Sat 27th Feb. The Ivy League!
Although officially tomorrow, like the Queen I had two birthdays! Today was the Brick Lane Music Hall Birthday, complete with chocolate cake and a boquet handed to me while the entire company & audience sang “Happy Birthday!”. How good is that?
Thanks one and all at BLMH for a very jolly working Birthday!
Today we had a matinee tea, and visitors included a group from the Kenneth More Theatre, headed by Alan Hardy, and with them Margaret Brice.
Margaret has been responsible for making costumes for the KM Theatre for over twenty five years, and made the Ugly Sister costumes for Peter Robbins and myself since 1981. When I began solo Dame, it was Margaret who came out of retirement and created some more fabulous costumes, and with her Bermans training ever to the fore, her costumes last seemingly forever! Thank you Margaret- the gorgeous green number Poison Ivy wears below is a tribute to you!
Ivy discovers Daisy Themed Knickers!
The show was very jolly today, with a great crowd in. Heard from our mate Sherrie Hewson today that all is going well at the BBC Rehearsal rooms in South London for “Are You Being Served” the reboot. They work through this weekend, then regroup next Thursday at BBC Salford Media Centre, filming in front of a live audience on Saturday- a week today!
Some of the posters painted on the walls of the Music Hall. Ben Goffe (Rusty’s son) is billed there as you can see. He has just opened in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” for the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford. Rusty and Sarah will be heading to Warwickshire on Wednesday to see the show.Great reviews for Ben too!
I noticed a couple of photo frames as I was front of House yesterday. This one reminded me that Peter & I played “Sisters” for a charity evening with our mate Britt Ekland for Vincent at Brick Lane. Danny La Rue was there with Annie (he won a Black & Decker Workmate in the raffle. I remember Annie explaining what it was! Imagining Danny changing his catchphrase to “Wotcher Workmates!”).
In the pictures above you can see Dame (how fabulous is that!) Barbara with Scott and Vincent, and John Inman with Peter Robbins, and I spotted the lovely Joan Reagan, Frankie Vaughan, and a host of other celebs at the previous building.
Here’s a close up from the second frame. There’s (back row) Vincent and Peter Robbins and infront Desmond Wilcox, me and the lovely Esther Rantzen at the charity bash.
Backstage with Vincent 2016 with Eleanor who helped with the scenic construction .
We have a break now as Panto winds down. Only two performances left- the time has flown! Next week there is a Traditional Music Hall tea, and a Panto Matinee on Thursday and our final Panto performance on Saturday evening!
