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With the sad passing of Eric Voce The Questors have lost an enthusiast, a supporter, a devoted Worker and friend second to none. From the day he first joined us in 1939, his one thought was what he could do to help, and no matter what it was, he was prepared to do it. Whenever we were stuck, Eric was always the one prepared to help out, often at great personal inconvenience and sacrifice.
His first job for The Questors was Membership Secretary: he acted occasionally (his Peter Quince in particular lingers freshly in memory), and, during the war and in the immediate post war period, he handled many productions, starting with The Playboy of the Western World in 1941 (a cast that included Harry Locke and Charles Leno), and finishing with Major Barbara in 1953. His outstanding contribution artistically was his production of A Doll's House in 1945, the first time a producer at The Questors had brought a realistic play outside the picture fame. This highly successful experiment sparked off a whole chain of exciting development which culminated in the design of our new theatre which Eric, alas! was not to see completed. The first seed may fairly be said to have been of his planting.
Eric also served for many years on the Committee of Management, as well as on innumerable sub-committees. Here his sane and steady influence was of inestimable advantage during a time when we were experiencing considerable growing pains. He was Chairman of the Club from 1947 to 1949, a period which saw the incorporation of the Questors Ltd. , and the real beginning of the original Building Fund to buy the premises.
It was typical of Eric's spirit of service that, although he had retired from activity at The Questors to concentrate on professional work long neglected for us, he once again answered our call in 1955 to organise the volunteer building gang that started work on the new theatre. For a time he led the work with his customary enthusiasm, energy and efficiency, but after a while it proved too much for his health, and he was forced to withdraw.
Eric was a generous supporter of the New Theatre Fund and a seat has been 'endowed' to bear his name.
I have known everyone who has ever worked for The Questors. For loyalty and generous, unselfish service I do not know his match.
A.E.
ERIC VOCE AT THE QUESTORS
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