Laughter and tears at Roy's Funeral
On 19th June 2014, Roy Selfe who died on 6th June was buried at the Chiltern Woodland Burial Park in Beaconsfield. Roy's life touched very many people and the funeral ceremony was packed with friends and family. RDG was represented by 15 members who had known and worked with Roy often over the 44 years he had been a member of RDG. As part of the ceremony, Colin Dolley gave a moving and fitting tribute on behalf of RDG. For the benefit of those who were unable to be present at the funeral, this is repeated below.
ROY
Coronation Day 1953. It was extremely cold and wet. As a young lad I was taken to the Egham celebrations in a bedraggled marquee on Runnymede. Along with his sidekick Jock, Roy burst on to the damp stage and performed some hilarious comic songs ~ And suddenly our coldness melted ~ and the sun shone.
And for the next seven decades Roy continued to bring us sunshine by entertaining a huge number of people through his wonderfully engaging personality. He had that very rare stage gift ~ immediate audience communication. And audiences immediately warmed to him.
In his younger days he played the drums and had been a no-mean trumpet player - but for most of his stage life he enjoyed the amateur theatre. For a few years he was a member of Staines Players and in later years he enjoyed appearing with Hatton Operatic Society.
But for 44 years Roy was a very active member of Runnymede Drama Group where – amazingly - he appeared in 83 productions.
Many of these performances were in comedies where his innate sense of comic timing and easy characterisation always delighted audiences. He appeared in plays by such diverse writers as Shakespeare, Joe Orton and Tom Stoppard while he always found the important balance between the comedy and heartache in the plays of Alan Ayckbourn
Roy also played serious roles – but one of his greatest loves was for musical theatre where all his energy and infectious enthusiasm lit up the stage. There is a whole colourful gallery of roles I could mention ~ but perhaps his favourite part was that of Fagin in Oliver! ~ a role he played with delicious relish on several occasions.
He sometimes directed plays ~ but I feel he was happiest onstage feeling the immediacy of the audiences reactions. That said there was nothing pretentiously showbizzy about Roy. There was a humility about him. He was always seeking ways to improve his performance. He would always make sure his costume and make-up was right. His trusty old make -up box had travelled with him to very many dressing rooms and his large bag of character spectacles was a rich resource on which he built his character. Perhaps that make-up box should be donated to the Theatre Museum. He often quoted that a bit of carmine make-up up the nose could make him look 10 years younger. That was just part of the dressing room banter which was part of the joy of just being with Roy. People just loved being in his company. Young and older actors enjoyed being cast with him. And directors ~ and Judy and I directed him in many plays – always found him a pleasure to work with. Rehearsals were always fun ~ but serious fun!
Roy’s final curtain may have fallen ~ but in so many ways he lives on in other people: fellow actors whose lives he has inspired on stage ~ and the thousands of people he has entertained throughout his long life.
He loved the stage and quite simple knew how to ‘razzle dazzle them’!!
For me Roy lit up that cold day in 1953 ~ and his warmth, joy and sense of fun always remained ~ as I am sure it did for all people who were touched by Roy’s infectious zest for life.
Roy illuminated the stage..
Roy illuminated life..
We have lost a very special man ..
Colin(Dolley) 19th June 2014