Marguerite MacLellan
Marguerite (back centre) with the cast of Rape of the Belt
The Society is mourning the loss of our President, Marguerite Maclellan, who died suddenly on Thursday 8 September 2011.
She will be truly irreplaceable as she was so active on the committee as well as behind and in front of the curtains.
She joined the Society in 1966, taking the role of Mole in “Toad of Toad Hall”, and appeared in the Playhouse opening production of “When We Are Married” in 1968.
Excelling in character parts, Marguerite was awarded Best Actress for her 7 minute appearance in a festival play which, typically, she refused to collect as she didn’t consider herself worthy of the award.
Many will remember her monologues and cockney songs during variety shows and her warm and skilful interaction with audiences.
I will never forget her brilliant role of Philostrate in our production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Brimham Rocks when she opened the evening with her splendid High Wire Flea Circus: marvellous in every sense of the word!
Marguerite’s last play as Director was Rape of the Belt in 2009; the play in which she had appeared as the midwife in 1974 at the Playhouse.
Her last performance was as Miss Bourne in The Ghost Train, a role which required her to fall asleep on stage: one night, she actually did!
For many years, Marguerite had been our Membership Secretary – perhaps a thankless task – but she gave it up only to allow the technologically minded to take over.
She was our President, our friend, a role model to many as she was selfless and generous in all that she did.
We are the richer for having known her: she will not be forgotten.
Linda Harvey
Secretary PBDS
Marguerite (bottom right) in The Ghost Train