Sunday For Sammy 2014

Olympic athlete Brendan Foster as the Emperor’s Messenger? World champion boxer Glen McCrory and Newcastle United Fairs Cup hero Cap’n Bob Moncur as Roman Soldiers? Where else but on stage in Sunday for Sammy 2014 would you experience these dramatic delights? It’s a measure of the enduring appeal of Sunday for Sammy that sportsmen of their caliber are prepared to put on the costumes and make-up and join the cast of celebrity North East performers to enchant the audience at what has become the flagship entertainment event in the North’s calendar. The now legendary Clement and La Frenais ‘Auf Wiedersen Pet’ sketch was set on Hadrian’s Wall and Tim Healy, Kevin Whately and Christopher Fairbank were joined in this tale of Roman bricklaying and matrimonial misdemeanors bt Denise Welch, Julia Tobin, Peter Peverley, Lesley Saint John, Pam Royle, Ingrid Hageman and Jeff Brown in addition to the three illustrious sportsmen. All were kept in check by the Emperor’s Tribune, played with gusto by the inimitable and hilarious Brendan Healy. Early in the show Billy Mitchell gave the audience a short history of Sunday for Sammy before introducing Sammy newcomers Chris Ramsay and Jason Cook (Hebburn) plus Laura Norton (Emmerdale) Simon Donald (Him off the Viz) and Charles Lawson (Coronation Street) who joined Charlie Hardwick, Joe Caffrey, Angie Lonsdale and Les Robson in two hilarious sketches written by Trevor Wood and Ed Waugh. (Apologies in advance to Ant and Dec and Lee Hall). Comedian Steve Womack and songwriter Pete Scott had the audience in stitches, Chelsea Halfpenny and Tom Mitchell performed a stunning duet, the Kids from Sage gave us a glimpse of the future and Sunday for Sammy grantee Immy Williams sang one of her outstanding songs. As usual at Sunday for Sammy the music rocked the house, with duets from both Tim Healy and Lorraine Crosby and Jill and Chelsea Halfpenny.