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 Amanda Muggleton Amanda Lillian Muggleton (born 1951) is an English Australian theatre, television and film actress. She is best known for her role as Chrissie Latham in the television soap opera "Prisoner" (1979–1983). Her stage work in Australia includes the title roles in "Shirley Valentine" and "Educating Rita", and as Maria Callas in "Master Class", for which she won the 2002 Helpmann Award for Best Actress in a Play. She won a second Helpmann Award in 2005, for her role as Mercedes Cortez in the musical "Eureka!". Muggleton was born in Stepney, London, England in 1951 and emigrated to Australia