Starry Poetry, Prose & Song Night 

A record-breaking audience of 200-plus saw award-winning actors like Tamsin Greig and distinguished soprano Janis Kelly, perform at the library’s flagship fundraiser, hosted at St Martins Church due to the large numbers.

This year’s event, in memory of the late actress, Haydn Gwynne, became especially emotional when Haydn’s son, Orlando (6th from left in image above of the curtain call), read a poem his mother left him. The actors chose poems and prose Haydn had performed over the past decade at other Kensal Rise Library fundraisers, along with those on the theme of friendship. The performers included Ben Miles and Paterson Joseph. Heartfelt thanks to all in the extraordinary, extensive cast. (See full list below.)

The night’s success was due also to our wonderful volunteers who greeted the audience and ran the stalls: Alex, Fiona, Hitesh, Josephine, Julie, Kathy and Viv. Thanks also to Kathy for her beautiful bags and to Fiona for baking such delicious cakes. And we are indebted to Alex, for not only running the bar with Julie, but also for wrangling Berkmann Wine’s very generous donation of fine wines.

The exciting raffle was extremely popular and we are deeply grateful for the support of the following local businesses – especially in these difficult times: Daniels Estate Agents, Harvest Restaurant & Bar, L’Angolo’s Deli, Queens Park Books, Scarlet & Violet Florist, Sonora Cafe, Verandah Boutique, William IV Pub & Restaurant.

Finally, our thanks to Rick Leaf and Rev Graham Noyce, whose collaboration with the library helped make this unique, warm, community evening of excellence and emotion so memorable.

Cast 

Ron Cook read:Louis Macneice: ‘Meeting Point’Cynthia C Naspinski: ‘Signs that you are Old’

James Ellis read: Christian Wiman: ‘All My Friends Are Finding New Beliefs’ Shell Silverstein: ‘Hug o’ War’.

Tamsin Greig read: Billy Collins: ‘The Lanyard ‘Mary Oliver: ‘Wild Geese

Orlando, Haydn Gwynne’s son read:
Pablo Neruda: ‘Sonnet 94

Paterson Joseph read: Mbella Sonne Diboko: ‘From My Parisian Diary’Ben Okri: ‘An African Elegy’

Craig Kelly read:’You’ll never walk alone’John Cooper-Clark: ‘I wanna be yours’

Janis Kelly sang: Stephen Sondheim: ‘Send in the Clowns’, ‘Amazing Grace’. Janis was accompanied by Ollie Fox

Richard Leaf read:Hafiz: ‘I know how you can get’A poem of his own ‘For Our friend

‘Novelist Tim Lott read:William Ernest Henley: ‘1st line; Madame Life’s a piece in bloom’ Raymond Carver: ‘Grief’

Ben Miles read: Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 60’Brigid Clare Oak: ‘A Poem in Honour of St Brigid’

Deb Penny read:Hone Tuwhare: ‘Friend’, Spike Milligan: ‘Summer’

Emily Raymond read: Shakespeare’s ‘Sonnet 29’, Don Paterson: ‘Funeral Poem’

Stephanie Schonfield read:David Lodge: ‘Nice Work’, Alice Oswald: ‘Snowdrop’

Samantha Spiro read:Maya Angelou: ‘When Great Trees Fall’ Wendy Cope: ‘The Orange’

Words: Stephanie Schonfield

Venue Images: Vicky Zentner, Hitesh Rabadia