Oh, What a Night! (From Daily Echo)

Glamour and success at the 2011 Curtain Call Awards

10:53am Monday 30th January 2012 in Stage News By Lorelei Reddin, Entertainments Editor

THE glitz and glamour of Hollywood came to Hampshire this weekend as the Daily Echo hosted its very own Academy Awards ceremony.

Dubbed the Oscars of the South, the 12th annual Curtain Call Awards were enjoyed by a sold out audience of more than 400 amateur theatre enthusiasts from across the south.

Whoops, cheers and thunderous applause met the news that Maskers Theatre Company had scooped the coveted Production of the Year title for their spectacular outdoor show Treasure Island.

Actor Guy Henry, star of TV’s Holby City, presented the company, and 37 other winners, with their gong in an evening compered by Daily Echo editor Ian Murray and entertainments editor Lorelei Reddin. Dressed in their finest, guests enjoyed a delicious three-course dinner, magician Marcus Bailey and entertainment from societies including a sword fight sequence from The Three Musketeers by members of Collingwood RSC.

After the ceremony, party-goers danced until the early hours to a DJ spinning disco classics.

The event, at the De Vere Grand Harbour Hotel in Southampton, was sponsored by Sister Act, which visits The Mayflower next month.

Organiser Jo Richardson also thanked the Daily Echo’s team of curtain call reviewers, Mike Andrews and team for staging, sound and lighting, the De Vere for sponsoring the drinks reception and Asda Totton for supplying bubbly for the winners.

For a full list of winners, see today's Daily Echo.