We are sad to record the recent death of Chris Morris, much loved friend and fellow performer, and member of BROS since 2004.
Archivist Wes Henderson-Roe writes:
Chris joined BROS like so many others before him after the call went out for ‘more men’ to populate the chorus of Singin’ in the Rain at Richmond Theatre in 2004 where his brother Will was MD. Later that same year he appeared as Geoffrey the only male in Stepping Out at the Parkshot studio theatre, and later still in the ensemble of Chess at Hampton.
He next appeared the following year as a ‘Gentleman of Japan’ at Hampton Hill Playhouse (now Theatre) in The Hot Mikado. In 2006 he featured as Jimmy Winters in Oh, Kay! later appearing on the cover of Amateur Stage magazine with his co-lead Sue Astbury, and then as ‘Turkey’ in Honk! at the Arthur Cotterill theatre in Kingston.
His first visit to The Minack Theatre was in 2007 in Man of La Mancha where he played the Innkeeper, famously creating a board game from driftwood and pebbles which he played on stage. The Centenary year of 2008 saw him in three of our four productions that year. Firstly, in the ensemble of Thoroughly Modern Millie at Richmond Theatre, then as Mr Stanley in Flora, the Red Menace at Hampton, and finally back at Richmond for the end of year Gala.
He returned to the Minack in 2009 as a rejected lover in Evita! and 2011 as Benny Southstreet in Guys & Dolls, and again in 2013 as Fatty Arbuckle in Mack & Mabel. He also produced What You Will in 2010 which his brother had written, and in 2011 played Edward in When Midnight Strikes, both at Hampton.
In 2014 he was part of a select cast playing in Musical of Musicals, the musical! in the Coward Studio which collectively won the best musical category in that year’s Swan awards. Then in 2015 he was in the ensemble for How to Succeed in Business again at Hampton.
Chris returned to Minack in 2016 as Jigger Craigin in Carousel, then later that year played Roger de Bris in The Producers at Hampton. 2017 saw him in the ensemble for Made in Dagenham and in 2018 he was Ed Kleban in A Class Act at Hampton.
His final appearance on stage with BROS was in the Chorus of Sister Act back at The Minack in 2019 before ill health curtailed his ability to perform. In recent years he was a stalwart supporter of all BROS & many TTC productions (for whom he had appeared on numerous occasions most notably as the eponymous lead in Dick Barton, Special Agent in 2016) His wonderfully lyrical singing will be much missed.
BROS brought Chris a great deal of joy over the years, and he gave that joy back to every person who had the pleasure of knowing him. He was far too young to leave us, and he will be deeply missed.
