All images on this page are courtesy of Linda Thomas. The scrapbook from which this section has drawn material was created by Annie Novac, to whom the creator of this website is deeply grateful.

Shortly after graduating from RADA, in September 1966 Gareth was offered his first paid acting work, at the Yvonne Arnaud Theatre in Guildford, as Understudy for Peter Jones in Angie and Ernie, a play by Peter Jones and K.B. Laffan. He was welcomed to the Company by its Director, Laurier Lister:

Herewith are some pages from the programme, but as an Understudy, Gareth was uncredited.

Nerys Hughes, who played the eponymous heroine, was later to work with Gareth in the television adaptation of Richard Llewellyn’s How Green Was My Valley (1975).

A few weeks later, Gareth joined the Company at the Liverpool Playhouse. There is a newspaper article dated 4th October 1966 (source unknown, possibly The Liverpool Daily Post):

The first Liverpool Playhouse production in which Gareth appeared was John Galsworthy’s A Family Man. The run was from the 26th October to the 5th November 1966. Gareth played Constable Moon. Also in the cast was James Hazeldene, with whom Gareth was to work many years later in London’s Burning. Some pages from the programme are below:

In November 1966, Gareth was cast as the Soldier in the Liverpool Playhouse production of The Little Mrs Foster Show by Henry Livings. There are two photos:

And a programme:

The production of Brer Rabbit advertised here is the one in which Gareth played Brer Bear (programme and review below).

From 29th November to 17th December 1966, the company presented Portrait of a Queen by William Francis, in which Gareth played Viscount Palmerston. There are 3 photographs from this production:

Gareth with Knight Mantell:

Gareth with John Guest:

The programme:

Portrait of a Queen was very-well received. Reviews include this one from The Daily Telegraph, dated 30th November 1966:

The positive reception of the production led to various members of the company, including Gareth, participating in events for local schools to introduce pupils to theatre. The following item appeared in The Liverpool Daily Post on 12th December 1966:

From 21st December 1966 until 14th January 1967, Brer Rabbit by John English was performed at the Liverpool Playhouse with Gareth as Brer Bear. No photographs seem extant but there is a programme:

Brer Rabbit seems to have been quite a hit. The following review was published in the Liverpool Daily Post on 22nd December 1966:

From 28th February to 18th March, John Thaw starred in the Liverpool Playhouse adaptation of Jules Verne’s Around the World in 80 Days, with Gareth playing several different supporting roles. Herewith the programme:

Gareth accompanied John Thaw and other members of the company as they participated in events for schools in the Liverpool area in March 1967:

These sessions proved to be very successful and led to invitations from individual schools. There is a brief newspaper article mentioning one visit in particular, which was clearly focused on Dylan Thomas (source unknown):

Gareth’s final professional appearance for the Liverpool Playhouse was in Jock on the Go, performed between 21st March and 8th April 1967. There is a programme:

There is also a newspaper review of the production with a photograph (source unknown):

Gareth’s next theatrical engagement after the Liverpool Playhouse was to be with the Derby Playhouse.