Celebrity help for festival bid (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Celebrity help for festival bid

9:50am Tuesday 14th March 2006 in Devizes By Lewis Cowen

TV PERSONALITY and former MP Gyles Brandreth is supporting a bid by pupils at Dauntsey's School in West Lavington to take one of their spectacular musical productions to the Edinburgh Festival this summer.

Mr Brandreth, almost as well known for his colourful jumpers as his witty appearances on TV, is the guest speaker at as fund-raising dinner at the school on Thursday April 27.

The young thespians at the school are planning to perform Stephen Sondheim's challenging musicals Assassins from August 12 to 17.

The drama and music departments are no strangers to the work of Mr Sondheim, having produced his musicals Into the Woods and Sweeney Todd at the Memorial Hall in recent years.

Mr Brandreth has also performed at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and his whirlwind trip around the world of musicals, Zipp, later transferred to the West End. It is due to open on Broadway later this year.

As well as Mr Brandreth's talk, the after-dinner entertainment on April 27 will include a musical interlude by the students who will be going to Edinburgh.

Dauntsey's has an enviable track record in theatrical productions. It was the first in the country to perform the special schools edition of Les Miserables and their production so impressed impresario Sir Cameron Mackintosh, they were invited to present a concert version onstage at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London.

Tickets for the dinner cost £20 each and are reported to be going fast. Contact Rikki Jackson, head of drama, on (01380) 814634 or email him at jacksonrm@dauntseys.wilts.sch.uk