Falkirk Children’s Theatre: 30-year history of drama group explored in new book

A new book has delved into the 30-year history of a local children’s theatre that inspired a love of the stage for over a thousand children.

House Full! is a new book delving into the history of the Falkirk Children’s Theatre, which began life at the Town Hall in 1971.

Written by dance centre head Craig Murray, it’s been described as “a love letter” to the and theatre and the children who were involved.

Craig, 66, was there at the beginning as a 13-year-old Buttons in Cinderella.

He went on to write the scripts for 22 of the pantomimes and managed the operation for 16 years.

He said: “When the curtain went up on the first Falkirk Children’s Theatre pantomime in December 1971, no-one knew it would be the beginning of a joyous 30-year rollercoaster ride.

“The fact is, during that time, Falkirk had something very special and unique that no other town in Scotland had.

“The phrase ‘someone should’ve written a book always comes up. My wife convinced me if anything would fit it had to be me.”

Falkirk Children’s Theatre, the brainchild of David Cunningham, put the town on the map with televised shows such as Ali Baba and the Far Eastenders, Cinderella, Aladdin, Jock and the Jelly Beanstalk and Bairns in the Wood.

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Between 1971 and 2000, FCT performed its annual Christmas pantomime over 260 times in Falkirk Town Hall.

In that time, over 1,000 children aged between 8 and 15, all from Falkirk and the surrounding district, acted, sang and danced their hearts out.

Every single performance sold out with a waiting list for tickets every year.

Audience numbers at these live shows totalled more than 225,000.

Performances were watched by millions of Scots on STV on January 1 every year from 1989 to 2000.

The book also pays tribute to artistic professionals and personalities who started out at the Falkirk Children’s Theatre: people such as David Cunningham, Bill Graham, Irene Langlands, John Reid, Sheena Graham, John Gilmour, Mike Benzie, Ian Christie and “Uncle Andrew” Hunter, but also the hundreds of “unsung heroes” who made it all possible.

Craig added: “Falkirk Children’s Theatre was a magical world of musical theatre and provided countless treasured memories and unforgettable experiences. It fostered lifelong friendships.

“It helped shape future lives and careers. It even helped create some stars. But above all, it let ordinary local children experience the wonderful, life-enhancing thrill of performing on stage and simply having fun together.

“After all these years, so many look back and say the same thing ‘I had the time of my life.’”

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Joyce Baker (nee Alexander), in Stenhousemuir, sums up the feelings of so many former members.

“My memories of Falkirk Children’s Theatre are some of the best times of my life. I was lucky enough to be cast as Cinderella in the very first production. I was 11.

“Standing in the wings waiting to go on was scary but being onstage, under the lights and in front of that huge audience was such a high!

“I feel privileged to have been involved from the beginning and knowing that hundreds of kids had the same experience. My memories are cherished.”

Kieran Brown appeared in six pantomimes at the theatre since 1989. He went on to study at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland and is now a West End performer.

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He said: “We had the best time. It was close to Christmas, so we had the Christmas excitement.

“There were such special memories leading up to it, but show week was the best. It was really magical.

“The TV towers were erected, the tracks were being putting down. But we’d had the talk of ignoring the TV cameras and were well trained not to pay attention.

“It really did start with Falkirk Children’s Theatre – it was instrumental in the career that I chose.”

Falkirk-born actor and writer Forbes Masson took part in Falkirk Children’s Theatre and is now an associate artist with the Royal Shakespeare Company. He provided the book’s foreword.

He said: “The mightily talented Craig Murray tells the story of the heart-warming highs and painful lows of being performer, writer, producer and all-round champion of Falkirk Children’s Theatre.

“Go behind the scenes of Scotland’s beloved and sorely-missed children’s theatre where so many Falkirk children, in days gone by, had such fantastic fun, made lasting memories, met lifetime pals, gained confidence, and for some, like me, were helped on their first few steps on the road to living their dream life in the arts.”

House Full! will be available to order online at www.monumentdance.co.uk/books.

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