Some of you are aware that Owen was unexpectedly hospitalised last week. I'm very very sorry to let you know that he died on the morning of 2 December 2025 in Northampton General Hospital.

Owen was stalwart, in the proper sense of the word, of Masque Theatre. He joined the group in 1969 for the summer show Twelfth Night and was about to perform in The Old Curiosity Shop, He seems to have been in at least one play each season ever since he joined us, let alone his tour deforce Burns Nights enactment of Albert and the Lion!

Owen's first role with Masque Theatre was in 1969 as the priest in Twelfth Night. This summer, Owen's final part with Masque was also as the priest in Twelfth Night.

As a Life Member of Masque, and just being Owen, he will be very, very much missed.

In 2019, Owen celebrated his 50th year with Masque Theatre. This article, by Martin Borley-Cox, was published in Masque's in-house magazine.

Owen's first production, aged 21, was in 1969 in John Cartwright's production of Twelfth Night. He played the priest and recalls having to sit through all five acts before making his entrance. Owen had been encouraged to join Masque to combat his shyness and, to this day, in the rehearsal room he is quiet and unassuming. But he can command the stage with a booming voice.

My first Masque production was in 1989 when I was cast alongside Owen in Michael Frayn's Alphabetical Order and my first summer show was 1992's Twelfth Night when Owen gave an astonishingly good performance as Malvolio, full of vulnerability. John Lott, who directed that production, says: "When cast intelligently, Owen is remarkably sensitive to the characters, Malvolio being a prime example." John adds: "We worked together on innumerable productions and he was ever dependable and great to direct".

Rob Kendall has worked on many productions with Owen: "His first role with me was as the dad in Joe Orton's Entertaining Mr Sloane in 2000," says Rob. "And he was beguiling as Prospero, in 2012's The Tempest." Other highlights, according to Owen, are Lexy in Candida (1978), Firs in The Cherry Orchard (1979), Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream (1988) and Sir Toby Belch in Twelfth Night (2005).

Not everything, of course, always goes to plan. Owen recalls playing Bardolph in 2016's Henry V. "During the siege of Harfleur, I fell on stage, breaking my right wrist. I knew something was wrong with it but I carried on, changing costume and coming back on as the Duke of Burgundy".

Owen is currently recovering from more broken bones: another fall, this time in July whilst walking the dog, resulted in multiple fractures to his shoulder and subsequent surgery. But he hopes to be back on stage next year.

The role he'd love to do? It's King Lear. But Owen jokes: "I might have to do it in a wheelchair".

What he likes about Masque is the friendship and teamwork. "Working together, we can
achieve something," he says. "And when you feel rapport from the audience, it makes it really worthwhile".

Congratulations, Owen, on your half century with Masque. And I for one would love to see Lear in a wheelchair.