Express & Star

Stafford theatre pays tribute to Robert Hardy

Tributes have been paid to actor Robert Hardy by theatre bosses in Stafford.

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The actor had a special connection with the Gatehouse Theatre having performed in the first ever Stafford Festival Shakespeare production of Henry V at Stafford Castle in 1991.

The star, whose careers in stage, television and film spanned more than 70 years, was best known for his roles in the Harry Potter film series and also in TV show All Creatures Great And Small.

Paying tribute, Stafford Gatehouse Theatre artistic programme manager and Stafford Festival Shakespeare producer, Derrick Gask, said: “Of the many, many great actors to have graced the Stafford Festival Shakespeare stage, I can think of very few who are remembered as fondly as Robert Hardy.

"His performance as Chorus in our very first production of Henry V helped to raise the festival’s profile enormously and set it on the road to becoming one of the premier outdoor Shakespeare festivals in Europe.

“On behalf of everyone at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre and Stafford Festival Shakespeare, I would like to pay tribute to a fine actor and a wonderful man.

"We owe Robert a huge debt of gratitude and he will be sorely missed.”