Curtain up on theatre appeal at patriotic event

A free arts event celebrating two famous British characters will raise the curtain on a new fundraising appeal at Sheringham Little Theatre.

Prose, poetry and music will punctuate an afternoon of performance on Sunday April 23 which coincides with St George’s Day and the birthday of William Shakespeare.

Entry is free during the event which runs from 3pm to 5pm, in the Hub which will be serving cream teas as well as cakes, savouries and drinks. But donations will be invited to help kick start a £5000 appeal to upgrade the venue’s curtains.

No More Heroes? looks to explore well known and unsung icons of British culture. Works will include a new version of the St George story, and the words, plus a parody, of the Bard, as well as music from British composers ancient and modern.

It is a collaboration with the town council, where member Peter Pegnall, himself a poet, is helping to organise the event and will be among the performers.

Others will include young local actor brother and sister Caius and Attia Law, musicians Jon Payne and Kate Munro, and poets Gerard Noyau, John Vaughan, and educator Lisa Jones, plus town crier Andrew Cunningham-Brown.

Theatre director Debbie Thompson said the appeal aimed to provide new curtains for the sides and back of the stage, as well as in the dressing rooms, to give more flexibility for show scenery and changing facilities.

“These extra curtains will make a big difference to the way we can operate both on stage and behind the scenes,” she

added. “The cost might seem high but obviously these curtains have to be fire-retardant. We will be grateful for donations to start the ball rolling but the fundraising will continue during the year.”

Theatre fundraisers are also planning other events and hoping to install a new collection box to encourage cash and card-tap donations.