Archers actors help Shakespeare's church
9 October 2008

Six Archers cast members are combining in a charity performance at Holy Trinity Church, Stratford-upon-Avon, in aid of the building's restoration.

Holy Trinity Church, Stratford

On Saturday 25 October, Trevor Harrison (Eddie), Brian Hewlett (Neil), Hedli Niklaus (Kathy), Robert Lister (Lewis), Sunny Ormonde (Lilian) and Malcolm McKee (Graham Ryder) will be performing Come Rain, Come Shine.

Archers editor Vanessa Whitburn will also make an appearance and is producing the show, a celebration of the English countryside in words and music devised and directed by Malcolm McKee.


Malcolm McKee

Malcolm, who has played the unpopular land agent since 1996, is a prolific writer, director and composer. His most famous show The Shakespeare Revue has been performed around the world. Other productions include Opera à la Carte, The Kit-Kat Club and Belmont (a new musical version of The Merchant of Venice).

The Marvellous Party was originally devised by Malcolm for a dinner at Highgrove hosted by the Prince of Wales and has featured starry casts including Penelope Keith, Patricia Routledge and Patrick Stewart.

Malcolm also devises shows for specific historic sites, including Hampton Court Palace, Kensington Palace, Kew Gardens, and the Imperial War Museum.
And as is that isn't enough, with his writing partner Christopher Luscombe he has just completed the book for the new Tim Rice/Andrew Lloyd Webber musical The Likes of Us.

When not working at international locations from New York to Singapore, Malcolm returns to his home in, yes, Stratford-upon-Avon. As he says: "I moved to Stratford 20 years ago this month. Part of the attraction of living in Old Town was the fact that my cottage was a mere two streets away from Shakespeare's Church. As an actor I could hardly wish to live in a more appropriate and resonant location. I could see the spire from my bedroom and hear the bells pealing on Sunday mornings. When Vanessa Whitburn asked me to take part in a fund-raising show with The Archers, I jumped at the chance to contribute towards the restoration of this magnificent church - the church at the end of my street!"

Full details and tickets from Friends of Shakespeare's Church.

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