Current and former members of the Tower remember John ......
 As Mr. Micawber in David Copperfield (2012)Annemarie Fearnley remembers :
Heartbroken to hear about John Chapman. It was a pleasure to work with him all that time ago on David Copperfield. I loved sharing book recommendations with him and was pleased that he got to read, and love, Demon Copperhead. He was the force behind the Virtual Tower zoom-plays during lockdown and I truly believe it was because of his enthusiasm the company managed to keep going during that difficult time. We will all miss your fabulous presence on the stage, John. Sending much love to your family.
 As Hermann K in Kafka's Dick (2018)Roanne Insley adds :
John was a passionate advocate of live theatre and he wrote a popular theatre blog (with more than a 1,000 subscribers) - 2nd from Bottom (a reference to his involvement in the RSC Dream Play project) - on which he shared his always-thoughtful and thorough reviews of the many productions that he watched. He coordinated our Tower reviews as well, and had indeed already sorted our programme of reviewers for the Summer Season.
When the Tower (and all theatres) went into Lockdown in 2020, John persuaded our Financial Director to purchase a Zoom licence so that we could continue to pursue our collective passion for theatre through what became Virtual Tower. Our online productions really developed in stature, from being rather stumbling play readings, with actors (and audience) not always remembering to switch microphones on or off at the appropriate moment, to rather more sophisticated shows involving costume and props. John was always well up on the technology - and I am pretty sure that the Tower community was the first to exploit Zoom for theatrical purposes.
 As Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream (2016)David Taylor recollects John's participation in the Tower/RSC production of A Midsummer Night's Dream:
It was in early 2015 that the RSC issued an invitation to amateur theatre groups all over the country to audition for the chance to be part of a national tour of A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Erica Whyman. The idea was that in each city visited (Belfast, Newcastle, Norwich, Truro etc) there would be a local group playing the Mechanicals. I volunteered to lead the bid for the Tower and John was the first to put himself forward. From day one he was the most enthusiastic champion and after several exciting workshops and auditions, our team was offered the London run at the Barbican Theatre and, like all the other companies chosen, given dates at Stratford too. This was an amazing opportunity - a real chance of a lifetime to work with the RSC and a real feather in the cap for our group.John, as Bottom, had the iconic role in the play and he grasped the challenge magnificently. He realised the importance of the opportunity and with positivity and passion he pushed us on. Dream 16 was for him and us the most amazing experience which he documented in his blog and on You Tube. If you’d like to follow or relive the experience through John’s eyes, here is his blog and here's a YouTube video documenting the project.
He will remain an essential central part of that triumphant period with the RSC.
 As the Duke of Norfolk in Wolf Hall (2018)Maria Waters and Adam Moulder were cast members in the show:
Maria writes: "For all of us, it was a tremendously exciting project, but for John it was the opportunity of a lifetime. He embodied the essence of Bottom. We went through every stage of the process together, which he recorded in a blog and amassed a wide readership. Having retired before Dream 16, he continued with the blog after the show and reviewed all sorts of theatrical productions and films, professional and amateur. His enthusiasm for all things theatre and arts persisted throughout his life. He described with glee various roles he had played. He always embodied his characters with enormous energy and gusto and knew an awful lot about theatre. I will miss him."
Adam added: "John's enthusiasm for theatre was unmatched and on A Midsummer Night’s Dream I witnessed how much he loved that experience and saw him work so hard to deliver a great performance. He was always armed with a funny line and ready to throw himself wholeheartedly into everything. We will all really miss him, but we know he lived his best life and can be proud of everything he achieved."
 As Krapp in Krapp's Last Tape (2022)Robert Pennant Jones, who directed John's last performance writes:
John Chapman was a wonderful actor and a friend who made outstanding contributions to my recent Samuel Beckett productions of Krapp’s Last Tape (2022) and All That Fall (2023). He was excellent in Krapp’s Last Tape, taking direction as a cat laps milk, and the performances fully deserved both the unusually large audiences and many splendid reviews.
In All That Fall he and Linda Shannon played Dan and Maddy Rooney at the climax of a play that has elements of doom in their stumbling relationship of a long marriage. John’s death, and Linda’s, who died soon after the production are particularly poignant. The title of the play is taken from the quotation “The Lord upholdeth all that fall and raiseth up those that be bowed down”. The sound direction that follows the line is “They join in wild laughter”. A happy and hopeful note on what is otherwise a great sense of loss for them both.
For all his work at the Tower I have the utmost admiration for John. We have all lost a wonderful colleague.
As Mr. Nick Cricker/Durdles in The Mystery of Edwin Drood (2012)
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As the Cabby in Harvey (2018)
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As the Widower in A Lovely Lunch 'ere (2021) |
As Falstaff in The Merry Wives of Windsor (2019) | | 
As Harvey in Season's Greetings (2012) | | 
As Mr. Rooney in All That Fall (2023) |
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