Coventry’s Belgrade has honoured Dr Richard Sadler, the theatre’s official photographer from 1958 to 1994, by naming a seat after him in the venue’s 858-seat auditorium.
The seat, which features an engraved plaque in honour of the photographer’s 36-year service, has been unveiled along with an ornamental clock face dedicated to the photographer which forms part of a public art piece on display in the theatre’s foyer.
As the Belgrade approaches its 60th anniversary, Coventry company Photo Archive Miners has been commissioned to digitise Sadler’s Belgrade Theatre collection which includes a vast archive of more than 1,200 images documenting the theatre’s history.
Belgrade artistic director Hamish Glen said, “Richard’s photographs are an extraordinary and invaluable record of the theatre’s history and people from its very early days.”
During his time at the Belgrade, Dr Sadler photographed many famous faces early in their careers including David Suchet, Irene Handl, Susan Hill, Robert Lindsay, Leslie Grantham and Rosemary Leach.
He went on to become a lecturer at Derby University where he was awarded an honorary doctorate. He is a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society.