My gurus – Simon Thomsett

Simon Thomsett, newly appointed Chief Executive of the Hackney Empire, lists the characters whove influenced him along the way.
Robert Stanton
Bob was the head of the Stage Management & Technical Theatre course at LAMDA when I went there in 1979. He was a man with many years of experience in the commercial theatre world, and was dedicated to his students professional development and instilling in us all a sense of professionalism and a desire to attain the highest possible standards.

Mo Mowlem
Her courage, particularly towards the end of her life, is well known but beyond that her commitment to the well-being of others was genuinely inspirational. She appeared at a benefit at the Empire shortly before she died and utterly charmed the audience with her apparent indifference to her own considerable suffering whilst she plugged the cause.

Kurt Vonnegut
A writer who has been a profound influence ever since I can remember; his range of work from novels with extraordinary flights of fancy to quite brilliant lectures and journalism seemed to cover the range of human possibilities. His short piece on the Biafra crisis in the early 1970s told us more about that tragedy than acres of newsprint or hours of TV documentaries: profound truth expressed clearly, without pretension.

Steve Coppell
Any other fan of Crystal Palace FC will understand this one. One of the clubs great old boys, this footballer-turned-manager guided them to a third place finish in the first season of the Premier League, working with limited resources and precious little budget. He defies the stereotype by adopting a cerebral approach, famously taking and giving notes during games just like any attentive director. His honest approach coupled with an ability to inspire is a lesson in making the very most out of the means at your disposal.

Andrei Tarkovsky
His uncompromising high mindedness and utter dedication to his art reminds us that sometimes its right to aim as high as possible. This was a man who unwillingly suffered for his art, ending up apart from his family, in exile from his Russian homeland. See the films obviously, but also read the diaries and Sculpting in Time to understand his belief in art as a spiritual quest and his conviction in it as a higher calling.