Tributes to leading light of the West End theatre scene
TRIBUTES have been paid to a Plymouth man who became a leading light in London’s West End theatre world but died suddenly at the age of 56.
Gareth Parnell was born and raised in Plymouth, but a love of drama, developed at school in the city, led to him becoming the longest serving manager in the history of the London Palladium.
He left the renowned Royal Variety Performance venue in 2017 to manage Her Majesty’s Theatre, world famous as the home to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera for the past 25 years.
But Gareth, known to many as “Gruff”, died suddenly at home in his sleep in late January 2021, leaving behind his partner Gaynor and two children, Coral and Jacob.
Tributes have poured in from the showbiz world and in Plymouth, where Gareth still has family and friends and returned to regularly, even being a member of the well-known Great Bruce Forsyth Social Club, otherwise known as “the Brucies”.
There are now moves to celebrate Gareth’s life and achievements with a tribute event at the London Palladium, when Covid restriction allow, and to scatter his ashes upon the waters of the River Tamar, as was always his wish.
Friends are even in talks with Plymouth City Council about placing a plaque commemorating Gareth on the Hoe, close to the memorial to the Beatles, his favourite band.
Leading the tributes from the showbiz world was Edgar Wright, director of movies such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Baby Driver, who became friendly with Gareth when he directed short Brucies films for ITV in the 1990s. “What I’ll remember most about Gareth was his laugh,” he said. “Whenever I think of Gareth, it’s of him trying, and failing to suppress his laugh. It makes me smile even now. I’m glad I got to have those supremely silly times with him and will miss him very much.”
Mike Colwill, president of the Great Bruce Forsyth Social Club, and Gareth’s friend since they met at primary school, said: “Its fair to say, that Gareth touched many lives. Taken far too soon from us, it’s certain he would’ve continued to influence, inspire and bring warmth to many, always encouraging us to be the better person.”
Ellie Woolman, a family friend who works at Cornwall’s Kneehigh Theatre, praised Gareth for inspiring her to take up a career in the theatre, by organising trips to West End shows for her, and said: “I always cite Gareth as a big inspiration as I don’t think I would have even considered this career path if I hadn’t been so lucky to experience Gareth’s theatre world and the exciting opportunities he provided me with. He will be sadly missed.”
Andy Richardson, a friend from Plymouth, recalled Gareth arranging for tickets to see the Sound of Music at the Palladium, with use of the Royal Box and Lord Lloyd Webber’s personal suite, for his family when his 13-year-old daughter had to attend King’s College Hospital for a liver transplant.
Gareth was born in Plymouth and grew up in Edith Avenue, Lipson, with mum and dad Terri and Les, sisters Yvonne and Linda and brother Steve.
He attended Salisbury Road Primary and Sutton High School for Boys where he excelled in English. In 1983 he began a three-year degree course in English literature at Swansea University,
He then returned to Plymouth and started work at the Theatre Royal as a stage hand, assisting celebrated theatre director Roger Redfarn on productions of When We Are Married and The Sound of Music. His interest in drama had started at school when he was involved in a Devonport High School for Girls production of Oklahoma.
By his early 20s he was working on the UK tour of Evita, which started in Plymouth, and where he met Gaynor, who worked in the costume department. They moved to London and Gareth landed a job at the Lyric Theatre in the late 1980s and then secured the manager’s role at Her Majesty’s Theatre, working with the cast of The Phantom of the Opera until in 1994 he was offered the prestigious role of manager of the London Palladium, where Cameron Macintosh’s production of Oliver! was just starting a four-year run. Gareth stayed there for nearly 25 years, becoming the longest-serving manager since the theatre opened in 1910, and meeting many stars and royalty too, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Gareth and his team managed blockbuster shows including Saturday Night Fever, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sister Act and The Wizard of Oz.