Richard O'Donoghue (actor)

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Richard O'Donoghue - Aurora Productions

Richard O’Donoghue (1920-2002) was an actor, theatrical entrepreneur and poet. O'Donoghue was appointed Registrar for the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, a position responsible for the student intake, support, and educational experience in their time at the college.

Early stage career[]

Born on September 13 1920 in Epsom Surrey, Richard O’Donoghue went on to study at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, later joining the repertory company at the New Theatre Hull.[1] Alan Chadwick recalls the time in 1940 on stage with O'Donoghue playing with the Hull repertory company, "with German bombs falling nightly all around them".[2]

During the war he was commissioned into the Royal Indian Army Service Corps, at the time one of the youngest majors.[3]

Following demobilisation, he worked in repertory theatre with Peter Elliston[4] and Aurora Productions Limited and later with Harry Hanson's Court Players at the Westcliff Palace.[5][6]

Theatrical entrepreneur[]

In 1961 he formed a managerial partnership with Gervase Farjeon (Director[7] of the Players’ Theatre 7/12/1953 and original commissioner of the musical The Boy Friend) to produce and present plays, the first of was The Doctor and the Devils by Dylan Thomas at the Edinburgh Festival, following at the Empire Sunderland, and then acquiring the rights for presentation in the West End.[8]

Productions included:

By 1968, O’Donoghue was working with the newly founded “Forum Theatre”, Billingham, presenting plays in the West End under the guise of “Thespis Productions Limited”; The Imaginary Invalid, at the Vaudeville Theatre in April 1968,[17] and Carry On Moliere, May 1968 (a revival of Molière's play in an English translation by John Wood).[18]

Poetry[]

Richard O’Donoghue was a lover of poetry and an accomplished poet himself, publishing two anthologies of poems,[19] “Poems for a Princess”,[20] and “Verses on the Way to the Pub”.[21]

Richard O’Donoghue devised, presented and acted in the production of “Dear Mr Kenyon” at the Leeds Institute Gallery; a staged reading of the letters between Robert Browning and Elizabeth Barrett covering the time between their meeting, elopement and marriage. Richard O’Donoghue played Robert Browning with his future wife, actress Anne King, as Elizabeth Barrett; October 1969.[22]

His poem “Kensington Gardens” was published in the journal English: Journal of the English Association: OUP.

The Royal Academy of Dramatic Art[]

With an excellent skill set from his extensive experience in the theatre, in 1967 Richard O’Donoghue was appointed to the senior management team of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art as Registrar-Administrator[23] and Secretary of the Vanbrugh Theatre Club, with responsibility for Vanbrugh Theatre productions, RADA's main theatre.[24] As Registrar, O’Donoghue's role did not end with the assessment of suitability of applicants for studentship but afterwards would “inspire” students to fulfill their potential. In 1971, actor Doyle Richmond noted that he was accepted into RADA after “auditioning for Richard O’Donoghue”, and was "the first Black and one of the youngest student-actors to be accepted into the internationally famous academy".[25]

Under Richard O'Donoghue's management, The Vanbrugh produced a wide range of plays which were chosen on the basis of giving experience to the students rather than their popularity with the audience. Nonetheless, the theatre drew the public and ran at a profit. The 1981 autumn season's diverse programme featured Euripides “Hippolytus”, Shakespeare's “Hamlet”, Webster's “The White Devil”, plays from Ibsen, Strindberg and Feydeau, an adaption of Gorki, Stoppard's “Travesties”, and an improvised play directed by Andrew Neil.[26]

Richard O’Donoghue remained at RADA till his retirement; about 20 years.

Obituary[]

Richard O'Donoghue died on January 4th, 2002; obituary, The Stage, 07/02/2002.

References[]

  1. ^ “Hull Theatres”, A J B Priestley Detective Story at the New, The Daily Mail, 27/08/1940 Page 4, British Newspaper Archive
  2. ^ "What Makes the Crops Rejoice": An Introduction to Gardening By Robert Howard with Eric Skjei Little, Brown; 1986, Chapter 8.[1]
  3. ^ Obituaries, “Richard O’Donoghue”, The Stage, 07/02/2002, Page 13, British Newspaper Archive
  4. ^ Yarmouth Premiere, “Two’s Company”, The Stage, 28/10/1948 Page 8, British Newspaper Archive
  5. ^ “In the Provinces”, Westcliff Palace, The Stage, 02/02/1950 Page 13, British Newspaper Archive
  6. ^ Westcliff Palace, “Before the Party”, The Stage, 08/06/1950, Page 8, British Newspaper Archive
  7. ^ “Theatrical Employer’s Registration Acts”, Gervase Farjeon, The Stage, 10/12/1953, Page 8
  8. ^ “Dylan Thomas Play for the West End”, The Stage, 23/11/1961, Page 1, British Newspaper Archive
  9. ^ “Agnes Bernelle”, The Stage, 04/04/1963, Page 1, British Newspaper Archive
  10. ^ “Domino”, Royal Brighton, The Stage, 10/01/1963, Page 8
  11. ^ “Chit Chat”, Domino, The Stage, 2/05/1963, Page 8
  12. ^ Stratford East “New Clothes for the Emperor”, The Stage, 02/01/1964, Page 11, British Newspaper Archive
  13. ^ “East and West Meet”, “Kindly Monkey”, The Stage, 01/04/1965, Page 13, British Newspaper Archive
  14. ^ “Music Hall At Chichester”, The Stage, 29/04/1965, Page 14, British Newspaper Archive
  15. ^ "Popplewell Goes All French", The Stage, 24/09/1964, Page 15, British Newspaper Archive
  16. ^ “Every Other Evening”, The Stage, 23/07/1964, Page 8, British Newspaper Archive
  17. ^ “The Imaginary Invalid”, The Stage, 25/04/1968, Page 8, British Newspaper Archive
  18. ^ “Carry On Moliere”, The Stage, 09/05/1968 Page 9, British Newspaper Archive
  19. ^ The National Poetry Library, Richard O'Donoghue, Press Cuttings, [2]
  20. ^ The British Library, "Poems for a princess", 1975, [3]
  21. ^ The British Library, "Verses on the way to the pub", 1993, [4]
  22. ^ “Dear Mr Kenyon!”, The Stage, 16/10/1969, Page 6, British Newspaper Archive
  23. ^ "Richard O'Donoghue", The Stage, 16/03/1967, Page 8, British Newspaper Archive
  24. ^ Vanbrugh Fare Varied, The Stage, 14/01/1971, Page 10, British Newspaper Archive
  25. ^ British Black and Asian Shakespeare Database, Doyle Richmond, RADA 1973,[5]
  26. ^ “Fringe Focus”, Marylebone Mercury, 23/10/1981, Page 11, British Newspaper Archive
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