Mark Kilsby Interest and work in theatre, Part 2 of 6 - Manawatu Conversations

Description

Part 2 of 6 Mark Kilsby spoke about his long involvement in theatre in Whanganui and Palmerston North.
 He acted with Four Seasons Theatre, Repertory Theatre and musical theatre groups.
 His first paid acting role earned him fifty dollars and great excitement.
 One favourite role was Billy in the emotional play “Gulls.”
 The character suffered brain damage after a car accident and faced tragedy.
 Mark said the role often left him in tears at the end of performances.
 He described the pressure actors feel when lines are forgotten on stage.
 Mark explained how actors build back stories to understand their characters.
 Research for roles included spending time with people at IHC in Whanganui.
 Later he became well known for playing Manuel in live “Fawlty Towers” dinners.
 The performances relied heavily on improvisation and audience interaction.
 Mark said the theatre evenings lasted for twenty years and remained very popular.

Identification

Date

June 30, 2026

Digitisation id

COMM1793512594