St George

THE DOLPHIN
121, Sydenham Rd, Sydenham, London, SE26 5HB - Tel: 020 8778 8101

St. George's Day Friday 23rd April 2010
In aid of Great Ormond Street Hospital and SANDS (Stillbirth and Neonatal Death Society) "Cry ‘God for Sydenham, England, and Saint George!' " In 2009 The Dolphin hosted a very special Burns Night supper and in 2010 it honoured England's St. George with an evening of poetry and music. We were extremely pleased and honoured to welcome one of the best Shakespearian actors of our time, Simon Russell Beale, who generously offered to recite some lines alongside his close friend and star of stage and screen, David Haig.

A range of English poetry was set to music by the accomplished 'Little Machine' and the evening was hosted by Sydenham's own local hero Barry Milton. The readers were joined by Julia Gray and Susie Fairfax - old friends and partners from the RSC

For those that were unable to come and those who would like to hear it again I was able to capture a couple of readings which you might to view. (These are big files so you need fast broadband and a little patience and sorry about the quality.)

Roman Centurion Song - Rudyard Kipling - read by Simon Russell Beale

My Boy Jack - Rudyard Kipling - read by David Haig

An extract from The Pursuit of Love - Nancy Mitford - read by Susie Fairfax

Invasion Exercise on the Poultry Farm - John Betjeman - read by Julia Gray

Tickets, priced at £30 per person, included a three course dinner and a £5 charitable donation sold out very quickly. A prize raffle added enormously to the £1200 raised for our chosen charities. With Susan Bullock performing at the Sydenham International Music festival in June, 2010 is already proving an extraordinary year for Sydenham, firmly placing us on the cultural map.

The Readers

SIMON RUSSELL BEALE CBE has been described as ‘the greatest actor of his generation’. He has performed many times at the National Theatre and has also extensively performed in many other theatre roles, on television, film and radio. He is currently appearing at the RNT in London Assurance as Sir Harcourt Courtly and on BBC Radio 4 in John le Carré’s The Complete Smiley, playing George Smiley.

DAVID HAIG is an Olivier Award winning actor and FIPA Award winning writer. He has appeared in a huge number of major roles in stage productions all over the West End and many television and film roles. He played Bernard in Four Weddings and a Funeral and Inspector Grim in the BBC sitcom The Thin Blue Line. As well as writing the play My Boy Jack, he starred as Rudyard Kipling in both the play and the film adaption.

JULIA GRAY under her stage name Jane Galloway was member of the RSC, other theatre roles include The Duchess of Malfi (with Simon Russell Beale and Juliet Stevenson), 'Hidden Laughter' (with Felicity Kendell), Lady Fanciful in The Provoked Wife. Julia also appeared in The Archers famously creating two roles in one episode as different genders, surely a first.

SUSIE FAIRFAX is a former member of the RSC and has performed in many theatre roles, on television, film and radio.

The Dolphin Pub
121 Sydenham Road, London ,SE26 5HB
Telephone 020 8778 8101 Fax 020 7771 7230