Jane Yardley remembers Richard Murphy, who sadly died on Sunday 8 April.
Richard joined The Questors in the early 90s, and was immediately enlisted as Deputy Stage Manager on the student Playhouse production You Can't Take It With You (1993). It was the start of a long association with student shows, and soon expanded into all technical areas of production. Acting For All then brought out another facet - Richard was soon famous for his end-of-show skits!
Richard's versatility can be summed up by his diverse roles in the successful studio production of The Mill on the Floss (1999) - he was Designer and Stage Manager, he constructed the set, organised front of house, and took a small acting part! He will be remembered as down-to-earth, reliable, calmly efficient, and always ready to help out on shows that were short staffed. It was this helpfulness, combined with his wonderful sense of fun and the warmth of his friendship, that will be most deeply
missed.
Outside the theatre, Richard worked with autistic adults (and sometimes inside the
theatre - he regularly brought several of his students to shows). With his habitual
flair, he had become expert in several areas of this specialised teaching, including,
Ironically, bereavement counselling, which he lectured on around the country. Sadly,
Richard's techniques are now being practised by his former colleagues to comfort
Richard's students. It is a bereavement that is shared by everybody who worked
closely with him. |
