Tributes have been paid to a leading light in London’s West End theatre world who has died suddenly at the age of 56.
Gareth Parnell was born and raised in Plymouth, but a love of drama, developed at school in the city, led to him becoming the longest serving manager in the history of the London Palladium.
He left the renowned Royal Variety Performance venue in 2017 to manage Her Majesty’s Theatre, world famous as the home to Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera for the past 25 years.
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But Gareth, known to many as “Gruff”, died suddenly at home in his sleep in late January 2021, leaving behind his partner Gaynor and two children: Coral and Jacob.
Tributes have poured in from the showbiz world and in Plymouth, where Gareth still has family and friends and returned to regularly, even being a member of the well-known Great Bruce Forsyth Social Club, otherwise known as “the Brucies”.
There are now moves to celebrate Gareth’s life and achievements with a tribute event at the London Palladium, when Covid restriction allow, and to scatter his ashes upon the waters of the River Tamar, as was always his wish.
Friends are even in talks with Plymouth City Council about placing a plaque commemorating Gareth on the Hoe, close to the memorial to the Beatles, his favourite band.
Leading the tributes from the showbiz world was Edgar Wright, director of movies such as Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz and Baby Driver, who became friendly with Gareth when he directed short Brucies films for ITV in the 1990s.
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“What I’ll remember most about Gareth was his laugh,” he said. “Whenever I think of Gareth, it’s of him trying, and failing to suppress his laugh. It makes me smile even now. I’m glad I got to have those supremely silly times with him and will miss him very much.”
Mike Colwill, president of the Great Bruce Forsyth Social Club, and Gareth’s friend since they met at primary school, said: “Its fair to say, that Gareth touched many lives. Taken far too soon from us, it’s certain he would’ve continued to influence, inspire and bring warmth to many, always encouraging us to be the better person.”
Ellie Woolman, a family friend who works at Cornwall’s Kneehigh Theatre, praised Gareth for inspiring her to take up a career in the theatre, by organising trips to West End shows for her, and said: “I always cite Gareth as a big inspiration as I don’t think I would have even considered this career path if I hadn’t been so lucky to experience Gareth’s theatre world and the exciting opportunities he provided me with. He will be sadly missed.”
Mike’s daughter Sophie Chrzanowski, was able to take part in work experience at the London Palladium in 2010, thanks to Gareth, and said: “He was a truly lovely person and his passing is a huge loss to all who knew him.”
Andy Richardson, a friend from Plymouth, recalled Gareth arranging for tickets to see the Sound of Music at the Palladium, with use of the Royal Box and Lord Lloyd Webber’s personal suite, for his family when his 13-year-old daughter had to attend King’s College Hospital for a liver transplant. He said: “After the show we went back stage and met the cast and crew. Nothing was too much trouble and we, especially Abi, were made to feel special. Money couldn’t buy the xperience Gareth set up for Abi, Sarah and I. God bless buddy.”
Gareth was born in Plymouth and grew up in Edith Avenue, Lipson, with mum and dad Terri and Les, sisters Yvonne and Linda and brother Steve.
He attended Salisbury Road Primary and Sutton High School for Boys where he excelled in English. In 1983 he began a three-year degree course in English literature at Swansea University,
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He then returned to Plymouth and started work at the Theatre Royal as a stage hand, assisting celebrated theatre director Roger Redfarn on productions of When We Are Married and The Sound of Music.
His interest in drama had started at school when he was involved in a Devonport High School for Girls production of Oklahoma.
By his early 20s he was working on the 海角视频 tour of Evita, which started in Plymouth, and where he met Gaynor, who worked in the costume department.
They moved to London and Gareth landed a job at the Lyric Theatre in the late 1980s and then secured the manager’s role at Her Majesty’s Theatre, working with the cast of The Phantom of the Opera until in 1994 he was offered the prestigious role of manager of the London Palladium, the world’s most famous theatre, where Cameron Macintosh’s production of Oliver! was just starting a four-year run.
Gareth stayed there for nearly 25 years, becoming the longest-serving manager since the theatre opened in 1910, and meeting many stars and royalty too, including the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
Gareth and his team managed blockbuster shows including Saturday Night Fever, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Sister Act and The Wizard of Oz.
One highlight was producing the centenary tribute for the Palladium in 2010, entitled Gareth Parnell’s Sunday Night at the London Palladium - a huge success recreating namesake Val Parnell’s famed productions of the 1950s and 1960s.
“Despite this glitzy professional world, Gareth remained humble, level-headed and never boastful,” said Paul Colwill, Mike’s brother and another friend of Gareth’s from school days. “His kind heartedness in this role, extended out to family, friends and friends of friends, whom he frequently rolled-out the VIP treatment for.”
As a teen Gareth was a member of the 5 th Plymouth Boys Brigade, earning a Duke of Edinburgh’s Gold Award, and fellow BB member Pete Roberts recalls Gareth playing in the football team being a fine player “with a good touch” and helping the six-a-side team reach regional finals in Bournemouth and being “robbed by a single goal in the final.” He said: “Gareth was a great advocate of treating people properly and a genuinely lovely person.”
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Also a big music fan, especially of vinyl, Gareth liked the Rolling Stones, The Smiths, New Order and favourite band The Beatles. A fan of both Liverpool and Plymouth Argyle, as well as supporting Wales, country of his parents’ birth, in rugby and football, especially when they played against England, Paul said: “Gareth was the best mate anyone could have had, he was clever, funny, talented and kind.
“We shared many interests, mostly sporting, and spent just about all of our free time playing football at Tothill Park. When the weather was bad we went to Gareth’s house to play Subbuteo. Gareth was always Liverpool and he always won.”
Throughout the 1990s, Gareth was an active member of Plymouth-founded comedy society the Great Bruce Forsyth Social Club.
His membership saw him appear on stage with Bruce on TV and in short movies directed by Edger Wright, Pete Allum, another friend from the Brucies who now lectures at the University of Plymouth, said: “I have fond memories of the time we spent planning the opposition parties to yours, Mike, at the (Great Bruce Forsyth Social Club) AGMs. In particular the ‘toff party’ and the ‘puppet party’ with the miniature stage. Priceless times.”
Gareth was also member of another Plymouth friendship group, known as the Jollyboys, which met once a year over three decades for a Jollyboys’ Outing, or JBO, to seaside resorts.
Mike said: “There aren’t enough adjectives to use when describing Gareth and all of those in his family and wide circle of friends will miss him beyond words. Rest in peace our friend, our Gareth.”