Fundraising Miss Daisy Vanessa Redgrave is the West End's charity champ

Collectors: Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones raised £13,847.89 for charity

10 April 2012

Veteran actors Vanessa Redgrave and James Earl Jones are the West End's champion "chuggers" after encouraging a record-breaking charity collection from their audiences.

Every year shows make collections for theatre charity Acting for Others, with performers making an announcement from the stage and joining crew in offering collecting buckets as the audience leave.

Last year sums included £107.83 from a production of La bohème at the English National Opera, £118.32 at Mamma Mia!, £329.20 at Chicago, £508.86 at Woman in Black and £3,498.36 at Phantom of the Opera.

Last year's production of Design for Living at the Old Vic made £9,987.97 and the audiences at Oliver! stumped up £10,150.55, but five-figure totals were rare, according to figures posted on the charity's website.

But the Driving Miss Daisy team, including third cast member Boyd Gaines, are thought to be on course to break records when their appeal last week raised £13,847.89. The cast signed posters
to boost donations.

Redgrave, a veteran campaigner, who recently received an Oscar tribute, said: "I am so happy our fundraising was so warmly welcomed by our audiences."

Acting for Others was set up in the Sixties by Laurence Olivier with Noel Coward and Richard Attenborough. An annual collection was begun in 2003.

Driving Miss Daisy is at Wyndham's Theatre until December 17.