Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Marlowe boss takes final curtain
The curtain comes down tomorrow (Friday) on the 40-year career of Marlowe Theatre director Mark Everett.
After 23 years at the city theatre alone, he is preparing to say an emotional goodbye to the loyal and passionate team he has built.
Taking on the role in 1994, he has overseen the redevelopment of the theatre into a 1,200-seater venue attracting huge sell-out shows.
He has also rubbed shoulders with some of the biggest names in the theatre world.
But at the age of 66 and with the Marlowe set to become a charitable trust, Mark believes the time is right to step aside.
And he leaves with a surprise, but much-appreciated, royal message.
Because among the farewell cards he has received is one from Prince Edward, who was patron of the theatre’s fundraising appeal and opened the new venue in 2011.
“It came out of the blue and I’m really chuffed that he took the trouble,” Mark said.
Colleagues have not let Mark leave without a bit of fun, hosting a This Is Your Life-style look back at his career and playing a comedy stunt on him involving pantomime dame Ben as a longlost girlfriend.
‘The team here are like a second family to me’
Fortunately, Valerie – Mark’s wife of 37 years – saw the funny side.
Mark says his passion for theatre will remain, and he expects to be back as a customer to see his favourite shows.
But while he has his own preferences, including contemporary dance, he says the theatre’s success is down to its varied programme for all tastes, even if some are more profitable than others.
“It’s not been about what I like, It’s a theatre for the whole community,” he said.
Mark, who lives in Faversham, now plans to spend more time at his French holiday home and do some plane spotting, but will not cast the Marlowe aside completely.
“I’m a firm believer that when you leave, you leave, and I won’t be interfering,” he said.
“But that’s not to say I won’t pop by for a coffee because the team here are like a second family to me.
“And I’ll still pick up a bit of rubbish if I see it on the stairs. That’s something I learned when I started out when I was amazed to see an artistic director scrubbing the theatre steps.”