Stars who made their name in Worthing, thanks to repertory theatre

The company had a huge reputation and many actors began their career on stage at the Connaught. Others already making a name for themselves also graced the stage, giving newcomers the benefit of their wealth of experience.

The theatre grew from the success of The Picturedrome, which opened in 1914 as Worthing's first cinema, with entrances in Chapel Road and Union Place. The Connaught Hall was built next door in 1916 and three years of successful repertory seasons were presented there by Charles Bell and William Fraser in 1932.

That led Carl Seebold to convert The Picturedrome into the New Connaught Theatre in 1935. It had the largest theatrical bar in the country in Bell and Fraser were toasted there on opening night.

Recording the history of the Connaught on its website, WTM writes: "The theatrical legacy created by Bell and Fraser continues to this day. While the repertory companies no longer exist, they have spawned some of the country’s greatest actors. Just a few to have ‘trod the boards’ at Worthing include Patricia Routledge, Christopher Lee, lan Holm, Susannah York, Roger Moore and David Suchet, while writers such as Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Harold Pinter and Ray Cooney all learned their craft at the Connaught.

"There are many amusing anecdotes from actors who have performed here over the years. A couple of our favourites include Warren Mitchell & Kenneth Williams. Warren, playing Friar Lawrence in Romeo and Juliet had been given some good advice by Reginald Long, an old timer at the Connaught. Something will always go wrong in Shakespeare he was told so learn a speech from any of the plays, it doesn’t matter which so long as it’s not one of the well-known bits.

"Advice Warren put to good use when in full flow he looked into the wings and saw that Carol Marsh (Juliet) was having a problem with the costume change. He covered her delayed entrance and said later he doubted whether anyone in the audience realised that in the middle of Romeo and Juliet they had listened to a chunk of Richard II.

"Kenneth Williams played one week with the Overture players at the Connaught, but the town did not impress him; when invited to return for another role he declined, noting in his diary: '..dreadful place, Worthing'.”Character actress Elizabeth Spriggs was more impressed. WTM reports her saying: "From Worthing you could go anywhere, the West End, Stratford-upon-Avon, television or straight into films.”

The Connaught Cinema celebrates 110th birthday