NEW CHILDREN'S THEATRE SCHOOL LEGACY OF A TRAGIC STAR
Widow of Christ actor sets up drama classes in his memory
Published: 14 October, 2010
by JOSIE HINTON
THE wife of a talented West End musical actor who took his own life last year is launching a children’s theatre school in his memory.
Theatreland was left in shock when Lee Rhodes, 38, once the star of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Jesus Christ Superstar, was found dead by a dog walker on Hampstead Heath last May.
Mr Rhodes’s wife Irene, 37, met her “brilliant and funny” husband when they acted together in her first West End show after coming to London from the Philippines.
But now the successful 37-year-old actress, who is currently in West End show Avenue Q, and has appeared alongside top names including Elaine Page and Jason Scott Lee, is firmly back on her feet and set to start children’s West End Babies – which she and Lee had planned to open together.
Mrs Rhodes, who lives with her nine-year-old son Louis in Greencroft Gardens, West Hampstead, described the last year as “difficult” but said she was determined to make the new venture a success.
“It’s been a very difficult time,” she said. “At first I wasn’t motivated to do anything but I knew I had to keep getting up for Louis.
“There was a period where we were thinking of moving to Shropshire where Lee is buried, or moving back to the Philippines where I’m from.
“Then I got a part in a show and that really helped me. It’s a comedy so it was almost like God was saying to me, ‘come on, have a laugh’.
“Then one day I was sitting at home thinking about what I would do when the show closes and I just thought, ‘right, I have to something’. I phoned Holy Trinity primary, where my son is a pupil, to see if I could rent out their premises – and half an hour later I was in a meeting with the headteacher.”
Using a business plan written by her late husband, Mrs Rhodes is launching the company at the school in Maresfield Gardens in time for the autumn half-term break. West End Babies will provide holiday workshops for five to 16-year-olds, taught exclusively by West End performers.
“With some of these theatre schools I’ve noticed the kids are just taught the disciplines of performing arts,” said Mrs Rhodes.
“We want to have fun and put on a show for parents so they can come and see what they’re paying for.”
During the inquest into Mr Rhodes’s death last year, Dr Niall Boyce said that during the actor’s time playing Jesus Christ – when he was 24 – he had seen a therapist and spoke of “over-identification” with the role.
He described feelings of guilt that he could not help and heal on the street, Dr Boyce told the hearing.
Mrs Rhodes said she felt her husband had been let down by mental health services and given the wrong medication.
She added: “I have considered legal action. I know I have a strong case but I’m not sure we are ready to take on something like that. Right now I have to focus on getting back on my feet with West End Babies. I feel that Lee would have wanted me to do this for me and Louis.”
• West End Babies’ first workshop will be on October 25. For more information call 020 7372 1424 or email info@westendbabies.com