The comedic actress could be set to work with her Absolutely Fabulous co-star in 2019…
Harriet Thorpe is set for a return to the stage alongside her Absolutely Fabulous friend Jennifer Saunders for an upcoming charity comedy night.
The 61-year-old star, who played eccentric work colleague Fleur in the BBC One British sitcom, alongside Dawn French and Jennifer Saunders, will be reuniting with Jennifer Saunders as the comedy duo team up to host ZSLs Roar With Laughter, opposite Christopher Biggins, on Friday [16 November].
READ MORE: Dawn French reveals the one thing that drives her crazy about side kick Jennifer Saunders
The evening of truly wild entertainment will see performances from critically acclaimed comic Nish Kumar alongside Mo Gilligan, Lost Voice Guy, Rob Delaney, Rob Deering and La Voix.
Harriet tells us: “Whats wonderful about this night is its about laughter, humour and whats interesting in life is humour, even when youre dealing with politics or anything thats tragic, humour cuts through with a truth and an immediacy that you dont get with anything else. And throughout history humour has got us through situations faster than anything.”
The question on every Ab Fab fan lips is will we see Harriet and Jennifer working together again in 2019 and it could be set to happen.
Harriet teases: “I couldnt possibly say. Weve known each other for 40 years since drama school so were great mates and we hang around a lot anyway.”
Harriet admits its difficult for female comedians to get the exposure needed to help their careers. She explains: “Its exciting for me to bring some more pals in. What Im interested in life nowadays is more diversity and more women. I think there are many amazing wonderful women out there and sometimes they dont get the showcasing that they should.”
So will she be writing down some new gags to perform on the night? Harriet tells us: “When you co-host something you go off the vibe of the evening, of course its not scripted because youre hosting and introducing people and its about the buzz and the feeling you get from the audience and the thrill of the night. Its such a wonderful cause and inspirational.”
The ever-popular event raises vital funds to target the illegal wildlife trade, supporting ZSLs work across the world to protect endangered species. Elephants, rhinos and tigers face threats from the illegal wildlife trade, habitat destruction and climate change, and urgent action is needed to ensure their survival. Conservation charity ZSL is working in more than 50 countries to tackle these threats and protect animals to safeguard a future.
Harriet continues: “When I was a little girl and I went to the zoo you could ride on a camel – that was normal – youd have camel walks but thats all changed. The whole definition of what the zoo is and what it does now is so profoundly different and so moving in all the things that it achieves in our world on a daily basis, conservation and everything they do is a really important dynamic change in the last decade thats brought it to where we are today, thats the survival of our planet and the animals.”
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When we asked if performing to a live audience was scarier than doing TV, Harriet explains: “As an actor, a live audience is the most control and connection that we ever have with our audience and its the most thrilling time because its you and them and its in the moment and you cant put me on pause and you cant go and make a cup of tea. I love all the things that I do, I love to do film, television, films and musical theatre, but the thing in film and television if somebody doesnt like something they can have the back of your head and you can arrive on the cutting room floor – nobody can do that in theatre, once youre on, youre on, and actually its the most thrilling thing.”
Roar with Laughter will take place at the Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, on Friday 16 November, doors open at 7pm for an 8pm start.
Tickets are on sale now, with prices starting at just £18.50 click HERE to book
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