Chris Shepherd

Chris was a journalist with the Oldham Evening Chronicle and worked and performed at the Oldham Coliseum.

In 1982, the then Artistic Director, Chris Fogg, cast Chris as Norman Bates in the World Amateur Premiere of Psycho. This obviously created huge media interest, which resulted in audiences queueing round the block.

From then, until his untimely death in 1987, Chris directed many plays at the Garrick including How the Other Half Loves by Alan Ayckbourn, 'The Killing of Sister George, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Agatha Christie's Dial M for Murder and, most famously for all who saw it, Having a Ball by Alan Bleasedale which, by the end of its run, was a total sell-out with some ladies including the WI booking more than once!

He was also an accomplished musician, and played the piano in many Manchester hotels, bars and pubs.