TheHuntGoesOn's Report: Merlin Theatre Fundraiser (September 2011)
On 23rd September 2011, The Merlin Theatre in Somerset held a dinner and auction to raise money for the theatre and prevent it's closure. In attendance were Dean Andrews, Matthew Graham and Philip Glenister. Here TheHuntGoesOn gives us her account of the evening.
Getting from London to Frome proved to be the first challenge. When I changed trains at Bath, I found that all trains out of Bath were delayed by a trespasser on the line - a member of the train staff told me that a drunken passenger decided to get out and walk, which meant that all trains had to be halted and the power turned off until he could be apprehended. (I wished the Guv could get out there to shoot the intruder). The Frome train eventually arrived nearly 40 minutes late and, to add insult to injury, terminated at Westbury, where I was told that I would have to wait another 20 minutes for the next train to Frome. With the arrival time of the next train growing later and later, I cut my losses and got a taxi to the Premier Inn, where a meet-up in the bar with several members of the gang restored my spirits before retiring to tog up for the evening.
The location for the event, Marston House is amazingly beautiful, in an idyllic setting. It felt so incredibly grand to be sweeping towards it in chauffer-driven transport (well - a cab). We got out in front of the house, where a number of evening-dressed people were gathered, sipping wine. And there was the Quattro, bathed in light and there were Matt, and Mark McGann, and Deano, and...PHIL! First time I'd seen him in the, um, flesh - I just stood and stared... I know it's rude to stare, but I couldn't help it - my jaw was hanging open...
Getting from London to Frome proved to be the first challenge. When I changed trains at Bath, I found that all trains out of Bath were delayed by a trespasser on the line - a member of the train staff told me that a drunken passenger decided to get out and walk, which meant that all trains had to be halted and the power turned off until he could be apprehended. (I wished the Guv could get out there to shoot the intruder). The Frome train eventually arrived nearly 40 minutes late and, to add insult to injury, terminated at Westbury, where I was told that I would have to wait another 20 minutes for the next train to Frome. With the arrival time of the next train growing later and later, I cut my losses and got a taxi to the Premier Inn, where a meet-up in the bar with several members of the gang restored my spirits before retiring to tog up for the evening.
The location for the event, Marston House is amazingly beautiful, in an idyllic setting. It felt so incredibly grand to be sweeping towards it in chauffer-driven transport (well - a cab). We got out in front of the house, where a number of evening-dressed people were gathered, sipping wine. And there was the Quattro, bathed in light and there were Matt, and Mark McGann, and Deano, and...PHIL! First time I'd seen him in the, um, flesh - I just stood and stared... I know it's rude to stare, but I couldn't help it - my jaw was hanging open...
Moving into the entrance hall, where a gent playing a keyboard entertained us, I was delighted to see the Alex "date" dress and fur coat, elegantly displayed on a dummy. I wore the coat briefly at the last TRA Meet Up, and I made a replica of the dress for the last Luigi's party. I wish I'd had the chance to study the original at such close quarters before making the copy! Also present were the Gene and Alex "It's a Knockout" dummies, looking huger, uglier and more fearsome than ever at close quarters.
Returning to my group after taking a photo of the dress, I found them talking to Deano. I wished I could find something scintillating to say, but for some reason my jaw wouldn't work and all I could say was "Er - er - errrrr..." Most frustrating.
I was amused by the fact that the canapes being circulated among the guests included cheese and pineapple hedgehogs - but they didn't have a cherry on top for Keats to pinch!
After a brief welcoming speech and the welcome words "Dinner is served", we were shown downstairs and along a corridor, where the auction lots were laid out for examination, with a board for bids for the silent auction and another showing the layout of the tables. There was also a display of A2A props including Gene’s sports bag, his mug, two pairs of gloves, a police notebook, and the BOOTS.
I was amused by the fact that the canapes being circulated among the guests included cheese and pineapple hedgehogs - but they didn't have a cherry on top for Keats to pinch!
After a brief welcoming speech and the welcome words "Dinner is served", we were shown downstairs and along a corridor, where the auction lots were laid out for examination, with a board for bids for the silent auction and another showing the layout of the tables. There was also a display of A2A props including Gene’s sports bag, his mug, two pairs of gloves, a police notebook, and the BOOTS.
At the end of the corridor was the dining room, beautifully ornate, painted in pale yellow with the most exquisite plaster mouldings. Unfortunately the light wasn't good enough for me to get any decent pictures of the room as a whole. Along with a bunch of other A2A diehards, I was on Table 2, right at the centre back with a good view of the proceedings. There were 12 circular tables, with a large one at the centre for the VIPs. All I could see of Phil, all the way through the meal, was the back of his head!
