Alan Durband pounds by means of innovative seven-year tax-free covenants for the conversion of the building. It was a popular theatre specialising in local Liverpool settings & political subjects which gave opportunities to new playwrights – most famous of whom is probably Willy Russell (to whom Durband lent his Welsh cottage to write 'Educating Rita') and to actors such as: Bill Nighy, Pete Postlethwaite, Jonathan Pryce & Julie Walters who joined the Theatre company around 1975. To mark this era, Willy Russell unveiled a plaque in memory of Alan Durband at the theatre in 1998 in the company of actor Pete Postlethwaite
Amanda Muggleton all the State and commercial theatre companies. On stage, her performances with State theatre companies include "Privates on Parade", "The Matchmaker", "The Seagull", "Shirley Valentine" (MTC), "Master Class", "Nicholas Nickleby", "The Rise and Fall of Little Voice", "Soulmates" (STC), "Duet for One", "The Winter's Tale", "Gigi", "We Were Dancing" (QTC), "Twelfth Night", "Blithe Spirit" (SATC), "Educating Rita", "Medea" and "Shirley Valentine" (Hole in the Wall, Perth). Muggleton's commercial credits include "HMS Pinafore" (Essgee), "Hello Dolly" (The Production Company), "The Book Club", "Master Class" (ICA), "Annie" (GFO/SEL/Macks), the original "Steaming" (Morley, Davis), "Eureka!" (Essgee) and "Losing Louis" (Ensemble Theatre). Muggleton has