1960s' experimental theatre

One of the proudest moments of my career was the play ‘Kick It Jackie!’, about the 1966 World Cup Final. The play centered on the winning goal of the match, and explored the emotion and repercussions of the tournament. Myself, Kenneth Williams, John Gielgud, Sir Larry, Michael Caine, Richard Burton and Tommy Steele all featured in this seminal piece of late 60s’ experimental theatre. With dear Ralph Richardson as the ball.

The director, Sweaty Don Orange, was frustrated at first that we had not quite got the nuance of the piece, and advised us all to take an inordinate amount of drugs to really ‘feel’ our roles. Sweaty, as we called him, really did produce an ungodly amount of sweat. His clothes and any furniture he used were literally drenched in his perspiration. As his sodden hand proferred the mushrooms which were to take us to performance nirvana, he uttered a phrase I shall never forget. ‘Get ‘em down ya’.

The brew he had given us was heady indeed. Some of us, like Michael, just sat there talking about posture, but others of us experienced things hitherto undreamt-of. Kenneth Williams became convinced he was a spider, and spun an unlikely web in the corner of the rehearsal rooms and sat there waiting for theatre interns. Sir Larry and John formed a magic act and briefly became the biggest celebrities in Durham, Richard Burton only communicated by ringing bells and Tommy Steele became the Isle of Wight Ferry. I myself ‘came down’ to find myself in Marrakesh selling hand made dream catchers to tourists. Ralph burst.

Of course we all recovered our composure eventually, but the embarrassment was already there and we all decided, to a man, to go our separate ways and never speak of this again. Apart from Tommy, who I understand still makes the journey between Southampton and Fishbourne three times a day.