We had been "warned" in advance that the menu would be '70s themed, and several in our party correctly predicted that the starter would be prawn cocktail, which was waiting for us on the tables when we arrived (I opted for the alternative, melon fan, which was delicious). Unfortunately we then had to wait a very long time for the main course, because although the volunteer waiting staff were very willing and hard-working, there simply weren't enough of them to cover the whole room - and so far as I could see, my table got served last! It was coq au vin, again delicious (the vegetarian alternative was portobello mushrooms in red wine), with duchesse potatoes, beans and red cabbage).
By now the evening was running well behind schedule, so dessert (tiny black forest gateaux, with poached pears as the alternative - they looked like rather boozy pears to me) and coffee with After Eights were served and consumed while Mark McGann made an excellent speech about the importance of the Merlin to the local community, followed, at last, by the auction. 19 lots went under the hammer, with a further 23 in the silent auction. Rupert Cox, the obviously experienced auctioneer, kept things moving at a cracking pace and proved adept at wringing the maximum amount of money from bidders. The Alex and Gene “Knockout” figures went to Janine at my table, thanks to a last second bid – she initially looked thrilled and scared in equal measure, while her husband buried his face in his hands and was heard to groan, “Why me? Why me? Why me?” I noted down all the prices realised in my programme, and they totalled £5,650. Not bad for about twenty minutes’ work. (I didn’t note down the final prices realised on the silent auction, but the total must have been well in excess of £6,000.)
While the room was cleared for the dancing later on, the guests were entertained by a tribute band, Sergeant Pepper’s Only Dartboard Trio. Wandering out into the corridor to check the progress of the silent auction (I’d been outbid), I came across Phil autographing the forehead of the Gene “Knockout” figure for Janine.
We had been "warned" in advance that the menu would be '70s themed, and several in our party correctly predicted that the starter would be prawn cocktail, which was waiting for us on the tables when we arrived (I opted for the alternative, melon fan, which was delicious). Unfortunately we then had to wait a very long time for the main course, because although the volunteer waiting staff were very willing and hard-working, there simply weren't enough of them to cover the whole room - and so far as I could see, my table got served last! It was coq au vin, again delicious (the vegetarian alternative was portobello mushrooms in red wine), with duchesse potatoes, beans and red cabbage).
By now the evening was running well behind schedule, so dessert (tiny black forest gateaux, with poached pears as the alternative - they looked like rather boozy pears to me) and coffee with After Eights were served and consumed while Mark McGann made an excellent speech about the importance of the Merlin to the local community, followed, at last, by the auction. 19 lots went under the hammer, with a further 23 in the silent auction. Rupert Cox, the obviously experienced auctioneer, kept things moving at a cracking pace and proved adept at wringing the maximum amount of money from bidders. The Alex and Gene “Knockout” figures went to Janine at my table, thanks to a last second bid – she initially looked thrilled and scared in equal measure, while her husband buried his face in his hands and was heard to groan, “Why me? Why me? Why me?” I noted down all the prices realised in my programme, and they totalled £5,650. Not bad for about twenty minutes’ work. (I didn’t note down the final prices realised on the silent auction, but the total must have been well in excess of £6,000.)
While the room was cleared for the dancing later on, the guests were entertained by a tribute band, Sergeant Pepper’s Only Dartboard Trio. Wandering out into the corridor to check the progress of the silent auction (I’d been outbid), I came across Phil autographing the forehead of the Gene “Knockout” figure for Janine.
I managed to keep my hands steady enough to photograph him, but when he said “See you later” to me on leaving, I nearly dropped the camera. (He spoke to me!!) A few minutes later, I came across Phil and Deano being photographed by all and sundry, and took the opportunity of being photographed with them both!!
By this stage I was walking on air and could not quite believe that this was really happening to me. (And even while being totally besotted by Phil, I have to record that Deano is an absolute sweetheart). Around the time that my camera battery gave up the ghost, the boys departed and I floated back down to the corridor to the former dining room, where a disco was now in full swing. While we gyrated around the dance floor, I spotted the guests of honour leaving (I forgot to say earlier that Beth looked absolutely sensational, as always), and a few of us waved to them as they went. The dancing finished a bit after midnight, leaving us all to float back to our lodgings – and in my case (and I believe several others’), too excited to sleep for hours…
Thank you to everyone who helped to make the evening such a memorable, nay, unforgettable occasion!
Thank you to everyone who helped to make the evening such a memorable, nay, unforgettable occasion!