Tributes have been paid to an actress who died backstage after performing at a Nottingham theatre. Josephine Melville passed away backstage at Nottingham Playhouse following her performance in the play Nine Night on Thursday, October 20.
The actress, who played Tessa Parker in EastEnders during the 1980s, was starring as Maggie in production. Josephine received immediate assistance from Nottingham Playhouse first aiders and a medically qualified member of the Nine Night audience. She was quickly treated by paramedics but sadly passed away at the scene.
In a joint statement, co-producers of the play Nottingham Playhouse and Leeds Playhouse said their thoughts and deep condolences were with Josephine’s family. They added support was being offered to her family, onstage and production crew and all staff.
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All performances of Nine Night at Nottingham Playhouse have been cancelled, with Nottingham Playhouse stating bookers would be contacted. The joint statement said: "Josephine was a truly wonderful and well-loved person, a revered and deeply respected performer, director, producer, archivist and writer, and a tremendous Auntie Maggie in Nine Night."
Stephanie Sirr, chief executive of Nottingham Playhouse, said: “We send our love and condolences to Jo’s family and friends . On a deeply tragic and extremely difficult evening we want to pay tribute to the company of Nine Night and to the whole Nottingham Playhouse team who managed the situation with empathy and professionalism.”
James Brining, chief executive and artistic director of Leeds Playhouse, added: “We are profoundly saddened by Jo’s passing and add our condolences to her family and loved ones. We were truly honoured to work with her on this wonderful co-production of Nine Night and are doing everything we can to support her family, the company and staff across both theatres.”
She arrived in Walford as Tessa Parker, a college friend of Kelvin Carpenter, in 1986 and reappeared in the soap in 2005 as Ellie Wright for one episode. She appeared in the 1987 film Empire State and starred in The Bill, Pie in the Sky and Prime Suspect. In the 2000s, Josephine starred in Little Miss Jocelyn, L8r and Hold the Sunset. This year she completed filming for the new sci-fi thriller Slammer playing Detective Russell.
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