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Delma Tomlin Personal Folder : Interview of actor John M Hall, 2001
Item type: Delma Tomlin Personal FolderArchive reference: YMP/O/4/6
Date/year: 25 April 2001
Description: Transcript of interview by Mike Tyler with local amateur actor John M. Hall on 25 April 2001. Now Stored as YMP/C/4/2. He used the middle initial as there was another performer and singer with the same name.
He saw the plays and was in the Stockton on Forest players, but sought to stretch his skills. In 1988 he played Pontius Pilate, for which he had to learn to ride, since his entrance was on a white horse! He auditioned for Lucifer or God in 1992, when the plays were moved to York Theatre Royal, but was cast as Herod. In that role he had to thump Jesus (professional actor Robson Green) very hard. John played Herod again in 1996 in the Theatre Royal, but differently. He explains how working in Theatre Royal is easier than outdoors, less 'declaiming' to do. He describes his Mystery Plays highlight perhaps as playing God in 2000 in the Minster, when Richard Shepard's music massively enhanced the production. There are anecdotes about producers and actors. John discusses different ways of playing Herod, and the impact of the Minster itself in 2000. He also played in 1998 on wagons, as God in the Last Judgement. 19 pages. See also this page for a 2011 interview in the archive.
The picture below is from a Times cutting 31 January 1992.
Here is a PDF with a transcription of John Hall's interview.
Interview John Hall.pdf
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