Chiswick Producer Revives Story Of Ice Skating Icon John Curry

Denise Silvey produces 'Looking for John' at the Tabard Theatre

Chiswick based producer Denise Silvey of the Cahoots Theatre Company, has a new show called ‘Looking For John’ which will play at the Edinburgh Festival. However locals will get a chance to see it first, as it will be staged at the Tabard Theatre 28 and 29 July at 7.30 pm.

Denise lives in Chiswick with actor husband Graham Seed (Nigel Pargetter from The Archers)
She has also produced three plays by Jonathan Maitland, another Chiswick local (An Audience with Jimmy Savile, Dead Sheep and Deny Deny Deny).

"As well as being involved in larger scale productions, Cahoots have always supported one man shows, especially those concerning popular figures. Indeed several of our shows, have been in collaboration with Chiswick based writer and director, Gareth Armstrong. Clown in the Moon, about Dylan Thomas, Burton (Richard Burton), Wilde Without the Boy (Oscar Wilde) and The Rape of Lucrece (Shakespeare), and ‘Don’t[ Call me Nigel…. An Evening with Graham Seed (who also happens to be my husband) . So when a show about John Curry was sent to me, I felt had to produce it, she says.

'Looking For John' tells the story of the personal challenges faced by ice skater John Curry.

In 1976, 19 million people watched the Birmingham-born skater win Olympic gold. Just hours after his victory, John was outed as gay by the tabloids which caused a brief scandal at the time. In 1987 he was diagnosed with HIV, and in 1991 with AIDS. Before his death, he spoke openly to the press about both his disease and his sexual orientation. He spent the last years of his life with his mother. He died of an AIDS-related heart attack on 15 April 1994, aged 44.

'Looking For John' has been described as a powerful, heartfelt and comic story of one man's obsession with a forgotten hero and his journey to get him celebrated once more.

Denise says, "John Curry was such an icon of our generation and made ice skating popular. He also turned his hand to acting and I remembered having met him once when he was starring as Orsino in Twelfth Night. I have known of the writer and performer, Tony Timberlake for many years and have been a huge fan, so when I received this script I thought it the ideal opportunity to work with him."

'Looking For John' is directed by Tessa Walker. You can book online at www.tabardtheatre.co.uk or by calling the box office 020 8995 6035.

July 13, 2017