The last show star publicist Suzie Howie worked on was A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. At the opening night performance last night in Melbourne, she was farewelled with a standing ovation.
Suzie Howie at a Mary Poppins rehearsal: Photo Ros O'Gorman
Suzie didn’t get to see her final show. She passed away on Thursday after a long battle with cancer.
Director Simon Phillips paid tribute to her at the end of the performance. Her Majesty’s Theatre also dimmed the lights for one minute at 8pm in honour of a lady most loved by Australia’s entertainment industry.
Karl Quinn at The Age has written a wonderful piece articulating the life of Suzie. In his article he wrote how Suzie’s final words to everyone in her self-penned death notice were “Thank you everyone – and enjoy life. I have.”
In a further summary yesterday of about Suzie’s attitude to life, Karl reported Suzie’s equally incredible husband Paul Taylor yesterday saying that when Suzie was first diagnosed with breast cancer her attitude ”was not ‘why me?’ but ‘why not me?’ ”
Karl’s headline “Doyenne of public relations until the very end” sums up Suzie Howie. She will be dearly missed by everyone who knew her.
