James Dodding R.I.P.

[Q. Kumber]

While his name is not widely known in the magic community, James, who lived in Garstang near Preston, England, became a good friend after I moved over from Dublin to Manchester. I called to see him just a few weeks ago and he was quite chuffed having just received a phone call from Oscar winner Gary Oldman, one of his former drama students. While most of James' work was in the theatre, he was very helpful not just to me, but many other magicians as well.

This obituary is by Anthony Coppin

A tribute to James Dodding, tutor to the stars

(this is a longer version of the tribute which has appeared on various Facebook pages)

“He was our Pied Piper with his meticulous preparation and infectious enthusiasm, and we all would have followed him anywhere” (Michael Huie, one of James’s US students).

Retired theatre director and drama tutor, James Dodding, died today, aged 87. Former Courier deputy editor Anthony Coppin, a close friend of the much-respected Garstang resident, pays a personal tribute.

Jim Dodding was a legend who created constellations of stars.

From humble beginnings in Garstang (he was the son of a local postman from Dimples Lane) James had a half century-plus career in teaching at top drama colleges on both sides of the Atlantic.

He helped train generations of performers including David Bowie, recent Oscar winner Gary Oldman and Benedict Cumberbatch, Tom Baker (Dr Who), Malcolm Hebden (Norris Cole, Coronation Street) and Pam St Clement (Pat Butcher, East Enders).

More locally, and post “retirement” he was active in this area’s artistic community, being an encourager of Garstang Arts Society (including its poetry group) and helping church / liturgical readers (and others, such as Town Crier Hilary McGrath) with their voice skills.

James's Garstang roots were deep. One of his ancestors was Colonel George Dodding, involved in the 17th century English Civil War siege of Greenhalgh Castle. Other relatives were from a Barnacre farming background and others had run Calder Vale Post Office.

James attended Garstang St Thomas CE Primary School and Lancaster Royal Grammar School. As a youngster he enjoyed taking part in fancy dress parades in Garstang festivals (fellow fancy dress paraders included Eddie Livesey and Ann Wicks).

In his teenage years he was involved in youth work and entertainment in Garstang and Lancaster (Punch and Judy shows, magic shows, children’s show, theatre work, and with Garstang amateur drama groups). His early stage appearances were at The Grand, Lancaster and Garstang Institute.

In 1949/1950 he was called up for National Service. He wanted to be an officer in the Royal Air Force so ‘added’ a year to his age to meet the age criteria, but the fib was discovered and he ended up being posted in the RAF as an AC - the lowest rank possible! His drama interests though were put into good use among the ranks, producing uproarious plays and pantos (think ‘It Ain’t ‘Alf Hot Mum’) for His Majesty’s services.

(More than 30 years later, when working for the BBC, he was 'called up' again - by the Her Majesty’s military education wing to lead a drama course for the British Army in Dusseldorf, being given the honorary title ' Lt Colonel' for the period - a big promotion on his initial military AC2!)

After National Service in the early to mid-1950s he studied youth work and social studies at university level, then gained a scholarship to study at the Rose Bruford Drama College in London to gain acting and teaching qualifications.

Speaking of his time at the Bruford College he once said: "It was there I was given a code of work ethics - of caring, respect for others, honesty, straightforwardness, and above all, a love and passion for all aspects of theatre."

He had a particular interest in magic and mime and took extra time to study those skills (the latter with European mime artists Marcel Marceau in Paris and Ladislav Fialka in Prague). He also wrote a series of best-selling books on mime for children, and was editor of "The Art of Speaking Made Simple" published by WH Allen.

His other artistic interests included poetry - he started and maintained a correspondence with Poet Laureate John Masefield.

At Bruford he was a popular student leader and, despite occasional clashes with college principal Rose ‘Bru’ Bruford, they became good friends and James was offered a teaching post at the college after qualifying (much later he became a governor and Fellow).

