29th December 2009

The end of the Xmas Revue saw saw HCP donating over £1000 to local causes, which was a great result particularly in todays economic climate.



December also saw the arrival of a Comminity Service Award from the Southampton West Rotary Club to say thankyou to HCP for appearing at their 'Music of the 40s' event with Swing Unlimited and belting out a few tunes from 'Happy As A Sandbag'.

Hurrah for HCP. And have a Happy New Year.

15th September 2009

The annual bowling competition took place recently and the closly fought Shelley Gould romp home to first place. Well done, Shelley!

Special mention goes to Barney Smith who won the special achievement award. Both are pictured proudly displaying their silverware.

23rd July 2009

Highcliffe Charity Players have donated £600 to the Evelina Appeal to help sponsor children to take part in the National Transplant Games.

The cheque was presented by HCP Chairman, Georgina Smith to fellow HCP member, Malcolm George, at the opening night of the Company’s sell-out summer revue, I’m Not Being Funny…But.. at St Mark’s Hall, Highcliffe (21st July ’09).

Malcolm’s son, seven-year-old Archie, was diagnosed with end stage renal failure when he was four weeks old and received a kidney transplant from his Dad at the age of two at Guy’s Hospital in London.

“Archie has been to the Games three times now and really enjoys them’, says Malcolm. “He is looking forward to attending again next year. They are a great experience for both children and parents but are sadly not funded. Competing in the Games costs, on average, £600 a child.’

Every year the Evelina Trust raises money to take a team to the National Transplant Games, where the participants, who have all received a life saving organ transplant, are able to demonstrate their return to fitness and show that an organ donation can have a really positive outcome.

The team is supported by the Evelina Appeal and the Kidney Patients’ Association, but still needs to raise £10,000 each year to subsidise the cost of travelling and taking part.

Georgina told the packed first night audience at St. Mark’s Hall: ‘Since the beginning of April we have donated approximately £1,500 to a variety of causes, including the Lighthouse Project in memory of our good friend Les Acton and the Anthony Nolan Trust. We’ve even the donated a new carpet for the stage here at St. Mark’s.

‘But we are particularly delighted to be able to support one of our own members and help the Evelina Appeal in the wonderful work they do in getting children and their families to the truly inspirational Transplant Games.’

PHOTO:
HCP Chairman Georgina Smith presents £600 cheque for the Evelina Appeal to fellow HCP member
Malcolm George.

9th July 2009

It is with great sadness that we have to inform you that Les Acton has lost his long battle with cancer and passed away recently.

He will be greatly missed, not only as a fantastic sound engineer but as a Charity Player and as a very good friend. Les has tirelessly helped most groups who have ever used the Regent, and his passing will be greatly felt by the local theatre community as a whole. These few words cannot sum up the wealth of feeling Les inspired with his professionalism, his warmth, and above all his unwavering support and friendship.

So we shall dedicate our next show to the memory of Les..... who bore his illness with such dignity and who was always so very proud to be a part of us.

God bless you, Les. Words fail.

Last Sunday David Gillard MBE was invited to reprise his Happy As A Sandbag role of Winston Churchill for ‘War on the Line’, a World War Two nostalgia event organised by the Watercress Line, a steam train line run by enthusiasts which runs between New Alresford and Alton in Hampshire.  The public are encouraged to wear 1940s dress for the occasion, military enthusiasts put on their different uniforms and there is 40s music, 40s nosh (He was treated to corned beef hash at the NAAFI), jiving and jitterbugging. Lorraine Rowan who sings regularly at the event was also there to give the crowds some of the big Sandbag numbers.

David's duties included inspecting a guard of honour at New Alresford station, going up and down the line guarded by three Military police and an army squad and giving the ‘Blood, toil, tears and sweat’ speech for a group of New forest Normandy veterans (including a 93-year-old) who held a D-Day memorial service.

Other members of HCP have also been reliving 'Happy As A Sandbag' this weekend singing several numbers from the show at various gigs with Swing Unlimited Big Band. Not bad for a show that finished almost a year ago...

Photos: CandA Photography.

13th June 2009

The award winning Highcliffe Charity Players will back at the Regent Centre next summer with Jerry Herman's hit musical MACK & MABEL - a show that follows the early years of the movie industry. Performances are from Weds 28th to Saturday 31st July 2010. As usual, profits from the show will be donated to local charities.

MACK AND MABEL is directed by Neil Mathieson, choreographed by Georgina Smith with musical direction from Ian Carter. The whole production from start to finish can be followed by visiting the show's blog at:

http://www.highcliffecharityplayers.blogspot.com/

12th May 2009

The award winning Highcliffe Charity Players return to St Mark’s Hall, Highcliffe this summer to present I’M NOT BEING FUNNY…BUT… - an entertaining evening of music, dance and comedy, performed cabaret style over five nights from Tuesday 21st to Saturday 25th July. Tickets (£14
Tues-Thurs and £15 Fri-Sat) include a cold supper served in the interval and a programme. As usual, profits from the show will be donated to local charities.

“The Players regular forays into revue are legendary….innovative, slick and brilliantly performed” (Daily Echo). HCP’s latest fast moving, laughter packed show showcases a range of musical medleys - both old favourites and current musical numbers - from the Jersey Boys celebrating music by Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons to the music of Queen with a medley from We Will Rock You.

Featured alongside the medleys are a variety of hilarious comic sketches.

I’M NOT BEING FUNNY…BUT…, is directed by Georgina Smith and choreographed by Louise King with Ian Carter as Musical Director. The 17-strong Company is drawn from current members of HCP.

Director and current HCP Chairman Georgina Smith comments: “It’s always great to be back at St. Mark’s Hall, the original ‘home’ of Charity Players. Our summer supper revues remain a firm favourite with cast and audience alike, and give us the opportunity to show off the varied talents of the Players and to get ‘up close and personal’ in an intimate venue.

“And this year’s show promises to be a fun evening – tuneful, exuberant and sometimes just a little bit risqué too, with some of the sketches containing adult humour – and a few balloons!”

Founded in 1971, the Players have become one of Dorset’s most celebrated and versatile amateur groups. Their recent pantomime – Sleeping Beauty - attracted packed houses at the Regent Centre, Christchurch, in January, and last year’s World War Two musical Happy as a Sandbag was an acclaimed sell-out.

Tickets can be bought in person (cash or cheque only) from Tony Hair, 281 Lymington Road, Highcliffe (Mon & Wed only between 9am & 3pm) or reserved by phoning 01425 270759.