than most of us will remember. He was a committee member and Chairman and brought masses of fun and enthusiasm to the society. He, and his wife Sue, were much in demand for producing the best ‘Set Dressing’ for many of our productions.
I often wondered how they managed to exist during a production as it seemed that some of the best furniture in Haslemere was on the Haslemere Hall stage for a fortnight or more. Mike and Sue created the settings for so many of the Thespian productions, a small selection set out below:
2016 Fawlty Towers
2016 There goes the Bride
2009 Little Women
1998 Communicating Doors
1996 84 Charing Cross Road
Mike was also an actor and the last play in his repertoire was in The Importance of being Ernest in 2012 when he played ‘Lane’ (Algernon’s manservant).
He will be sadly missed by so many of his contemporaries. Our thoughts are also with Sue, who also gave so much support to so many productions.
TERRY DENMAN
Terry Denman was a stalwart Thespian through the 90s and 2000s and was involved in a wide range of roles on and off stage. He appeared, usually as one or other kind of idiot, in many pantomimes but also turned his hand to plays throughout the year.
His most notable roles were the title role in Bottom’s Dream which was an outdoor production at the Georgian Hotel and Jackie Jackson in Rattigan’s The Deep Blue Sea. He played many other support roles. But he will probably be best remembered as the larger than life (and everyone else) panto fool.
Off stage, Terry stage managed and assisted on dozens of productions helping to build sets and make props. He also served for several years on the Thespians committee and worked many hours sorting various programme and photographic archives in the Weaving House.
Terry was, at times, perhaps not the easiest of people to work with but there was never any question that when he got involved in a project, he would give it his all. And, when his health prevented him from being a regular member, he was always a staunch advocate for the Thespians.
He was diagnosed as epileptic in his early 20s and, to his eternal regret had to leave the Royal Navy. In the last few years he had devoted himself to the welfare of hedgehogs and frequently posted online about those hogs that lived in and around his garden, filming them feeding and occasionally interacting with the local cats or other wildlife.
Those who remember Terry will agree that his heart was always in the right “piggin’” place and that he was definitely a “flamin’” character!
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