The Friends have been shocked and saddened to hear of the untimely passing of ‘Big Lad’ at the age of 45 on Saturday 2^nd November 2024.

We were introduced to him by one of our members, Martin Clark, who had worked with him for many years at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, where Big Lad was the Deputy Technical Manager and Head of Stage Engineering.  Big Lad was a hugely inspirational character, with his deep love for all things theatre and its people.

He was passionate about wanting to do all he could to help the Friends with our campaign to save the Streatham Hill Theatre.  When he saw pictures of the orchestra pit at the SHT, he told us its lift was identical to the one at the Palladium.  Big Lad became one of our Creative Industry Supporters and joined our Expert Panel. He organised two fantastic trips for us to Drury Lane to show us the result of the recent renovations, including the amazing backstage technical advances they had initiated, as he wanted to show us what could be done to make heritage theatres work in these creatively innovative times. 

We have since discovered that he was also supporting another Theatres Trust ‘Theatre at Risk’, The Ashton Empire Hippodrome, and had been planning to get involved with its restoration.

We’ll be forever grateful for his kindness and know the industry has lost a very special soul, taken well before his time.  He made such an impact on all who knew him and will be sorely missed.

There is a GoFundMe page for his funeral and to support his wife, Helen.

11 June 2024: The Friends and Big Lad on the stage of the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.

11 June 2024: Big Lad talking us through some of the Theatre Royal’s technical innovations.

11 June 2024: Backstage with Big Lad at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.