The Dave Lee Dinners at Hempstead House
A packed function room with twinkling drop lights that would do justice to magic grotto glowed over a room of Friends of the Marlowe (and their guests) gathered for the first of a series of Dave Lee Comedy Dinners geared to raising funds jointly for the New Marlowe Development Trust and Dave Lee’s Happy Holidays.
Dave Lee was in equally sparkling form, and the whole evening garnered the thick end of almost £3000 for these two most worthwhile causes. A sumptuous dinner, with all the trimmings, gave lie to the modest ticket price and Dave’s priceless humour made the gathered throng rue that there were no aisles for them to roll around in. Decorum prevailed but the consensus opinion was that this was an evening to remember.
The Table Numbers were all photographs of Dave’ many pantomime characters and great fun ensued as we all tried to guess the names. Even Dave was non- plussed at several, but on hand was Panto Supremo, Paul Hendy to do what all good producers do, put names to faces. A vigorous game of Heads & Tails set off the evening leaving Karl Rogers the winner, clutching his head a trifle to eagerly for the star of an evening !
The Star Raffle Prize was won by Myra Scott of Lynsted, near Sittingbourne, and what a prize. Myrna and three friends will now travel in style, the new Jaguar XF Saloon, kindly to be provided, complete with chauffeur by Barretts of Canterbury. Prior to arriving at the Marlowe Arena will enjoy a splendid 4 course Dinner donated by Canterbury’s latest quality eatery, Carluccio’s at Fenwicks. Onto the panto, best seats of course, and a tour back stage after the show to meet the stars and a to enjoy a glass of bubbly with Tinkerbell (no prizes for guessing who that is !). Then home by Limo, to greet the dawn.
Various other raffle prizes were claimed and we are grateful to the donatees who included Barretts again ( Borrow a Mini ); Dr. David Flood (A ‘Flood’ Tour of the Cathedral); Chart Hills Golf Club and Hempstead House Hotel; and Paul Hendy and Evolution for books tickets and lots o’ goodies. The evening belonged of course to Dave Lee and during a fascinating Q & A session someone asked Dave what he would have been had he not been a comedian. Unhesitatingly came the answer “ …..rich !” And this from a man whose charity Dave Lee’s Happy Holidays is a gnats whisker away from raising £2 million pounds. So Dave is already rich but …he just keeps giving it away !
The next Dave Lee Comedy Dinner at the Swallow Chaucer Hotel Canterbury (24.10.09) is already Sold Out, forcing us to put on an additional night on Saturday the 31st October 2009. If you are reading this and you haven’t bought your tickets yet, then it is definitely your loss!
by David Roberts (Friends of the Marlowe Action Group)