STUART RICHMAN’S duties as a member of the Everyman’s newly-created, first repertory company included performing, promoting shows and helping to build the theatre.

That final task came as a complete surprise to the young actor who arrived in Liverpool straight out of university, in August, 1964.

It was during the early days of the Royal Shakespeare Company and the National Theatre, and Liverpool was keen to play a part in the exciting revival of theatre.

“The unknown quantity for us all was that when we arrived, expecting to be in a newly-built fresh environment, we found that it had yet to be done,” he recalls.

“We had to build the stage, we had to put the lighting in, we had to build the dressing rooms, we had to paint the stalls, we had to put the stalls in.

“And we were going out on the streets for the publicity as well.”

It’s a bright time in Richman’s past, despite having to live on a salary of just £5 per week, not least because of the kindness of others.

“We would work on Sundays in those days as well and the theatre cleaner Blodwen Doyle, who remained a good friend many years, she and her family of young Liverpool supporters would all come in and bring us sandwiches.

“She adopted us. She became mother hen.”