Fancy an evening of rude and rowdy entertainment, celebrating and commiserating the utterly baffling experience of parenting?
Featuring scenes, songs and poems from a motley assortment of professional actors and singers including Creation’s Anna Tolputt and famous playwright Mike Bartlett, it promises to be ‘hilarious, very silly, and very moving’
‘Helen and Douglas House is such a positive place, and we intend for the evening – and the story of the evening – to be an uplifting one’
Welcome to ‘Parenthood: A Cabaret of Chaos‘ which focuses on the trials and tribulations of parenthood, and aims to raise money for Helen and Douglas House and and SSMJ School on on Saturday March 22 at St Mary & St John School in East Oxford.
Organised by sibling duo Ed and Anna Tolputt, together with their partners Sophie and John Terry (Artistic Director of Chippy Theatre) who benefitted from the support of Helen & Douglas House after Ed and Sophie’s baby daughter Martha died nearly 10 years ago.
The hospice became a haven for the family, where they could turn a heartbreaking loss into an opportunity to be together and make memories.
In 2019 the group organised the first Parenthood cabaret to fundraise for Helen & Douglas House, and this year, to mark Martha’s 10th birthday, the second iteration of the show ‘Parenthood: A Cabaret of Chaos‘ is up for grabs.
It features professional actress Anna Tolputt, fellow Creation cast mate Emily Woodward, Emily’s husband Gary (Rivals, Luther), and Offue Okegbe (Nick Cope’s Rosie & Hugh’s Big Adventure) performing new work by playwright Mike Bartlett (Dr Foster, King Charles III), as well as songs by composer Harry Sever (Stalker, Radio 4) and directed by John Terry.
To complement their fundraising efforts, Sophie Tolputt, Martha’s mum, will also be running the London Marathon in April, to further support Helen & Douglas House in memory of Martha.
Edward Tolputt says: “Our first child, Martha was born in a critical condition, and – despite everyone’s best efforts – passed away after five days. After Martha died, my wife and I spent four days at Helen and Douglas House with Martha. And so it is a special place for us. Helen & Douglas House is such a positive place, and we intend for the evening – and the story of the evening – to be an uplifting one.
Parenthood: A Cabaret of Chaos takes place on Saturday 22 March at 7.30pm, at St Mary & St John School, Meadow Lane, Oxford. Tickets are £15 and can be purchased from http://www.chippingnortontheatre.com/events/parenthood
