Backstage at The Gateway – with theatre manager Sophia Moseley

By Sophia Moseley

18th Oct 2022 | Local News

Sophia Moseley shares the latest on life behind the scenes at The Gateway
Sophia Moseley shares the latest on life behind the scenes at The Gateway

It was my anniversary on September 18. A year to the day that I was introduced to the Jurassic Coast's entertainment hub that is The Gateway Theatre.

On that particular evening, it was Mad Dog Mcrea performing, and there was quite a lot of whooping and hollering going on. Not from the band, but from the theatre volunteers and staff who were excited to be back in the bosom of their most favourite place.

And the excitement hasn't stopped. In fact, I was so excited the other day, I rushed down to the auditorium, where two of our volunteers, Dennis and his utterly adorable wife, Ailisha, were setting up, and showed them my phone.

They couldn't believe it either. I was only being followed by Brad Pitt on Instagram! It had the blue tick and everything. Life couldn't get much better. It subsequently transpired it was a promo account for his Bullet Train film that we are showing today, but all the same, I shall hold on to that fleeting moment of being found and followed by Brad.

Steve Knightley is another performer who captivates his audience. He decided to perform on the flat rather than up on the stage, so he was in amongst the audience, and his quips and anecdotes kept everyone laughing, and his music was phenomenal, with a standing ovation at the end of the evening.

Did you know The Gateway stage is the biggest in East Devon? Probably just as well given the size and number of props brought in by Le Navet Bete for their performance of Dracula: The Bloody Truth. The trailer they brought with them that had all the equipment, had to be unhooked from the van and manhandled along Marsh Road.

Is that allowed? To use the word 'manhandled'? Who knows?

How many hats do you wear at work? I have many and I added a new one to my collection this month, that of plumber. Or to be more precise, locator of plumbing problem, so probably the plumber's mate.

Not having the gift of being the most practical person on the planet, it took me a while to work out how to remove false panels to reach the stopcock, but I was highly chuffed when I did.

Though I won't need to worry about that anymore, because we have recently gained a new volunteer who is a plumber. A week too late for my needs, but nevertheless, a welcome addition to our growing team. All I need now is a sparky, and we're pretty much sorted.

Did you put money into the Red Cross collection tin that has been sitting on the bar for the last few weeks? If you did, a very big thank you. We raised £139.81 for the Ukraine appeal.

Did you mark the Autumn Equinox? I cannot deny autumn is my favourite month, with its rich colours and harvest. I have another celebration coming up in October, I won't be whooping much, but I'll make sure I keep the day clear just in case Brad gives me a call.

     

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