Twenty five years ago tonight me and my friend Judith were sitting in the front row of the Olivier Theatre seeing Richard Eyre's now-legendary production of GUYS AND DOLLS. It was a life-changing evening that lives in my memory still.

I had queued up from about 7am with one of the longest lines of people I have ever seen as it was the first ever National Theatre Bargain Night where seats in all three theatres were reduced to £2.00. That's right... £2.00. Amazingly I got two in the front row, just off-centre.

So I would like to mention now the greatest ensemble of actors it has ever been my privilege to see fly:

William Armstrong, Mark Bond, James Carter, Ian Charleston, Sally Cooper, Julie Covington, Irlin Hall, David Healy, Fiona Hendley, Bob Hoskins, Rachel Izen, Julia McKenzie, John Normington, Robert Oates, Bill Paterson, Kevin Quarmby, Robert Ralph, Barrie Rutter, Bernard Sharpe, Belinda Sinclair, Imelda Staunton, Harry Towb, Larrington Walker, Richard Walsh, Norman Warwick, Kevin Williams

Stars all... some shining from afar now.

Time to brush-up my time-step for the finale.