For the love of theatre

SHOWSTOPPER: David Newsham stars as Frank Pickle in Musical Theatre Gisborne's latest production, A Vicar of Dibley Christmas. Picture by Rebecca Grunwell

It is never too late to start something new, even if it means entering the theatre world in your 60s, David Newsham says.

“Now I'm in my mid-80s and I still have the drive, passion and curiosity to learn,” he said.

Showing no signs of slowing down, Newsham will star as Frank Pickle in Musical Theatre Gisborne's hilarious and heartwarming play A Vicar of Dibley Christmas, a follow-up to the successful The Vicar of Dibley in 2019.

“Frank is the guy who is in charge of taking down the minutes of the local meetings. He is easily the biggest bore in the world.

“He is skilled at making something exciting sound very dull. But that's part of the comedy.”

Newsham was brought up by the Salvation Army in England.

“Back then, World War 2 was raging and we had to keep our windows covered with blankets and keep the lights off to avoid any unwanted attention.”

After the war, a young Newsham found his way into an army apprentice school where he played in the band.

He spent seven and half years in the army and was serving when the United Kingdom conducted nuclear tests in Maralinga in the Woomera Prohibited Area of Australia in 1958.

“It has a few painful memories as most of the people I served with contracted cancer and have since passed away.”

After leaving the army, Newsham worked for a supermarket as a butcher, managed a bottle store and fell in love with a girl from Lancaster and married her.

Eventually he joined Watties, a New Zealand-based food producer.

He accepted a company offer to relocate to Gisborne and soon came across an article in The Gisborne Herald about a play called The White and Black Minstrel Show.

“That was the start of something that would become my career and I still love doing what I do.”

Join Vicar Geraldine and the parish council as the village of Dibley prepares for Christmas celebrations. Musical Theatre Gisborne, November 25 to December 3. Tickets $30+bf from eventfinda.co.nz