Newcastle Stand host ‘Christmas Laffalang’ for St Oswald’s Hospice
North East comedians, actors and writers are coming together this winter to help spread some Christmas cheer – and raise much needed funds for a local charity.
The Stand Comedy Club in Newcastle are to host a ‘Christmas Laffalang’ on 10 December to raise cash for Newcastle’s St Oswald’s Hospice.
The show will feature festive sketches written by Ed Waugh, co-writer with Trevor Wood of hit comedies such as Dirty Dusting, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Durham and Alf Ramsey Knew My Grandfather, linked by stand-up comedy from Gavin Webster [pictured].
There will be two performances, at 5.45pm and 8.30pm, with all profits going to St Oswalds, which provides free care for North East adults, young people and children with life limiting conditions.
Les Robson, from St Oswalds, said: ”After I saw Ed [Waugh]’s wonderfully funny Geordie Nativity for the Teenage Cancer Trust at Newcastle Cathedral last December, the idea of a Christmas sketch show came.
“It will be a fantastic night.”
The cast for the Christmas Laffalang includes two of the original Dirty Dusting ladies: Helen Russell and Gwen Doran, former Lindisfarne stars Ray Laidlaw and Billy Mitchell, who are currently touring.
The duo will hang up their instruments for the night to do some acting and stand-up comedy.
Pantomime legend Bob Stott will don the Widow Twanky costume and perform in three separate specially written sketches, four of the Alf Ramsey Knew My Grandfather cast will be involved (Iain Cunningham, Wayne Miller, Mickey Cochrane and Rob Atkinson).
The last time they were on stage together was for the Sir Bobby Robson 80th anniversary night at the Sage in Gateshead in February, where they performed two scenes from the hit show.
And young actors Chris Foley, Hazel Pude, Amy Foley, Kylie Ann Ford and James de Lauch Hay will also be involved.
The sketches at the Laffalang include the Geordie Nativity, The Boxing Day Dip, a Christmas club go-as-you-please, Christmas Crisis: The Musical, Alan Pardew Bingo, Carol Singers and that North East institution known as Fenwicks Window.
Gareth Hunter, from Ion Productions, will produce the show.
Tickets are £10 and are on sale from Les Robson on 0780 549 6518 or from The Stand’s website.
