EPISODE 28: “love makes the world go round” with David Thacker & Margot Leicester
Image centres around our guests Margot (Left) and David (Right) leaning their heads against each other smiling. Margot has shoulder length grey hair and is wearing a cream blouse and grey jacket, David has short grey hair with blue shirt collar and dark jacket. Image is surrounded by a pink border with the F**king Normal logo top left and episode title in yellow at bottom: “Episode 28: “Love makes the world go round” with David Thacker and Margot Leicester.”
In this week’s episode, Lauren and Rina sit down with the accomplished theatrical duo David Thacker and Margot Leicester to discuss their experiences as parents of their youngest adult daughter, Elizabeth, who is autistic and has learning difficulties. In this warm and inspiring conversation, David and Margot reflect on their journey raising a disabled child and adult, offering heartfelt wisdom on what truly matters most.
Content Warnings
Strong Language warning
Diagnosis
Guest Biographies
Margot was brought up in Middleton, Manchester with her younger brother. As a child, Margot always knew she wanted to be an actress and spent most of her time at the University of Leicester, where she studied English, acting in student productions. Spotted at the National Student Drama Festival in Exeter, she was invited to join the Exeter Northcott Theatre and has acted ever since, playing in regional theatres throughout the UK, at the National theatre, in several London theatres, in the West End, and on Broadway. Margot has appeared regularly on television.
David was born in Higham Ferrers Northamptonshire and at six months his family moved to nearby Rushden where he was brought up with his two older sisters and his younger brother. He went to the University of York to study English and stayed to study for an MA in Shakespeare. He discovered his love for directing with the University Drama Society and directed several plays there. His first job was as an Assistant Stage Manager at York Theatre Royal, and he has worked in theatre and television since. He has been artistic director of three theatres, the Young Vic, Duke’s Playhouse Lancaster, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Director-in-Residence at the Royal Shakespeare Company. He has directed over 150 productions throughout the UK and internationally. David has also directed extensively for BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and WGBH Boston (USA). He continues to work as a freelancer and combines this with his role as Professor of Theatre and Film at University of Bolton.
Margot and David met in 1982 when David was Artistic Director of Duke’s Playhouse Lancaster and Margot acted there. They fell in love and have been together since, often working together across theatre, film and television.
In a voluntary capacity, Margot is a trustee of Haringey Shed inclusive youth theatres and David was a governor of a primary and comprehensive school in Muswell Hill. They have four children and four grandchildren and live in Crouch End, London.
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