Prior to my arrival at Nottingham to study Russian and German I had little interest in the theatre, having only performed in minor parts in school plays –and then only owing to cast shortages. For someone extremely nervous about getting up on stage, I was surprised to find myself in my first year not only doing just that, but attempting to do it in Russian. My first part was Yepikhodov. I remember thinking that it was a good job he could be played somewhat unsure of himself as that was precisely how I felt. This is not to say that I felt unsupported, far from it. Dr Marsh was, despite the odds in my case, indefatigably encouraging. Alongside my squeaky boots and the general confusion I felt about this strange theatre world, I also remember the camaraderie, mixing with the other years in a shared experience, also the undeniable sense of understanding from the inside out a piece of literature hitherto slightly beyond my reach. The next time I got up to do something was as the Fat Man in The Fat Man and The Thin Man (no offense taken.) I can remember performing in it to this day, not least because, in spite of the excessively anxious pacing up and down in the corridor awaiting my entrance, I was beginning to find the whole being on stage thing not only enjoyable, but also somehow entrancing – the nervous energy, the costumes, the set, the props, even the odd bit of make-up all helping to coax the words and the story off the page and into life.

In the fourth year the production was Three Sisters. I remember the studio taking on another totally different configuration and there being a particularly good cast – the benefit of a play with plenty of strong female parts. Benefitting from less men daring to volunteer I got to play Vershinin. So vivid is the memory of the production and the whole experience that I can still remember random bits of the speech when he comes back to report the fire.

The team spirit and the common cause, allied with the pure fun and excitement made this a central part of my time at Nottingham and one that was down in so many ways to the tireless work of Dr Marsh. In fact I enjoyed it all so much that I came back the year after I left to be involved in the next year’s play: Zoya’s Apartment. Again the studio was transformed and another great team was assembled. And amongst the normal challenges we all undertook I particularly remember having to learn how to hiccup on stage – not something I’ve had enough opportunity to practice since sadly. It was such a privilege to perform in these plays and to be so closely connected on each of these occasions to the words and thoughts of the great writers – an unforgettable privilege.

 - Roger Ringrose (German and Russian, 1986-1989)