As well as being a tutor at Bruford, James set up his own freelance teaching agency, working part-time at other London-based creative and educational institutions including the City Lit. He gave voice coaching lessons to various groups including the leaders of the Confederation of British Industry.

He also became involved in radio work - for a generation of children in British, Commonwealth and British Forces Overseas schools in the 1960s James was the voice of the BBC’s Music and Movement radio programme. The programme, featuring drama, movement and mime, won the international Sony Prize for children's broadcasting.

Around this time he was offered the principalship of another prominent London drama college, but decided against taking the post as he believed he could achieve more by freelance teaching.

During the 1970s his career went global, with teaching and directing engagements in the USA, Canada, Hong Kong, Malta and Ireland. He enjoyed his travels, particularly his time in 1972 / 73 at McGill University and the National Theatre School, Montreal, as well as time spent in Belgium, Germany and Switzerland.

The mid-1970s saw him heading up the London branch of the North Carolina School of the Arts. The group of students who were in the capital that year were wowed by “Mr Dodding.” Some of them were among the US contingent who visited Garstang in 2015 when James gave an autobiographical for that year’s Garstang Lecture.

The late 1970s saw the start of an aspect of his career which gave him huge pleasure and fulfilment - a once a year Springtime semester with the drama department at Wake Forest University, North Carolina, USA, a US liberal arts college. He was initially an assistant professor, being awarded full professor status in 1990.

As well as teaching in the USA he also put on well-remembered performances, including The Passion, HMS Pinafore, Guys and Dolls, Servant of Two Masters and a son et lumiere production, the first such production to be staged in that region of the USA.

HIs US students loved what one of them, Michael Huie, later called this "charming, clever, inspiring, slightly mischievous Englishman."

In the USA his proteges included Tom Hulce (who took the title role in the movie Amadeus), and many others who went on to be leading figures in the US entertainment industry. Prominent Canadian theatre director Stephen Schiffer is another former protege.

Throughout his career James kept in touch with many of his students as well as his own contemporaries with whom he had studied at Bruford, and they with him. One close friend was Margaret Tyzack (Forsyte Saga, 2001: A Space Oddsey). She came to his aid when he was trying to persuade authorities in a United States educational institution to continue funding a London programme for US drama students.

Although he has worked with and taught many who became well-known names of stage, cinema and TV, he rarely 'name dropped.'

His directing credits included: Hamlet, The Mikado, The Country Wife (USA); The Beggar’s Opera, The Winter’s Tale, the Wakefield Mystery Plays (UK); A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Trelawny of the Wells (Canada). He directed in Malta, Ireland, Hong Kong and Belgium. Opera directing includes the world premiere of Manuel Garcia’s L’Isola Disabitata. Writing/directing credits included: Son et lumière and Promenade Productions in the USA and UK. As well as directing he also acted, including the role of Davies in The Caretaker (USA). He had also presented solo performances at the Royal National Theatre, London.

Other North American institutions at which he had taught had included McGill University, Montreal, Canada, and the National Theatre School, Canada. After stepping down from his one semester a year at Wake Forest University, USA, he was awarded the title Emeritus Professor of Theatre.

During his decades in London he was a regular visitor to his home town of Garstang, returning to see his mother for whom he had bought a bungalow which he eventually made his own home.

James never really retired.

As recently as his early 80s James was still in demand as a theatre director in North America, being invited to direct plays at important regional theatres in the USA and Canada. When Garstang friends dropped him off at Manchester Airport we marvelled at his abilities and stamina.

He told me, a short while after his 80th birthday he was helping with a play in Halifax. I assumed he meant Halifax, Yorkshire. He meant Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, where he was to direct the Restoration comedy 'The Country Wife' at the Sir James Dunn Theatre, Dalhousie University. A year or two earlier he had directed Trelawny of the Wells.

In 2011 he directed William Wycherley’s The Country Wife at the Sir James Dunn Theatre, Dalhousie University, Canada, and, at the same theatre, a year or two earlier, Trelawny of the Wells.

