Patricia Routledge to come to Salisbury (From Salisbury Journal)

Patricia Routledge to come to Salisbury

7:00am Thursday 20th September 2012 in Entertainments By Elizabeth Kemble

PATRICIA Routledge is widely known as the incorrigible social climber Hyacinth Bucket – pronounced Bouquet, of course – and as the title character in Hetty Wainthrop Investigates.

But when she comes to Salisbury Palyhouse for one night only next month, she will be talking about what is regarded as one of the best kept secrets in showbusiness, her time in musical theatre.

Routledge will be in conversation with music journalist and radio presenter Edward Seckerson, talking about her experiences in musical theatre, both at home and the US.

She told the Journal she was most recently in Salisbury for the Southern Cathedrals Festival in July, and is very much looking forward to being back in the city and returning to the Playhouse.

“I was there not long ago with a piece called Admission: One Shilling, which was telling the story of Dame Myra Hess, a concert pianist who set up the National Gallery Concerts during the Second World War,” she said.

“It will be very nice to be back. I hope people will come and enjoy it and it will revive memories for the audience.

“We have had some wonderful audiences who can remember some of the musicals I was in and the period of time I’m talking about, and that’s very gratifying.”

Routledge’s many awards include a Tony for her Broadway performance in the Styne-Harburg musical Darling of the Day and a Laurence Olivier Award for her performance in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide.

Her one-woman show Come for the Ride toured the UK in 1988, and in 1992 she played Nettie Fowler in the highly acclaimed production of Carousel at the National Theatre, directed by Nicholas Hytner.

In 1998 she was honoured with the Gold Badge of Merit by the Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.

And Routledge, who lives in Chichester, has no plans to slow down just yet, saying “nobody plans to slow down; sometimes one is required to slow down and I shall know when that time comes”.

Of her time spent as Mrs Bucket in Keeping up Appearances, which continues to be shown all around the world, Routledge says she “very much enjoyed it”.

“It was great fun, it seems to have given a great deal of pleasure which is always very satisfying,” she adds On October 10, she will recall her time in musical theatre with access to some rare and treasured recordings.

*  Tickets for Patricia Routledge, A Life in Musical Theatre, are £16.50 or £18.50.

Contact the box office on 01722 320333 or online at salisburyplayhouse.com .