Backstage at The Gateway – with theatre manager Sophia Moseley
By Francesca Evans
8th Apr 2022 | Local News
It was like my Irish roots were calling me.
Between Riverdance and 'Belfast', it was all things Irish at The Gateway during March.
I didn't realise Jamie Dornan was one of the main stars in 'Belfast', I've seen him in another film he's well known for but turns out he's actually Irish. Who knew?
When I recognised a lovely couple sitting in the audience for 'Sing 2', who I had seen at previous shows, I stopped to say hello. The husband had seen the film elsewhere with his grandchildren.
I was going to ask where else could there possibly be for the best in entertainment other than The Gateway, but that aside, he had enjoyed the film so much, he wanted to see it again with his other half.
Talking of other places, I went across the border last month to meet an old Twitter pal, at the lovely Dorset harbour of West Bay. The last time I went there, I took my sons to the Elipse Café, they had a chocolate fountain and I have a chocoholic son. That café is now the Windy Corner, which is a much better name given it is, very.
I went on a busman's holiday, well, it was more of a very short break, when I visited the Lighthouse Theatre in Poole. I saw Nigel Havers and Patricia Hodge in 'Private Lives'.
These two thespians were absolutely brilliant, and I thought about popping backstage after the performance to see if they fancied treading the Gateway boards for a night or two. But I couldn't find the rear entrance to do a stage-door-johnny, besides, they have a security guard at the Lighthouse, and he looked a bit mean.
We had our own live theatre treat when the Paddleboat Theatre Company performed 'Margot and Mr Whatsit'. I think it's fair to say the whole audience, parents included, enjoyed every minute, starting with a warm-up game of I-spy and hide-and-seek, so by the time the main event started, everyone was excited and arm-waving.
"Much obliged. Do you mind if I go in?"
Spoken by some well-to-do toff asking to gain entry to The Gateway? No. It was in fact, a policeman wanting to deal with some unruly behaviour on a London rooftop in the late 60s.
I'm talking about the Beatles Rooftop Concert film we showed. Apparently, it was the last time they performed together, and, as you'd expect, it was attracting a lot of attention at street level. I'm not so sure the copper didn't doff his cap, I bet if he'd been in charge of the Lighthouse, he'd have let me in to talk to Nigel and Patricia.
Anyway, what are you doing for Easter? The school hols will be in full swing and team mum-and-dad will be tearing their hair out wondering what to do. Look no further, we have an Easter Trail lined up and a family film on Good Friday and the brilliant 'Death on the Nile' on the Saturday.
Now there's an officer of the law who minds his Ps and Qs, although there is always a murder or two when he's around, even when he's on holiday. It's one thing a theatre manager enjoying a bit of theatre on her day off, it's quite another being embroiled in a murder.
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