Go Furness

From Fame to Flame

Denis grew up in Blackpool and after time as a bingo caller, apprentice compositor and market gardener began his proper working life in the civil service in London’s Lincoln’s Inn Fields. However, this did not pay at all well so he did bar work to pay for essentials like food.

Moving around from job to job, including selling encyclopaedias, he started going to evening courses in acting and set design and building which took him into amateur theatre. Gradually, he became more involved in London’s active amateur and semi pro theatre and ended up at East 15 Acting School, the ‘school of rebellion’ originally set up by Joan Littlewood and was soon recognised as having very valuable abilities. Leaving E15 ‘by mutual agreement’, he fast-tracked himself and developed an amazing career of ‘organised and systematic rebellion in the arts!’

Eventually he was stage managing at the Players Theatre, as well as working for an oil company during the day but soon got fed-up with London. He returned to the North and took on the role of General Manager of Chester Gateway Theatre at the tender age of 24. He learned fast and on his feet. He worked with a number of stars including David Suchet, during his 4 years with this company. It was at Chester that he developed his skills and developing and running working systems – the job had to built from the ground up – the theatre did not accurately know what money was coming in or going out. As well as learning on the job he had to cope with a difficult director, the major Chester Festival and the introduction of decimal currency and VAT along with rampant inflation.

He then took on the Renaissance Theatre Trust in Ulverston and he moved and settled in Furness. In early 1974 while on a study tour, he went to see an avant-garde theatre company in Burnley called Welfare State who he brought to Furness to do a residency in Barrow in 1975. Some years later this Welfare State International established themselves in Ulverston and they made a huge impact on the cultural development of the town. Under the Welfare State umbrella, a remarkable group of engineers, musicians, sculptors, performers, poets and pyrotechnicians invented and developed site-specific theatre in landscape, lantern processions, spectacular fireshows, community carnivals and participatory festivals. From 1983 WSI championed local participation in lantern parades, street flag displays and carnival performance from its new base in Ulverston, Cumbria. Today Ulverston is known as a ‘Festivals Town’ where culture and economic regeneration go hand in hand.

Renaissance presented over 200 performances a year throughout Cumbria ranging from small scale tours in and for schools to large scale visits by the Royal Shakespeare Company, English Touring Opera and English National Ballet and small scale theatre, music, poetry, jazz, literature and street theatre as well as the innovative Ulverston Lecture Series and Night Out Club. However in 1994 the major funding bodies withdrew their grants and Denis moved on. Renaissance’s work is still sadly missed by many people.

He took on other jobs, including a financial consultancy with The Dukes Playhouse and other freelance work in Newcastle, Edinburgh, Cardiff and London plus chairing the Afro-Caribbean Irie! Dance Theatre.
Then, in 1996, Denis took his entrepreneurial spirit into a completely different industry. He was asked by his brother to advise on management systems for a company, Bycosin Marine, in Piraeus, Greece selling marine fuel additives to shipping companies. In 2000 following a policy change by the international directors the company altered direction and has developed a unique marine analysis service.

The company, now named Flame Marine, is based in Cyprus, with an admin office in Ulverston and working directors in Southern Ireland, Singapore and Brisbane. Denis continued to develop the financial and administration systems of the business. As a share holder he is keen to re-learn everything and at 62 years old, is still learning. As you read this, new intuitive software for the company is being developed.

Flame Marine is now the leading independent company of its kind. Once the software has been developed, the company could take on even bigger proportions. They are currently developing environmental compliance reports which could really position them as market leaders with the non-independent companies. Environmental compliance is not yet being policed and this forward-thinking development will put them one step ahead of the game when it is.
Denis’s story is inspiring. He demonstrates how it is possible to transfer skills, experiences and hard work from one industry to another and is a sterling example of how it is never too late to develop as an entrepreneur. He still flits around the edges of the arts scene in town, we have been very grateful of his wisdom and support as he helps out with some of Ulverston Community Arts Network’s activities and events.

His advice to young people who want to set up in business?

• If at all possible get a job with someone else and then develop your business ideas in your own time
• There is lots of short-term money available in the arts, but it might not be sustainable. Be careful about putting all of your eggs in one basket.
• Make sure your idea is a good one. Test it out. Do your market research. Ask people and meet with other business people.

For more information about Flame Marine visit the website at www.flamemarine.com.

Renaissance footnote.

Renaissance has a bursary fund for young Furness people wanting to study the performing arts and a grants fund for events in Furness. Details from Denis on d.mcgeary@btopenworld.com

---

Posted by Kay Hebbourn on 14th October.