A lucky Oxford audience salivated over a topless Jude Law and
bartered over Jonny Depp’s pants last Sunday to raise money
for terminally ill children. ‘Childish Things’, a £50-a-head star-studded event
celebrating the joys of childhood, was held at the Oxford
Playhouse. Hugh Laurie, Steve Coogan and Radiohead were amongst
the celebrity entertainers raising money for Helen House, a
hospice for children with life-threatening illnesses, which costs
£1.5 million a year to run. Over 600 attended the sell-out show, including celebrities
such as broadcaster Jeremy Paxman. Offerings included readings by
Hugh Laurie of childhood-related Dahl and Blake poems. Rory
Bremner received one of the biggest applauses for his trademark
political satire, particularly on the issue the Iraq war. Jonny Depp’s pants and other auctioned film memorabilia
alone raised around £10,000, the original target. A delighted
audience also goggled at heart throb Jude Law’s half-naked
body, after he sold the undershirt worn in blockbuster Cold
Mountain for £2,500. For the grand finale, an unusual
collaboration between Radiohead and Bill Nighy performed
‘Love Is Around Us’. One of the few students who could afford the fundraiser’s
ticket price, Adam Smith of Magdalen said, “It was a really
good cause.”ARCHIVE: 4th week TT 2004
Radiohead serenade Oxford
