The headmistress lets her hair down

The Marcia Blaine School Talent Night is the brainchild of Sarah Moyle, pictured, the Northampton-born performer who is playing Miss McKay, the school's headmistress. She starred as Ma Baker in the West End production of Daddy Cool and has also appeared in My Fair Lady, Les Miserables and Oliver! She may be familiar to Ricky Gervais fans as Kimberley in TV's Extras (pictured below).

Sarah had planned to take part in the Great North Run to raise funds for The Alzheimer's Society, a charity close to her heart after her father died of the condition four years go. When she was cast in the Northampton show - which runs until October 4 - she had to withdraw (rehearsals started in August).

'I felt really bad about pulling out of the race after committing myself to it,' Sarah told me. 'I was determined to find some other way of raising funds for the society. When I raised the idea of putting on a cabaret after a performance of the show, people in the cast we're all really keen to get involved.'

There's a wealth of musical theatre experience among cast members besides Sarah herself. Anna Francolini, who plays Miss Brodie, was nominated for an Olivier award last year for her part in a musical at the National, and cast member Natalie Burt will be returning to Northampton soon as Dorothy in Royal and Derngate's Christmas show, The Wizard of Oz. And the girls' choir of Northampton High School, Madrigalis, contribute some fabulous singing to Brodie.

It sounds like a fascinating evening. Proceedings start at 10.30pm in the Underground bar next Friday (Oct 3). It's free to get in, but there'll be a collection for the Alzheimer's Society. See you there ...