I once asked him: "How come one minute you're directing an important play in North America, and the next you're back home ferrying a little old lady neighbour in Garstang to Preston Hospital in your Nissan Micra?"

His reply, with a stoical chuckle, was: "That's life!"

In 2007 James took the lead in organising and directing (along with Avril Bevan) the first Garstang Passion Play, a local equivalent of the Oberamagau festival. It told the Easter story using parts of Garstang town centre for various ‘stages.’ Scores of people (some from local churches, some with no church background) took part. Hundreds came to watch the street theatre.

In the run-up to the Passion Play James invited me (on that occasion as a friend rather than in my journalistic capacity) to one of the rehearsals. There I observed the teaching techniques he used to turn a group of polite Garstang citizens … into a baying mob clamouring for the crucifixion of Jesus.

One of the photos from that time shows James with the cast, outside St Thomas’s, the church which has been an important part of James’s life in Garstang since his boyhood. In the photo, typical of the humility of the man, he is standing on the fringe rather than in the centre.

Eight years ago James encouraged me when I set up the Garstang Lecture as part of the annual Garstang Arts Festival. In 2015 I invited him to be speaker, to tell the local community and, it turned out, a contingent of friends from the USA and London, about his career. It was a great occasion, held in Garstang Arts Centre.

Also in 2015 James and his former student and friend Malcolm Hebden (Norris Cole on Coronation Street) became as double act for a “An audience with Malcom Hebden”, a fundraising session at the arts centre. Another success.

The arts centre, the artistic and cultural hub of the town, was a place close to James’s heart. He remained active member of Garstang Poetry Appreciation Group, of which he was one of the co-founders. He organised annual “workshops” on poetry and related subjects most years during the Garstang Arts Festival.

James’s love of Shakespeare was well known. Astonishingly he could memorise complete plays as well as the bard’s poems. On April 23, 2016, the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare’s death, James took part in a special evening of the Tudor music and poetry, reading sonnets by the bard.


Last autumn, again at the arts centre, James was one of those asked to join the “table of honour” when our mutual friend, Colombian-born Garstang resident and poet Graciela Lemos launched her poetry book Unfolded Dreams. James had written the glowing commendation stating “Graciela Lemos has re-opened my ancient eyes to vibrant life.”

Within the past year James was been diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease. He suffered several falls, leading to hospital visits. Despite his increasing frailty he continued to drive (to the worry of some friends) his somewhat battered, silver grey Nissan Micra, to have his breakfast at Booths café. Regular car journeys around the town included visits to see and chat with members of what some of us jokingly/affectionately called “James’s harem” – single or widowed lady friends who hugely appreciated his gifts of flowers, his company and his conversation.

James was generous of spirit and with his finance. He took such pleasure in showing his beloved home town of Garstang and the wider Lancashire area to his frequent visitors. He was enthralled by the Blackpool circus, the Illuminations, the Lake District.

He suffered a fall last Sunday in St Thomas’s churchyard, while visiting his parents’ grave. He hurt his face, one of his hands and his torso. He received treatment at Lancaster Royal Infirmary before being allowed home. On Thursday he had severe pain in his other hand and wrist and was taken to the hospital again. While in hospital he a had a stroke. He died late morning today (Sunday, March 25 2018).
Funeral arrangements have yet to be announced.
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It’s tempting to quote a portion of a Shakespeare play or poem to close this tribute but instead I’ll close with one of James’ own poems, a light-hearted ditty which shows his love of Garstang and the townsfolk.

I'm Garstang born and bred
And yes, I've got a swollen head
for I am proud to have been raised
In a town I've always loved and praised

My work has taken me far and wide
to places only dreamt of as a child
but now I'm back home from the great rat race
To gradely folk - in a gradely place!

[Ruben Padilla]

Wow. Never heard of him but am grateful to read this fine tribute. He seemed like a truly wonderful man.

I’m sorry for your (our) loss.

Ruben