The National Theatre was transformed into a forest for its Next Chapter Gala, which raised £2million to help enable access to theatre. The theme for the evening was “the family show”: it featured a puppet performance of The Jungle Book and dinner beneath a canopy of plants in the Lyttelton theatre. Actor Adrian Scarborough and Bridgerton star Adjoa Andoh kept their conversation on theme with a discussion of how theatre tickets should be subsidised. “We need to be making sure that people can get into the theatre, that they can afford it,” said Andoh, adding that “taking a family to theatre is quite pricey”. Between scanning the room for Cate Blanchett, Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies teased his forthcoming Channel 4 show, Tip Toe: “It’s about two neighbours at war — a gay man living next door to a straight man, but it’s actually really about the whole hellpit the world is sliding into.” Davies was there with his boyfriend, 27-year-old model Oliver Cole. Other guests included Celia Imrie, Russell Tovey and James Corden.
