An actor and director from Barnet is currently working on a new show with professional actors from stage and screen. The show at the Chickenshed Theatre, which will be raising money for Marie Curie, will feature poetry from his late mother.

Matthew Ashforde has lived in Barnet for 25 years. His credits as an actor fteaure both stage and TV shows, such as Mr Cranbourne in Hetty Feather (CBBC), PC Tony Kresge in several episodes of Eastenders (BBC) and appearances in Doctors, Casualty, Mr Selfridge, Father Brown, Mayday, Being Human, Phone Shop and many more.

He is currently producing and directing an evening of poetry and an eclectic mix of live music in aid of the cancer care and support charity, taking place on Sunday, March 25.

The production is titled I’ll See You In My Dreams and will be the springboard for the posthumous launch of his mum’s book The Ballad Of Edna Pugh & Other Poems.

Matthew’s mum, Kate Ashforde, a resident of Barnet for many years, passed away last August shortly after being diagnosed with Leukaemia.

The line-up for the performance includes a host of well-known professional actors from stage and screen, reading poems from the book and singing musical theatre songs.

They include leading West End leading lady Hannah Waddingham (Game Of Thrones) Tamsin Greig (Episodes, Greenwing), Meera Syal ( The Kumars, Goodness Gracious Me) Ann Mitchell (Cora in Eastenders), Eva Pope (Waterloo Road, Hetty Feather) Wendi Peters (Cilla Battersby in Coronation Street) Andrew Polec & Christina Bennington the two lead actors from the Meatloaf West End musical Bat Out Of Hell, Barnet resident and actor Gordon Warnecke (My Beautiful Laundrette) and several other professional performers from stage and screen.

The performance will also feature The London School Of Musical Theatre Alumni Choir, where Matthew regularly teaches.

Finishing off the performance will be newly formed Barnet band Seven Ages who are an 11-piece outfit between the ages of nine and 76 who will be performing well known pop and rock covers.

All proceeds will be going to Marie Curie who will also have a visible presence at the theatre including Marie Curie nurses. Representatives of the charity The Good Grief Trust will also be in attendance.

Chicken Shed Theatre, Rayne Theatre, 290 Chase Side, N14 4PE. Details: 020 8292 9222