Top TV and stage actors help produce spectacular sound and light show in bid to raise funds for church

Robert Sutcliffe

WHEN it came to raising thousands of pounds for urgent repairs to a medieval church, its members decided that coffee mornings and bring-and-buy sales would only take them so far.

They set about raising their game – by cramming 1,000 years of history into an hour long spectacular event featuring national stage stars at All Hallows Church, Almondbury, Huddersfield.

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Leading actors Timothy West, his wife Prunella Scales and Gorden Kaye – star of TV sitcom ’Allo ’Allo – feature in specially commissioned recordings in a sound and light presentation beginning next week.

It charts the history of the village from the times of the Domesday Book through civil and world wars, revolutions, joys and sorrows up to the coronation of the present Queen.

The script has been written by local academic and church member Jill Mitchell, with meticulous reference to historical detail, along with period music and the voices of local school children and the Huddersfield Choral Society.

Guests will hear of kings losing their heads, wedding and Christmas celebrations.

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Events such as the Dissolution of the Monasteries, the Civil War and the Victorian era will be seen through the eyes of successive generations of the Dyson family.

They will also experience bombing raids and a Spitfire flypast and the hopes and fears of ordinary and extraordinary people through 1,000 years of history.

Timothy West records how the famous preacher John Wesley endured a hostile reception in Huddersfield.

Former All Hallows treasurer Richard Wood said: “Timothy plays John Wesley who gave his first sermon in Huddersfield and was pelted with stones and rocks. Wesley said afterwards, ‘A wilder people I have yet to encounter.’

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“We recorded his and Prunella’s performances about six months ago – they were so professional and hospitable.

“Gorden Kaye played several parts – he was wonderful, though he did struggle getting his mouth round the word ‘syllabus’.”

He said the idea came about as church members debated how to raise 60,000 for church repairs.

He said: “There was a significant deficit in our revenue accounts and we decided to go beyond coffee mornings and bring-and-buy sales.

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“We have a target of raising 10,000 through these performances. The church is very important and has a very interesting history.”

Gorden Kaye, whose local connections date back to his schooldays, said: “I have really enjoyed being a part of this exciting venture.”

The sound track and special sound effects have been produced by staff and students of Huddersfield University, with James Sykes as artistic adviser/producer.

Mr Sykes, who lives in Highburton and is well-known as actor, writer and theatre director, was asked to put the show together. He said: “The church wanted to raise both funds and its profile and it started from there.

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“Richard Wood contacted me to see if I would be interested in coming on board. It’s a big challenge as far as I am concerned, but it has been an exciting one.

“Gorden Kaye is an old boy of what was the Grammar School in Almondbury and so he was only too pleased to record some pieces for me about its charter. We also got him to play a role as a drunken steward, which he rather enjoyed.”

The event takes place on various dates from October 20 starting at 7.30pm.

Tickets are 10 or 8 for concessions from Kirklees Booking Office at www.kirklees. gov.uk/townhalls, telphone 01484 223200 or the Bean Caf, Almondbury, tel 01484 430005.

Comment: Page 14.