BBC4 screened a repeat of a 2008 play on Florence Nightingale recently and in the cast was Roy Hudd as a music hall singer performing numbers that had some connection with Nightingale. Joining Roy in some of the numbers was the comedian and impresario Duggie Chapman. The play is available to watch at the moment on the BBC iPlayer:
ITV screened a pantomime in 1986 – Cinderella or The Shoe Must Go On. Written by Barry Cryer and Dick Vosburgh, the show stars Danny La Rue, Cheryl Baker, Michael Howe, Jimmy Cricket (as Buttons) and Roy Hudd and Brian Murphy as the Ugly Sisters with a host of supporting stars. It can now be viewed on YouTube:
Jenny Douglas and her daughter Rebecca have been doing an online illustrated poem a day ( currently Day 50) to entertain, comfort or just keep spirits up by offering some thing ” different ” around our community.
According to Jenny, Rebecca does ‘the hard bit’ , as the artwork is her province. The technique she uses here is “speed drawing” so you see the picture take shape in time to the poem.
A documentary on Sir Ken Dodd, How Tickled We Were is being repeated on BBC2 on Monday 27th April 2020 at 8.30pm.
For over six decades, Sir Ken Dodd was one of Britain’s favourite entertainers – a comedian whose surreal world of tickling sticks, jam butty mines and Diddymen kept generations of audiences entertained, from his professional debut in 1954 to his final curtain call in December 2017. In Sir Ken’s own words and with testimony from friends, family and colleagues who knew him best, this revealing documentary film tells the story of his incredible life and long career, which included a record-breaking run at The London Palladium in the 1960s, numerous television series and specials, countless summer seasons and variety shows, a string of hit records and a touring one-man show that continued right into his ninetieth year.
Sir Ken’s wife Lady Anne talks about his love of being on stage and their life spent together in Knotty Ash, and his friends and peers discuss his unique and enduring relationship with the British public. In addition to rarely seen archive of Sir Ken’s work on stage and television, the programme features home movies and family photography from his own personal archive. Featured interviewees include Dara O Briain, Ricky Tomlinson, Alex Horne, Jimmy Tarbuck, Stephanie Cole, Roy Hudd, Joe Pasquale, Ian St John, Roger McGough, Bishop James Jones and Claire Sweeney. Craig Charles narrates.
On Easter Monday at 7.15pm, BBC Radio 4 will repeat an interview with Roy Hudd from 2015. Roy is interviewed in this programme by Samira Ahmed. It can be accessed on the BBC iPlayer:
Debbie Hudd has very kindly said that donations in memory of Roy will go to The British Music Hall Society, saying, “When people think of Roy, they think of Music Hall. Roy was thrilled with the Society and therefore I would like donations in memory of him to go to the BMHS.”
Chairman Adam Borzone has set up an online donation page which will be open until 1st July.:
www.facebook.com/donate/209805226975924/10157292798928196
The link is also given on the British Music Hall Society’s website: www.britishmusichallsociety.com
If you would rather send a cheque, please send it (payable to BMHS) to:
Andrew Bingham Independent Funeral Service,
The Nutshell
Milton Road South
Stowmarket
Suffolk
IP14 1EZ
Remembering Roy.
Today at 3pm is the funeral of the wonderful Roy Hudd OBE & we ask you to remember him.
Roy was our President for 28 years and we will miss him very much.
Thank You Roy for all the laughter, a truly versatile and talented performer, extremely knowledgeable man and, most importantly, a really lovely, kind and generous human being.
Love to Debbie, Roy’s widow, his Son Max and all his Family & Friends.
Please raise a glass and say thanks to Roy today.
DAY BY THE SEA 2020
Because of the current coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic we have been advised by the Management of the Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne to postpone Day By The Sea, which was due to take place on Saturday 6th June.
We have instead decided to re schedule it for Saturday 3rd October 2020.
All tickets have been automatically transferred to the new date. If you are able to attend the new date – you do not have to do anything – your ticket is automatically valid.
If you are unable to attend this new date please contact the Box Office:
You can also phone the box office number 01323 802020 and leave a message on the answerphone which will be checked as regularly as possible.
We do hope as many of you as possible will be able to come along to our new date in October. By that time we will certainly be in need of a day of fun, laughter and song and Day By The Sea will supply it in abundance.
The Hippodrome is a gorgeous old music hall that in the last few years has been revitalised by the new young owners. They gave the front of the venue a much needed facelift and the new foyer is simply superb. During the winter they have been working on upgrading the toilet facilities and have enlarged the stalls bar. It was such a shame that after undergoing all that work, they then had to close.
With so many of our spring events having to be cancelled, let’s make a date to all meet up in Eastbourne on 3rd October to celebrate the BMHS, pay tribute to our dear Roy Hudd, and give the beautiful Hippodrome a full house.
Hoping to see you there.
Further to our statement dated 17th March.
These are difficult times for us all and in line with Government advice and the health & safety of our members we are sadly cancelling further events.
We will now cancel all events held at The Water Rats until 31st August 2020.
If you have purchased tickets via Ticketsource you will receive a notification from them and a full refund. We do plan to re-schedule these talks for a future date.
We are currently in talks with the Royal Hippodrome Theatre, Eastbourne, regarding our annual ‘Day by The Sea’ show on Saturday 6th June and will up-date you very soon on this event.
If you have any questions, please contact us via contact@britishmusichallsociety.com
Thank you for your support during this time, please stay safe.
Adam Borzone
Chairman
British Music Hall Society.
