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Actors Belinda Lang, Alison Steadman, David Haig and Maureen Lipman |
Stars come back to celebrate Hampstead Theatre’s 50th
FAMOUS faces from Hampstead Theatre’s past popped champagne at a lavish gala bash on Sunday to celebrate half a century of productions at the venue.
Thousands of pounds swelled the theatre’s coffers at the Swiss Cottage venue, with close to £20,000 being raised through the auction of prizes including theatre tickets, a first edition of Ian Fleming’s Octopussy and the Living Daylights signed by Roger Moore, and the chance to have a drink with actor and tv star Stephen Fry.
Former Tory MP and novelist Jeffrey Archer, who acted as auctioneer, asked members of the audience to donate money to the venue’s youth theatre project, Heat & Light, prompting 36 people to pledge £100 each.
Playwrights Simon Block, Amy Rosenthal and Atiha Sen Gupta, whose debut play What Fatima Did recently ended its run at the theatre, were also there.
Extracts from the 2003 revival of the Hampstead Theatre’s most famous play, Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party, and an extract from the theatre’s current show, I Found My Horn, were performed.
A two-course meal was served, and a raffle raised added £4,000 to the overall amount raised on the night, the full figure for which is yet to be released.
The Hampstead Theatre’s artistic director, Anthony Clark, said: “Our 50th Birthday Party was a huge success both in terms of raising money for the theatre and celebrating the company’s incredible history. Our guests were a mixture of people who have worked with us in the past and supporters who have helped us maintain our artistic vision. |
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