42nd Street

The irrepressible spirit of Broadway was in London, and the ES group tap-danced their way through a Thursday afternoon in Sadler’s Wells Theatre. Parents of former pupils, OEs, current staff and others had signed up for this brand-spanking new production with its breathtaking tap-dance routines, and disappointed they were not. To add to the showbiz glamour, our very own Michael Praed (Michael Prince, Gonville 1973–78) was playing Brock’s lover and future husband Pat Denning (and due to take over the role of Julian Marsh when the show goes on tour). He met the group backstage and caught up with contemporary OEs Jane Slade and her husband Neil Mackinon. Michael has recently been back to the College for a reunion and Emma Garrett (née Le Brocq) was delighted to see him again and, along with the other OEs, chatted about his starring roles in College musicals in the 1970s produced by Philip Le Brocq. As Artsdesk said about the show: ‘A musical extavaganza that will knock your socks off.’ This group can truly say that socks were definitely knocked off. And a convivial meet-up for a post-show drink in a local pub rounded off another successful theatre trip.

Jane Slade (Nugent, 1975–77) (see media gallery, left) writes: It ended up a bit of an impromptu My Fair Lady reunion when a coterie of Old Eastbournians and others went to see 42nd Street at the Sadler’s Wells Theatre, organised by John Thornley. We had no idea that Michael Praed was in the cast. But when we discovered he was, we thought it would be ‘loverly’ to see him and, more importantly, he would love to see us. And we were right. A quick text from Emma Garrett got us a VIP pass through the stage door. I hadn’t seen Mike since starring with him in the 1976 school musical My Fair Lady at the College. Mike (who called himself Michael Prince in those days) played Freddy Eynsford-Hill. There was instant recognition of course since neither of us had changed a jot.