Happy Memories !
'Down Memory Lane' it was called... and it was! Very happily so.
Five wonderful octogenarians and one nonogenarian held us in thrall. Ella Bambery, 98, Gillian Senior, Mary Little, Marion Becroft, Doug Lindsay and Graeme West were ably assisted by a musical number by Barbara Hughes, Robert Harsley with David Dare at the keyboard.
Gillian wrote the piece which incorporated scenes from plays these actors had performed in the era before 2 Albert Street became home - wonderful actors who helped lay foundations solid enough for the company to grow and celebrate a 70th birthday. What an afternoon of reliving wonderful moments with their peers and us juniors, sunshine, warm memories, happy acquaintanceships revived, the stories, the photos... it was just fabulous!
Congratulations Judi Clark, Robyn Legge and Lois Collinder for their wonderful organisation of the event, huge thanks to Alex Begg and Neil Williamson who set up, stage managed and teched, to Bernadette Wheatley and Shirley Sydenham for catering afternoon tea, for Peter Newling who manned Front of House and MC'd as well, and to all those who pitched in and helped out.
And thank you to all those who shared this special event, who filled the house and overflowed into the foyer. One very special guest was June Lownds, whose son and daughter-in-law brought her from Tasmania to enjoy the event... she was the very first person to use our new wheelchair bay!
It was a great start to our 'Pleasant Sunday Afternoons', the next being Sunday 8 May at 2pm,
'A Bakery Doth a Theatre Make', a spotlight on the next era of our history. Can't wait!!
L-R Doug Lindsay, Mary Little, Ella Bambery, Marian Becroft, Graeme West
Peter Newling, President, in the background
The Instigators...Gillian Senior, writer and performer, with Ella Bambery, our oldest member, who two years ago commissioned Gillian to write the piece!
In performance....
Musical interlude from 'The Red Peppers' performed by Barbara Hughes and Robert Harsley accompanied by David Dare at the keyboard
A special visitor from Tasmania: Life Member June Lownds
