The Newsrevue Story

In 1980, Edward Wiley from the Guildhall directed and extremely inventive and slick show, again mostly written by Mike Hodd and Jack Thorington, but with some songs by Richard Quick, which was awarded a Scotsman Fringe First. This show transferred to the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill. Terry Morrison and Lee Cornes were notable members of the first two Edinburgh shows, but anyone who saw these offerings will probably agree that the real star, as an irresistibly charming link-man with impeccable timing, was William Ramsey - now a Merchant Banker.

Lou Stein of the Gate then suggested that NewsRevue might try a try a continuous run in London - late night, with weekly up-dating. The writing commitment required was clearly too much for just two writers to handle, but happily David Hatch, then head of BBC Radio Light Entertainment, and the writing team of Week Ending generously allowed NewsRevue to use scripts submitted to the radio programme.

On 21st March 1981, then, NewsRevue began regular late night shows at 10pm at the Gate. The director was Edward Wiley with Lee Cornes, Mark Elliott and Trevor Cooper in the cast. Mark Jeffries choreographed the musical numbers, which became a real feature of NewsRevue's style. Steve Frost took over from Trevor Cooper when the latter got a proper job, and the show was extended to four nights a week, Thursday through Sunday. This first cast did about four months, surviving a rocky period of poor audiences after a promising start, and the end effectively established NewsRevue. Lee Cornes, Steve Frost, and Mark Elliot, together with Mark Arden, later formed the Wow Show, and this quartet, under Trevor Cooper's direction, returned to do a memorable NewsRevue in 1983.

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