Jack Parramore
Jack is a gentle gentleman of the Company, joining us after we were founded in 1958, to list all of his appearances since then would fill this site, suffice to say he has played every conceivable character you could imagine.
In 1963 Jack appeared in the ‘House by the Lake’ and gained a super review by a local paper:
“Jack Parramore, who took the part of Colonel Forbes …. had smaller parts, but portrayed them well. Jack obviously spent some time cultivating his accent.”
Jack’s great sense of humour is something that anyone who worked with him will testify. But his ability to make other people laugh and produce such excellent comic timing was an art. His part in the 1964 production of Pillar to Post was reviewed as:
“…. gave some of the most amusing moments in the play when swinging on the light shade!”
Jack always made an impact on audiences and performers alike and even charmed a few reviewers! In the 1968 production of Six of the Best the review from the local paper read:
“… in his two roles as the Rev. Rodney Honeychurch and his brother Cecil Honeychurch – both as blind as a bat without their spectacles – was grand to watch. I wondered how many hours he had spent perfecting his quick-change act and personality. And his tipsy scene as the vicar was one of the best I have seen.”
We wonder how Jack got so good at acting tipsy?
Even in later years when Jack no longer took parts on the stage he showed his continuing commitment to the society by watching rehearsals and coming to all the show the Company put on. Jack supported all productions we did and had a good chuckle at some of the more contemporary pieces we tackled!
Our friend Jack sadly passed away in November 2004. He will be missed by everyone associated with the society but we know that his spirit lives on in all the plays and performances we do.
Newspaper Review By John Slim
“The Birmingham Post”
26th January 2005
“Two Founder Members of Wythall Theatre Company, It’s President Jack Parramore and the ever involved Barbara Clulee have died in the same week, both in their eighties.
Jack, Latterly a familiar front of house figure as he welcomed patrons to the groups productions, had had a stage reputation in his heyday for his Impeccable comedy timing. Barbara was described by a member of the company, as the sort of person Drama groups rely on- who didn’t care whether she was on stage or not, as long as she could make herself useful ”
Dear Jack who will be very sorely missed.
Night Night Jack. x
Love
Wythall Theatre Company.