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Featured Member - June 2005
David
Goodchild is the featured member for June, 2005.
Born
within the sound of Bow Bells – yes, another Pom - David
began his working life apprenticed to his Uncle, a carpenter.
This engendered a "love affair" with wood which persists
to this day.
He
also served 10 years in the RAF as ground crew, finishing with
the rank of Corporal and, in 1969, emigrated to Perth with his
wife and daughter. Once here he got a job with the Government
Printing Office as an engineering technician. (Any rumours that
he made the presses fly are strictly untrue).
Deciding
that other parts of Australia deserved his presence, David and
his family moved east for a few years before they realised that
Perth was the best place to be and returned, with a new son
and another on the way.
Until
now David had no particular interest in theatre but his wife
was tricked into doing a stint as Stage manager at the Melville
Theatre Company. David became her ‘personal chauffeur’
and word soon got round about his expertise as a carpenter.
Eyes lit up all over the theatre and he was asked to help in
the building of one of the sets, for the One Act season. The
pattern was set and he now finds himself as the mainstay of
the set-building team at Melville. His 'piece de resistance'
was the construction of an English conservatory for the play
‘Dangerous Obsessions’, a brilliant example of set
design and construction which was admired by all who saw it.
Just
in case he may be tempted to distribute his talent elsewhere,
David has also been persuaded to work the bar at Melville and
on show nights, may be seen dispensing alcohol in place of sawdust.
Thank
you for all your work David. Long may our association continue!
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