Compact Theatre Company.
1984 - 85 Compact Theatre was founded by John Connolly and Bernadine Turner when John was directed in ‘Ring of Laughter’ a one man show written by Paul Hurt and directed by Bernadine Turner. Ring of laughter premiered at Matlock College and toured small scale venues around Derbyshire and Yorkshire.
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Ring of Laughter by Paul Hurt.
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In 1986 John Directed, Wendy Allin, Sarah Jones, Julie Walker and Deborah Burns in Shakers by John Godber. This premiered at Derby Playhouse and toured small scale venues around the North of England. It was during this production that John met and started working with Steve Dolton who went on to become long standing friend and co Director of Compact Theatre.
1987 - 88 Wendy Allin directed John Connolly, Steve Dolton, Robert Smith, Stephen Cox, Chris Ward Brown and Robert Clifford in One Big Blow by John Burrows. This play toured small scale venues around Derbyshire and the mining areas of South Yorkshire.
1989 Pete Holdway directed School For Clowns by Ken Campbell. Cast was John Connolly, Steve Dolton, Stephen Cox Chris Ward Brown and Wendy Allin. This premiered at Derby playhouse and then toured small scale venues and schools around the North of England.
1990 Steve Dolton directed john Connolly and Peter Jones in The Morticians Tea Party by Hugh Ellis. This play was performed in small scale venues around the North of England and Midlands.
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The Morticians Tea Party by Hugh Ellis
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1991-93 John directed Bouncers by John Godber. Cast was John Connolly, Steve Dolton, Stephen Cox and Peter Jones. This was toured in small and Mid scale venues in Derbyshire, South Yorkshire and Nottinghamshire.
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Bouncers by John Godber
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Bouncers by John Godber
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1994 - 95 John directed and performed with Wendy Allin in Two by Jim Cartwright. This was toured in small and mid scale venues around the North of England.
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Two by Jim Cartwright
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Two
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Two by Jim Cartwright
Two
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1995 Compact Theatre recruited 5 young actors who had recently graduated from Dartmouth College to perform a new play, Bandits by Richard King and Adam Law. Steve Dolton directed and Bandits toured small and mid scale venues in the North of England.
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Bandits by Richard King and Adam Law.
Directed by Steve Dolton
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1996 Muscle by Harry Connolly and Steve Dolton.
Directed by Harry Connolly (who changed his name due to Equity regulations)
Cast was Harry Connolly, Steve Dolton, Stephen Cox, Sandra , Wendy Allin and ‘Kat’
Kat was later replaced by Phil Brodie Brown who went on to do much TV and film work including Dream Team, 3 Musketeers and is currently seeking work in Hollywood. Muscle was toured to Mid scale venues throughout the UK performing to over a Half a Million audience in the three years that it was toured.
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Muscle by Harry Connolly and Steve Dolton
1999 One Big Blow by John Burrows. This Acapella musical about a miners brass band, was directed by Harry Connolly. Cast was Harry Connolly, Steve Dolton, Phil Hurst, Graham Seaton, Merv Allcock Ian Jones who was later replaced by Terry Smith. One Big Blow was performed throughout the UK in mid scale theatres and then transferred to the UAE where it was performed in Dubai and Abu Dhabi to sell out audiences.
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One Big Blow by John Burrows.
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The six voices sounded so good together that Harry Connolly wrote Three Steps to Heaven a musical play which saw the formation of the oldest boyband in the world ‘Old Spice’. This was extremely successful so he wrote the sequel Old Spice on the Road to Hell which also contained ’ live ‘rockapella’ singing and over 30 songs from the past 4 decades.
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Old Spice
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From September 2002 , Old Spice went on the Road once again, but this time in Old Spice Just Alive and Acoustic tour which saw the company performing in the UAE over a 4 year period until 2005.
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Old Spice
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The lads went into the recording studio to produce their first album.
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Album cover for Just Alive and Acoustic
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Old Spice
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Old Spice
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Old Spice
Venues we have performed in since 1999.
Aberdere Coliseum South Wales
Barrow in Furness Forum 28 Cumbria
Barnsley Lamproom Theatre Yorkshire
Bedworth Civic Theatre Warwick shire
Brecon Theatre Brycheiniog Wales
Burton On Trent Brewhouse Arts Derbyshire
Burnley Mechanics Lancashire
Bridlington Spa Theatre Yorkshire
Blythe Phoenix Theatre Northumberland
Cannock Prince of Wales Centre Midlands
Chesterfield Pomegranate Theatre Derbyshire
Chesterfield Arts Centre Derbyshire
Colne Municipal Hall Lancashire
Consett Empire Theatre Durham
Darlington Arts centre Teeside
Doncaster Civic Yorkshire
Dumfries Langholme Theatre Scotland
Ebbwvale Beaufort Theatre South Wales
Gainsborough Trinity Arts Lincs
Hartlepool Town Hall Durham
Harlow Playhouse Theatre Essex
Hereford Courtyard Theatre Herefordshire
Hunstanton The Princess Theatre Norfolk
Hull New Theatre Humberside
Kendal The Brewhouse Cumbria
Keswick Theatre by the Lake Cumbria
Lowry Centre Salford Manchester
Loughborough Town hall Leicestershire
Lancaster The Dukes Theatre Lancashire
Milford haven Torch Theatre South Wales
Mansfield Palace Theatre Notts
Macclesfield Theatre Cheshire
Middlesborough Theatre North Yorkshire
Northwich Theatre Cheshire
Oldham Coliseum Manchester
Pontardawe Arts South Wales
Preston Charter Theatre Lancashire
Redditch Palace Theatre Worcestershire
Retford Majestic Theatre Lincs
Rotherham Civic Theatre Yorkshire
Rotherham Arts Centre Yorkshire
Spalding South Holland Centre Lincs
Stafford Gatehouse Theatre Staffordshire
Scunthorpe Powright Theatre Yorkshire
Stanley Civic Theatre Durham
Sutton In Ashfield Centre Notts
Shrewsbury Music Hall Shropshire
Tewksbury Roses Theatre Gloucestershire
Wakefield opera House Yorkshire
Wellingborough Castle Theatre Northants
Whitley Bay Playhouse Tyne and Wear
The Club Abu Dhabi
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Since 2005 the lads have been performing together in music venues, private functions, weddings , The Y Not Music Festival . Changing there names from Old Spice to Six Men in Black to Old Peculiar to Men in Black and finally
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The Shaydes. |
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| Phil Hurst |
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| Steve Dolton |
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| Phil and John |
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| Terry Phil and John |
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| Terry Smith |
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| John Terry and Phil |
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| John and Terry |
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| Merv Allcock |
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When there were six.
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| Y Not Festival. |
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| Steve Dolton |
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| Terry Smith and Steve |
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| Steve plays the Blues. |
Several friends on FB have asked about what I did before I became an artist. So here's a few photos of my work in the theatre.:-)
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