Beckett Charity Gala evening at the University raises 5000£ for cancer charities – University of Reading
25 November 1998The exhibition of theatre photographs and the Samuel Beckett Charity Gala held at London Road on Sunday 22 November raised £5000 for the Royal Berkshire Hospital Cancer Centre and the Berkshire Macmillan Nurse Appeal. The Gala in the Great Hall featured musicians, theatre and television stars who have all acted in Beckett's plays. Billie Whitelaw, Ronald Pickup, Barry McGovern and Leonard Fenton were among the stars who met together to present excerpts from the writer's prose, poetry and theatre. Preceding the gala was the opening by Billie Whitelaw of a special exhibition of John Haynes' photographs. John is this year's Annenberg Beckett Fellow and has taken almost a thousand photographs of Beckett and productions of his plays. The Reading venue was the start of the exhibition's European tour - the display was designed by the photographer himself and Professor Stephen Buckley, the University's Professor of Fine Art. The exhibition, in Building L33 at London Road, is open every day until Friday 27th November., from noon until 4pm.