When I look back on my life at the New Theatre Cardiff, it feels impossible that 50 years have passed. In many ways, it feels like yesterday that I was a schoolboy carrying suitcases full of sandwiches into the building for the Welsh National Opera, made by my parents at home. Yet somehow those days turned into decades, and before I knew it, the theatre had become my second home.
My connection with the New Theatre began long before I officially started work. After Cardiff Council purchased the theatre in 1968 and reopened it following refurbishment, my mother joined the staff in 1969. Through her, I found myself constantly in and out of the building. I would help behind the bars, stock vending machines, prepare food for events and spend countless hours soaking up the atmosphere of a working theatre.
When I left school in 1976, I started work almost immediately. I finished school on a Friday and was employed at the theatre by the Monday. While studying confectionery and bakery at college, I worked every evening and weekend at the New Theatre to support myself. I wore a bow tie as an attendant, greeted audiences and, when I got the chance, slipped into the auditorium to watch the second half of performances. The theatre was already becoming part of who I was.
Over the years, I took on almost every job imaginable. I worked in the cellar, organised stock, created what became our maintenance department, repaired seats, painted dressing rooms and corridors, fixed toilets, changed posters across Cardiff and helped with stage get-ins and get-outs. If something needed doing, I wanted to do it.
My dedication was recognised on my 21st birthday. I was summoned to General Manager Peter Lee’s office, fearing I had done something wrong. Instead, I was handed my promotion to Assistant House Manager. It remains one of the proudest moments of my career.
The theatre itself changed dramatically during my time. I witnessed Cardiff Council take direct control in 1985 and lived through the major refurbishment of 1987-88. Watching the building transform while preserving its character was a privilege. Every improvement felt personal because I had invested so much of myself in its walls.
One of the great joys of working here has been meeting extraordinary people. I remember talking with Richard Burton during the 1981 Royal Variety Performance attended by His Royal Highness Prince Charles. Burton paced the corridor rehearsing while I tried not to distract him too much. I also welcomed Princess Margaret and Princess Diana on separate visits.
Other unforgettable encounters included Marlene Dietrich, Bette Davis, Tommy Cooper, Morecambe and Wise, and countless stars of theatre, opera and entertainment. Tommy Cooper remains a particular favourite memory. What I expected to be a quick request for an autograph turned into a half-hour conversation in his dressing room. Months later, he even sent me a signed photograph.
The Welsh National Opera was another huge part of my working life. For more than 35 years, the company called the New Theatre home, and I worked alongside generations of performers, staff and audiences who loved opera as much as I loved the theatre itself.
But what I cherish most is not the royalty or the celebrities. It is the people. The colleagues who became lifelong friends. The audience members I have greeted year after year. The families who have shared special nights under this roof. Some are still with us, some are sadly gone, but all are part of the New Theatre story.
Fifty years have passed in what feels like the blink of an eye. The theatre has changed, Cardiff has changed and I have changed too. Yet every day I still feel the same pride I felt as a young lad walking through those doors. The New Theatre has never just been a workplace for me. It has been my life, my community and my family.
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A special day to celebrate Phil’s incredible milestone
New Theatre Cardiff celebrated the remarkable milestone as Buildings and Maintenance Manager Phil Sage marked 50 years of service at the venue.
The special event brought together current and former staff to honour Phil’s outstanding contribution, with guests sharing memories, stories and plenty of laughter from across his five decades at the theatre.
To mark the occasion, Theatre Director Stephan Stockton presented Phil with an engraved wooden flyrail cleat from 1906, an original feature from the theatre’s opening year. And in a fitting tribute, one of Phil’s favourite boilers has also been named in his honour.
Stephan said: “It was great to see so many familiar faces coming together to celebrate Phil’s time here. An anniversary like this is about more than just years of service; it’s about the relationships built along the way. The warmth and affection shown by former and current colleagues alike was a fitting reflection of Phil’s impact on everyone who has had the pleasure of working with him.”
