The past 12 months have been a very busy year for the Founder Friends when we were lucky enough to see a dozen shows at NWT and at least six shows in the West End. We’ve also enjoyed a host of brilliant speakers at our monthly meetings.

Shows at NWT

Officer and A Gentleman, Jesus Christ, Superstar and the ever-popular Hairspray, were all enjoyed plus Ghost The Musical and Here You Come Again, (The New Dolly Parton Musical) and Blood Brothers.

The Christmas panto was Jack and The Beanstalk starring Alexandra Burke and Joe Pasquale, followed by our After Show Cast Party, when Joe Pasquale and Ceri Dupree, who played Dame Trott, came and spent some time with the Friends.

Visits to West End and Richmond

A great favourite was the hit show Hello Dolly starring Imelda Staunton and the ‘naughty but nice’ panto Robin Hood at the London Palladium. At Richmond Theatre we saw Bird Song and their Christmas panto, Beauty and the Beast starring Dame Maureen Lipman and our very own Ben Stock wearing some outlandish wigs and frocks.

Highlights

The Founder Friends were lucky enough to be entertained by the talented Actress and Singer, Miss Anita Harris, who treated us to a handful of amusing stories about her career and included some of her memorable songs.

We also enjoyed our President Jan Hunt’s Magnificent Music Hall On-Stage Session, starring the legendary Basil Brush and a couple of amazing Salvation Army ladies, one of whom played the spoons. Wonder who that was?

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