Anthony Matheson, Renaissance Man
Anthony BROWN was born on October 30th, 1940 in the Black Country. He was immensely proud of being a Black Countryman.
On his first day at school he reportedly went straight up to the teacher and said ‘I’m Anthony Brown I am‘; thus beginning a performing career at the age of just five.
Anthony was many things- a poet, a scientist, a storyteller and a solo backpacker; a social but solitary man. He loved, in no particular order, music, women and beer – two of which led to trouble for the whole of his life. He hated DIY because he wasn’t good at it, and he hated meanness (particularly with regard to beer!).
He was also an honorary Girl Guide as a teenager.
Anthony Brown performed in am dram, then eventually went pro; first stage managing (with those DIY skills! …) then directing – at the Byre in St Andrews (as Anthony Matheson). This led to directing at The Grand in Wolverhampton, then the trek to London, where he minicabbed for a while, and started writing with Peter Tilbury – most notably for the Two Ronnies. Directorship of the Almost Free Theatre in Soho followed. Then into management with his friend, now sadly gone, Mike Paton. During this time he masterminded a huge charity gala headlined by U2, who he thought were very noisy!
Then there was the move into writing and directing award winning corporate videos; segueing into writing films for museums which eventually led to him setting up a heritage production company with Ellie Cockerill.
That took him full circle as the last big job, which only finished about 18 months prior to his death, was back in Worcestershire. This completed the circle, as very many evenings were spent in Stourbridge and the surrounding area with friends from his youth,.
Anthony (Ant) was a man who managed to live his life on his own terms, which was a gift.
Ellie Cockerill