A History Of Liverpool Thespians - Graham Bickley

Graham John Bickley was born on the 18th of May 1958 into a Welsh family in Liverpool. His father was a primary school deputy headmaster and his mother Mabel was a special needs teacher. His older sister Susan is an opera singer with the English National Opera and the Welsh National Opera. Graham and his sister first began singing in church as children, accompanied by their father on the organ and he attended the Liverpool Blue Coat School where he made his first stage venture playing the Artful Dodger in a production of 'Oliver'. He then began studying at The Liverpool Theatre School where his tutors included the legendary Norah Button. In 1970s Liverpool, Clive Barker and a small group of friends from college made two short films, 'Salome' (1973) and 'The Forbidden' (1978) which saw Graham starring in 'Salome', an 18-minute experimental take on the play written by Oscar Wilde.
London then beckoned and he made his West End theatre debut in 1981 in 'They're Playing Our Song' and performed in the West End then in productions including 'The Pirates of Penzance' (1982), and also in the cabaret vocal group 'Stutz Bear Cats' from 1984 to 1986. He was principal lead in 'Jukebox' (1989), 'Which Witch' (1992), 'Maddie' (1997), 'The Pajama Game' (Best Actor nomination, Toronto), 'Les Misérables', 'Metropolis' (1989), 'Miss Saigon', 'Sunset Boulevard', playing opposite Petula Clark, and played Tateh in the revival of 'Ragtime' (2003), for which he was nominated for the Laurence Olivier and The Whatsonstage Award for Best Actor in a Musical. Regional productions included 'Sleuth', 'No Trams to Lime Street ' (Best Actor nomination, Manchester), the UK première of 'I Love You', 'You're Perfect', 'Now Change' and the world première of 'Black Goes With Everything'. Revues include 'Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris' and 'It's Better With a Band'.  

In 'Bread' with Joanna Phillips-Lane as Roxy

 

After performing on the West End stage his big breakthrough came in 1989 when he became best known for playing the role of Joey Boswell in Carla Lane's sitcom 'Bread' from 1989 until 1991, taking over from Peter Howitt who had played the role from 1986 until 1989. He played the character in this Liverpool close-knit, working-class family for three series, appearing in 35 episodes. On the 14th of July 2000 he married the playwright Peggy Riley.

 

On the concert platform, Graham has performed with orchestras throughout the UK, Europe and South America including The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, The London Symphony, The London Concert, The Manchester Concert, The City of London Sinfonia, The National Symphony, The Northern Sinfonia, The Royal Scottish National, The Hallé, The City of Birmingham Symphony, The Royal Philharmonic, The RTE Concert, The Gothenburg Symphony, The Iceland Symphony, The Sao Paulo Symphony and the Bergen Philharmonic in Norway and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. He has appeared in concert performances of Leonard Bernstein’s 'Wonderful Town' playing the role of The Wreck with The Rotterdam Philharmonic and 'Guys and Dolls', playing Nathan Detroit with The Vienna Konzerthaus, both conducted by Wayne Marshall. Graham has also appeared in concert arena productions of 'Jesus Christ Superstar' and 'Evita', playing Pilate and Magaldi and has sung in the studio casts for 'Phantom of the Opera' (1995) and 'Kiss Me Kate' (1996). Also Graham regularly appears with the BBC Concert Orchestra and his concerts with them include 'On The Town', playing Chip, and a new musical version of 'Peter Pan' by Stiles and Drewe, all at The Royal Festival Hall, and recorded for broadcast on BBC Radio. Other live concert performances for BBC Radio include 'Bitter Sweet', 'Radio Rhapsody', and 'Big Band Special' with the BBC Big Band, and many appearances as guest vocalist on BBC Radio 2’s 'Friday Night is Music Night'. In 2000, Graham made his début at the BBC Promenade Concerts at The Royal Albert Hall, performing in Kurt Weill’s 'Street Scenes' and a tribute to Stephen Sondheim. Throughout 2005–06 Graham toured the UK with Cole Porter’s 'High Society' playing the role of CK Dexter Haven, culminating in a season at the Shaftesbury Theatre in the West End of London. His concert engagements in 2007/8 included 'Good Thing Going', 'A Swell Party' and 'Sing For Your Supper', all at Cadogan Hall, celebrations of the music of Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter and Rodgers and Hart respectively with Maria Friedman and Daniel Evans, and also 'The Best of Broadway'; two concerts at The Royal Albert Hall, both with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Also several Gala concerts celebrating the music of Rodgers and Hammerstein, and a special guest for Barbara Cook’s 80th Birthday Concert at The London Coliseum; 'Barbara Cook and Friends'. Then in 2010, Graham completed a UK tour of 'Steppin’ Out' with Anton du Beke and Erin Boag, produced by Raymond Gubbay before returning to the concert platform in celebration of Stephen Sondheim’s 80th birthday, firstly with The Royal Philharmonic, conductor David Firman, with Maria Friedman and Daniel Evans, then with The Royal Liverpool Philharmonic with Mary Carewe, conductor Carl Davis. In March 2013, he played the role of Benjamin Stone in Stephen Sondheim’s 'Follies' at L’Opera de Toulon, France, conducted by David Charles Abell and directed by Olivier Bénézech. He himself is a director of The Theatre Royal Drury Lane Theatrical Fund, founded in 1766.

In 2015, Graham broke a silence of more than 30 years stating that he had been sexually assaulted as a teenager. He had first reported the incident to Merseyside Police in 2001 but the case did not develop, but inspired to come forward after the Jimmy Saville scandal he went back to the force in 2013 which resulted in a man being charged. Travelling the country, his performances in his home city of Liverpool have included Joe in 'Eric's' at the Liverpool Everyman and Magwitch in 'Great Expectations' at the Liverpool Playhouse.

see also :- http://www.thefootballvoice.com/2024/01/a-history-of-liverpool-thespians-paul.html