Christopher Ettridge (born 21.02.48 Isleworth London) has enjoyed a thirty year acting career in theatre, film and BBC television. He has performed in London's West End (i.e. Dreaming by Peter Barnes at the Queen's Theatre and in many plays at the Royal Court); at the Royal National Theatre (i.e. in The Dinner through December 2002); in Regents Park (i.e. Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Nights Dream); and in the Royal Shakespeare Company's Henry VI parts 1,2, and 3 (which won the South Bank and Olivier Awards) to name but a few shows in his long, established career.
In addition, Mr. Ettridge enjoys sharing his talents with young aspiring Theatre workers and was delighted to be at ECSU to teach Advanced Acting and to direct The Visit. Mr. Ettridge also presented a University Hour in the Betty Tipton room in which the cast of the show demonstrated rehearsal techniques that led to the show which ran in the Harry Hope Theatre in April 2003. Mr. Ettridge is now back in England having just finished playing in the Royal National Theatre’s West End production of Democracy.
He is well-known as Reg in the BBC's Goodnight Sweetheart and for the villainous Graeme in East Enders as well as for Samson Brass in Disney's The Old Curiosity Shop. He will soon be seen in TNT's Julius Caesar as Apollonius (again to name but a few examples). In addition, Mr. Ettridge enjoys sharing his talents with young aspiring Theatre workers and has directed student productions (i.e. at the The Drama Centre London).
He is delighted to be coming to ECSU to teach Advanced Acting and to direct the next Harry Hope Millennium Milestone in Theatre Production - Durrenmatt's The Visit. Audiences will witness an important mid-20th Century play written in the aftermath of World War II which resonates profoundly to the human condition then and now but, hopefully, not in the future.
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Sunday Mercury.
Audience shocked as Christopher Ettridge collapses on stage By Anuji Varma, Showbiz Editor.
Apr 21 2008
AUDIENCES at a Midland theatre were left shocked when actor Christopher Ettridge collapsed on stage with heart problems during the performance of a spy thriller.
The 60-year-old was starring in the play Hapgood at the Birmingham Rep, when theatre-goers saw him slump to the floor just 30 minutes into the show.
His co-star, Black Country actress Josie Lawrence looked horrified as Christopher, who has previously starred in telly hits Goodnight Sweetheart and EastEnders, lay on the stage.
The play was halted as backstage staff rushed to his aid.
But five minutes later Christopher sat up and explained to the audience that he suffers from arrhythmia, an irregular heartbeat, which had caused him to pass out.
Brave Christopher then continued acting in the two-and-a-half-hour show in which he plays a spy.
Robert Stack, 72, of Stourbridge, who had been at the at the performance on Monday night, said: "I was watching Christopher in the play when he suddenly fell to the floor. It was during a scene with Josie Lawrence. As the play is a spy thriller, the audience, including me, thought it was part of the play and he had been shot with a gun fitted with a silencer or poisoned.
"But Josie appeared very concerned, she had read the script so we obviously knew it wasn't in the plot. Then backstage staff suddenly appeared and the play was halted.
"Christopher was spark out for about five minutes but then sat up and explained very lucidly that he suffers from arrhythmia which had caused him to pass out. After going off stage for a couple of minutes, he returned and the play resumed - to much applause."
Bus driver Robert, who was watching the play with his wife Joan, added: "I must say he was very brave to carry on, almost faultlessly in a part which has long and complex dialogue. A lesser man would have at least gone to hospital for a check-up but no doubt he believes in the acting motto: 'The show must go on'. I assume he will continue with the run of the show which is great because he gave a brilliant performance."
A Birmingham Rep spokeswoman confirmed the dramatic events of Monday night and said that Christopher had failed to take his heart tablets earlier in the day leading to his collapse. She added: "He's a little bit embarrassed about it all and doesn't really want to talk about it."
But he has had an illustrious 30-year acting career in theatre and film including the comedy Kevin and Perry Go Large.
He has performed in London's West End, at the Royal National Theatre, in Regents Park and for the Royal Shakespeare Company. In addition, Christopher enjoys sharing his talents to help young theatre workers and taught aspiring actors.
Mr. Ettridge has inspired the Harry Hope designers (headed up by Bob Ritz, Associate Professor of Scene Design and Production Manager along with a team of guest artists) with his expressionistic directorial concept which will be realized by innovative set, lighting, costume, sound and movement production elements.
Theatre credits include: Talking To Terrorists (Royal Court); Democracy, Dinner (The National Theatre); Henry VI Parts I,II & III, Richard III (Royal Shakespeare Company); Dreaming (Queens Theatre); About The Boy/Bluebird (Royal Court); One More Wasted Year, Stranger’s House (Royal Court); Serving It Up (Bush); Three Birds Alighting In A Field , Colquhoun and McBride, Some Singing Blood (Royal Court); Lady From The Sea (Women’s Playhouse); The Shape Of The Table (National Theatre); The Man Who Had All The Luck (Young Vic); Twelfth Night, Midsummer Night’s Dream, Two Gentlemen Of Verona, Bartholomew Fair (Regents Park); Trumpets and Raspberries (Phoenix); The Ice Chimney (Lyric, Hammersmith); Cherry Orchard, The Strongest Man In The World (Roundhouse)
Regional theatre credits include:The Grouch (West Yorkshire Playhouse); Travels With My Aunt (New Wolsey Ipswich); White Devil (Brighton Pavilion); Dragon Island (Hong Kong); Dead Funny (No 1 Tour); Winter In The Morning (Watford Palace); Intimate Exchanges ( Bristol Old Vic); Woman In Mind (Newcastle); King John’s Jewel (Birmingham Repertory Theatre); Can’Pay, Won’t Pay (Cambridge Theatre Company); Working Class Hero (Nuffield Theatre); Joking Apart (Crucible, Sheffield); The Caretaker, Hamlet, Antonio, Toads (Nottingham Playhouse)
Television credits include: Julius Caesar, A Is For Acid, Eastenders, Doctors, Worst Witch, Goodnight Sweetheart (6 series), Bramwell, The Old Curiosity Shop, The Decent Thing, Harry, Hard Times, Casualty, Boot Bond Street, Minder, Goodbye Columbus, The Bill, Love Hurts, Rag Doll, Death Is Part Of The Process, The Glory Boys, Anthony and Cleopatra
Film credits include: Hitler: The Rise Of Evil, Dog-Days, I Capture The Castle, Kevin And Perry, Esther, Queen Of Persia, Warburg (Hartley), The Chain
Radio credits include: Number 10, Basil, Getting Nowhere Fast.
