Obituary: Tony Rushforth

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It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our esteemed Honorary Member, Tony Rushforth. Tony joined GoDA in 1979, before most of us had even heard of GoDA and devoted many years of distinguished service to the Guild, earning the respect and admiration of colleagues and friends alike.

Tony was educated at the Central School of Speech and Drama at the Embassy Theatre in London, after which he pursued a career in academia, teaching drama and theatre arts within BA degree programmes. Over two decades, he directed approximately 50 productions and served as Principal Lecturer in Drama and Head of Department at St Mary's University College, Twickenham. During this period, Tony also examined productions at the University of London, Middlesex University, the University of Surrey, and for the Royal Society of Arts.

His extensive experience as an actor and director included notable tenures at the Bradford Playhouse, Harrogate Repertory Theatre, Ashcroft Theatre Croydon, and the Edinburgh Festival.

In 1991, Tony was appointed Visiting Fellow in Performing Arts at the University of Melbourne, Australia, where he spent six months furthering his academic and professional pursuits. He then returned to the stage, performing opposite Rachel Kempson in ‘The Aspen Papers’. In 1995, Tony became the first member of GoDA to adjudicate the Sydney Theatre Festival upon his return to Australia.

From 1996, Tony led workshops for actors and directors in a variety of international locations, including Málaga, Sydney, Ulster, and Guernsey, as well as for the Royal Navy Theatre Association in the UK.

Tony was a passionate supporter and contributor to the Questors Theatre in London for more than three decades, serving for many years as Artistic Director. He was also a prolific writer, with published plays including ‘The Kerry Dance’, ‘Seascape’, ‘Voyager’, and ‘Lovers’. Additionally, he judged the NDFA New Play Award for several years.

As well as his GoDA membership, Tony was a Licentiate of the Royal Academy of Music, a member of the Writers' Guild, and held an MA in Modern Drama. He adjudicated the National Drama Festival Association's All Winners Festival, as well as the Irish, Scottish, English, and Welsh One Act Finals. His adjudicating work also took him to festivals in Brussels, Geneva, Málaga, and Gibraltar.

Colin Dolley remembers him with great affection. “As a much-admired adjudicator he was astute, erudite, encouraging, and kind. His deep love of theatre shone through all his comments. He was popular in all parts of the British Isles where he adjudicated at all the national finals on several occasions

He was married to Mary, an accomplished artist. In recent years they had moved to Richmond Green, a stone’s throw from both Richmond Theatre and the Orange Tree theatre.”

 

Another contemporary of Tony is Mike Tilbury, who says, “Tony was steeped in theatrical knowledge and experience which he drew on to deliver his adjudications which were always considered, forthright and respected. I shall always remember coming off stage at one of the big Irish finals (those were the days!) racked with self-doubt that I had perhaps made the wrong decision between two very close teams. The first person I saw was Tony who did not hesitate to say that he would have made the same decision. To have that corroboration from someone like Tony produced the most overwhelming sense of relief - I can still feel it today.”

 

There will be a memorial celebratory event for him on 27th September in Richmond.

 

If anyone would like to find out more about attending - please could they email, before 15th September: rushforce1@yahoo.co.uk