MALCOLM SIRCOMComposer Malcolm Sircom, who died on 11 June, 2008, was classically trained in Cambridge and arrived to be musical director at Derby Playhouse in the late 1960s, after working in regional theatre for many years around the country.He died aged 73,weeks after being diagnosed with cancer.Aside from his role as musical director, he also wrote and directed children's shows and a string of pantomimes for the theatre in the 1970s.Other career highlights included My Fair Lady, which opened the new Playhouse building in the Eagle Centre, the Mr Men Musical, which ran in the West End during the 1980s, and a four-year tour with the Rocky Horror Show.He was so well respected that he had a trophy named after him – the Malcolm Sircom Award for the best production of a pantomime. This has been handed out every year at the Eagle Awards which celebrate the best of Derby's amateur theatre.Several schools and groups in Derby and Nottingham have performed his shows, written for the Musicline theatre company, including St Benedict Catholic School.Popular musicals put on by pupils includeMr Sircom'sVictorian-th emed production Olivia, Christmas show Ebenezer, and Dream On, a modern version of Shakespeare's Midsummer Night's Dream.He was hoping to direct his fifth show for St Mary's Catholic Primary School in 2008 but his illness, diagnosed in April 2008, prevented him.Sport was Mr Sircom's other main passion.Born in London, he lived next to Highbury, the old home of Arsenal Football Club, of which he was an eager supporter.Cricket was his other sporting devotion.Bowling in a charity match with his “demon leg spin”, he once took the wicket of former Indian cricket captain Mohammad Azharuddin, much to his delight.And despite his age, he only finished padding up for Brailsford when he reached the age of 70 – then straight away he became an umpire.He was survived by his wife Judith, and children Alan, Jamie and Kate.Mrs Sircom, an actress, met her husband after he cast her in Dick Whittington at Derby Playhouse in 1971.They celebrated their 35th wedding anniversary in 2008.She paid tribute, saying: “He was a very unshowbizzy person. He looked on it as a job. The worst thing you could have done to him was put him on a pedestal and tell him he was wonderful."He loved working with kids. He was particularly good with primary school children because at heart he was a 10-year-old himself, so he could get very good results out of them.“But he was also a very shy man. His performance side was at odds with his personal side. He wasn't what people expected.”His son Jamie said: "Although he did tour with his theatre productions, Derby always remained close to his heart. He loved the city and its people.”
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