Helen Mirren with Circle President Marianne Gray and David Gritten, chairman of the Film Section, at the annual Services to the Arts Award lunch, 2006. © Critics' Circle
William Russell
The following is a selection of pictures from various Circle events including awards, retirement lunches and the annual lunch to present our Award for Services to the Arts. They are of varying quality, but the intention is to build up a record of our events, our guests and our members over the years. One of the problems with our archives, which are currently held at the Theatre Museum in Bristol, is that nobody identified who is who in the pictures we own. While it is possible to identify celebrities, critics – with a very few exceptions – are not celebrities and it has proved very difficult to identify who they are.
2006 – Lunch at L’Etoile for the retiring Hon General Secretary, Charles Hedges
Marianne Gray, President, Mike Dixon, chairman of the Dance Section, Charles Hedges, and Peter Cargin, Hon Treasurer. © Critics’ Circle
Angie Errigo, Film Section, Charles Hedges and Bruce Marriott, Dance Section. © Critics’ Circle
Jane Edwardes, Drama Section, and a Past President, Tom Sutcliffe, Music Section and Peter Cargin, Hon Treasurer. © Critics’ Circle
John Thaxter, Drama Section, Alan Frank, Film Section, Charles Hedges, William Russell, Film Section, Denise Silvester-Carr, Hon General Secretary, and Mike Dixon. © Critics’ Circle
Lunch to mark the retirement of Nicholas de Jongh of the Evening Standard at Elena’s L’Etoile, 16 January 2009.
Mark Shenton, chairman of the Drama Section, Nicholas de Jongh, President Charles Spencer. © Critics’ Circle.
Critic James Christopher and Circle Administrator Catherine Cooper. © Critics’ Circle.
Annual Award for Services to the Arts lunch at the National Theatre on April 22, 2010.
President Charles Spencer, Benedict Nightingale of The Times, Sir Alan Ayckbourn, Mark Shenton, chairman of the Drama Section. © Critics’ Circle.
Benedict Nightingale delivers the speech honouring Sir Alan. © Critics’ Circle.
Irving Wardle, former Times drama critic. © Critics’ Circle.
Meeting with the Culture Secretary Andy Burnham, Garrick Club, November 2008.
Host and Garrick Club member Charles Spencer, Andy Burnham, President Marianne Gray. © Critics’ Circle.
Charles Spencer, Andy Burnham, Marianne Gray. © Critics’ Circle
Political Balance!
Peter Cargin, Hon Treasurer, Ed Vaizey, shadow Arts spokesman, President Charles Spencer at the Garrick Club for a Q&A, November 13, 2009. © Critics’ Circle.
The lunch at the National Theatre held to mark the retirement of Benedict Nightingale of The Times, July, 2010.
Benedict Nightingale, Janie Dee, who provided the cabaret, Michael Billington and President Charles Spencer. © Critics’ Circle.
Mark Shenton, chairman of the Drama Section, with Janie Dee. © Critics’ Circle.
The Dance Section Lunch held at L’Etoile on July 1, 2009 in honour of Agnes Oaks, Thomas Edur, Richard Alston and Jonathan Goddard.
From left: Bruce Marriott, Richard Alston, Mike Dixon, chairman of the Dance Section and Jonathan Goddard © Critics’ Circle.
Jonathan Goddard, Richard Alston, Agnes Oaks, Thomas Edur. © Critics’ Circle.
Peter Cargin, Hon Treasurer with Agnes Oakes. © Critics’ Circle.
The Annual Award for Service to the Arts, May 13, 2009 at the National Theatre.
Denise Silvester-Carr, Irving Wardle, Herbert Kretzmer, Marianne Gray. © Critics’ Circle.
President Charles Spencer, Matasha Parry (Mrs Brook), Peter Brook, Mark Shenton, chairman of the Drama Section, Michael Billington. © Critics’ Circle.
Peter Brook in full flow. © Critics’ Circle.
Peter Brook with Michael Billington. Guardian drama critic. © Critics’ Circle.
Peter Brooke with Mark Shenton. © Critics’ Circle.