Hi, my name is Lynne and I have been lucky to call Gran Alacant home for the last 6 years.  People fascinate me and I love to hear about their adventures and life stories.  Over the next few months, I will be sharing some interviews with GA’s very own Superstars! 

Antony Edwards

This month’s interview is with Antony Edwards. Antony is a father, doting grandfather, intrepid explorer and thespian.  He has an impressive list of over 200 leading roles in a professional, semi professional and amateur capacity, under his belt. 

Antony lived in Worcestershire in the West Midlands for most of his life. He has an MBA in Business from London and Bath University and is Managing Director/Owner at International Umbrella Ltd.

Antony, tell me about your family

“I married my life partner Alison in 1977; we met when I was 19 and were together for 50 happy years. We have 3 adopted children ( 2 boys, 1 girl and the youngest 2 are half-brother and sister). We have 5 grandchildren, 4 of which currently live in Australia. When our children came along, my wife was working as a nurse and I was Head of Customer Services at Cheltenham & Gloucester Building Society so we ticked a lot of the boxes for adoption.”

Tom, Antony’s eldest, directs for ABC TV in Albany Australia. 

What brought you to GA?

“We were looking to buy a second home in the sun.  We have a time-share in Marbella, which was part of the Marriott Hotels chain, so we already enjoyed family time in Spain.  During an organised bus tour we were shown around potential locations for our new house.  When we arrived in GA, I stood on the spot where my house is now built and I knew straight away that I wanted to live there.  The location is ideal as it is so easy to fly to Alicante.”

Antony bought the house in 2003 and came  to live here permanently 2 years ago.  

Tell me more about your role with International Umbrella Ltd

“I work 5 half days a week from home running an Accountancy Umbrella Company.  I have been doing this for the past 15 years.  We help companies, consultants and employers manage contracts across Europe and Internationally. It is a very complex niche market and we are specialists in the Engineering and IT Industries.”

What are you passionate about?

“I love to act.  I have always been interested in acting. My father encouraged me to enter singing and acting competitions when I was younger and I usually won.”

Antony and I chatted about his extensive and impressive acting and singing career spanning 5 decades on stage and on BBC TV.  Roles in My Fair Lady, Carousel, Calamity Jane, Oklahoma, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on The Roof to name only a few.  The list goes on!  Antony retired from singing roles when he was 42 and went out with a bang playing Professor Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady.

His favourite role on stage was playing the tragic jester Jack Point in The Yeomen of the Guard, which includes the lament 

“I have a song to sing oh!”  

His TV appearances includes Poldark, Traveller in Time, Dr Who and David Hare’s Licking Hitler.

Antony played on stage in Spain for the first time in the ACTS production Murdered to Death earlier this year. Murdered to Death is an Agatha Christie style play and Antony has been offered a part in the sequel Secondary Cause of Death coming out in March next year.

Antony said, “When I read the script I loved it immediately”. Antony visibly lights up when he talks about acting and when he talks about his granddaughter Alexia-May who he has recently been spending quality family time with.

Antony, tell me more about ACTS

“ACTS is a company based in Rojales consisting of approximately 40 people coming together to produce good quality plays.  ACTS came at a perfect time in my life.  It has been a welcome distraction and has given me a new lease of life.”

Travel 

Antony recently enjoyed his first holiday on his own, a river cruise starting in Hungary going to Oberammergau (Bavaria, Germany) to see the Passion Play. 

The Oberammergau Passion Play was first performed in 1634. According to local legend, the play is performed every ten years because of a vow made by the inhabitants of the village that if God spared them from the effects of the bubonic plague then sweeping the region, they would perform a passion play every ten years. The play is now performed in years ending with a zero. The 2020 play was postponed to 2022 due to the outbreak of COVID-19. It involves over 2000 actors, singers, instrumentalists and technicians, all residents of the village. Antony said he would like to add South America on his list of countries he would like to visit.

What is the best thing about living in GA?

“The people.  I have met and formed friendships with some very nice people.  There is a great community feel and people genuinely help each other. I enjoy being part of the Book Club, ACTS and I love it when my family come to visit.”

Thank you for your time and for sharing your story with us.