Theatre News

Galas: One More Time, Pinter, Mortimer & Ravens

An all-star line-up including Jersey Boys, Ruthie Henshall, Ray Quinn and Steve Balsamo has been unveiled for next month’s gala One More Time, held in aid of Breakthrough Breast Cancer at the Piccadilly Theatre on 4 October 2009.

The gala is organised by Danielle Leslie, a dance and performing arts teacher from North London, who founded the charity Future Dreams with her mother last year after they were both diagnosed with breast cancer. Together they organised One Night Only at the Savoy Theatre last November, which raised £300,000 for Breakthrough Breast Cancer.

Danielle’s mother, Sylvie Henry, lost her battle with the disease in July this year, but her daughter is continuing her fight and has recruited a host of West End stars for next month’s fundraiser.

Gaby Roslin, Vernon Kaye, Patrick Kielty, Donna Air and Angellica Bell will co-host One More Time, which will feature performances from the casts of  Jersey Boys and Thriller Live alongside stars including Jonathan Ansell, Ray Quinn, Steve Balsamo, Ruthie Henshall, Hannah Waddingham and Sally Ann Triplett.

For further information visit www.futuredreams.org.uk


In other gala news:

  • This Sunday (27 September) at 7pm, in the Long Room at Lords Cricket Ground, the late Harold Pinter will be honoured by English cricket charity The Lords Taverners with a special concert of words and music starring Bill Nighy, Samuel West, Sir Peter Hall, Janie Dee, Penelope Wilton, Timothy West, Roger Lloyd Pack and Jeremy Irons. All proceeds will go to the Taverners fund for a Pinter minibus to help cricket-loving children in Hackney. Call 0207 821 2805 for tickets.
  • The Royal Court has confirmed details of its gala night in celebration of the late John Mortimer. John Mortimer at the Court… and later at the Bar will be staged on 15 November in the Jerwood Theatre Downstairs, curated by playwright Stephen Jeffreys and featuring performances from actors including Sinead Cusack, Joanna David, Edward Fox, Jeremy Irons, Richard Johnson, Emily Mortimer, Alessandro Nivola and Harriet Walter. Tickets will cost £125 each, and proceeds will go to the Royal Court’s Writers Development Fund.
  • Renowned impressionist Jan Ravens will present a one-off West End performance of her autobiographical show Jan Ravens – A Funny Look at Impressions, at the Lyric Theatre on 5 October. The evening is being held in aid of Changing Faces, a UK charity that supports and represents people who have disfigurements of the face or body.
  • A one-off performance of much-loved Gershwin musical Crazy For You will take place on 18 October 2009 at London Palladium, with all proceeds being donated to the UK charity Cecily’s Fund, dedicated to helping Zambian orphans and other impoverished children. The cast, who only have 48 hours in which to rehearse the show, includes “West End professionals … a fireman, a naval officer and an attorney”.