ROBERT HEWISTributes poured in after the death of a Lincolnshire actor described as “special, eccentric and eclectic”.Robert Hewis died suddenly after suffering an aneurysm while living in Vienna, Austria, aged 56.The actor had helped forge a name for Lincolnshire theatre in the 70s and 80s, and later starred alongside Peter O’Toole in Macbeth.One of his most famous county performances in the Lincoln Mystery Cycle at the city’s Cathedral – a role which saw him unicycle up Steep Hill dressed as the son of God.Sister-in-law Jayne Hewis, from Saxilby, said the loss was a bolt out of the blue.“He had been in Lincoln just a month ago and seemed fit as a fiddle. There was no indication that he was ill at all.“He was such a character to be around, always showing up unannounced. There will be a huge hole left in many people’s lives by his death.”Mr Hewis was discovered by friends at his flat in Vienna on April 13.He had been a founding member of Great Eastern Stage, a Lincoln-based touring repertory company which ran from 1976 until 1992.A friend of more than 30 years, Paul Wetherby, said: “Bob was special, eccentric, eclectic and true. A fine performer who never stopped learning and creating.“My partner Tina Sharpington taught Bob dance at Bishop Grosseteste College, choreographed him and acted with him with Great Eastern Stage.”The actor was a keen admirer of Lincolnshire’s most famous poet Alfred Tennyson, and was in talks to revisit the county later this year and revise his 1990s one-man show “Distant Voices” about the bard.Former director Bob Carlton, who works at the Queens Theatre in Hornchurch, London, said: “Those of us who worked with him were devastated to hear of his death.“We would like to dedicate our next production of The Hot Mikado to him.”A music service was to be held at St Germain’s Church in Scothern for well wishers in the UK.
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