BAFTA-winning actor David Bradley will share stories, music and magic at a special fundraising evening in Bicester next month.
The event, titled Music, Magic and Shameless Name-Dropping – An Evening with David Bradley, takes place on Friday 20 March at The Littlebury Hotel, Kings End. All proceeds will go to The Hummingbird Centre, a cancer support charity serving Oxfordshire and surrounding counties.
Bradley’s career spans more than six decades across stage and screen. He is widely known for playing Argus Filch in the Harry Potter film series and Walder Frey in Game of Thrones. His television work also includes Our Friends in the North, Broadchurch, After Life and Doctor Who. He won the British Academy Television Award for Best Supporting Actor for his role in Broadchurch.
An evening of stories, music and magic
The evening will be hosted by Bradley’s long-term friend Ian Critchley, who is also a trustee at The Hummingbird Centre. The format is split into two parts.
In the first half, Bradley and Critchley will discuss his early life, theatre training and television career. After a short interval, Bradley will perform a series of magic tricks before reflecting on his later roles, including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and After Life. The evening will close with the pair performing songs that hold personal meaning for Bradley.
Critchley said: “The evening is in two parts – in the first half David and I chat about his early life and career in the theatre and early TV appearances. After a short break, David performs a few magic tricks before we sit back down and discuss his career post-2000, including Harry Potter, Game of Thrones and After Life. We finish by singing a few songs that are relevant to David’s past or songs that he enjoys.
“We’ve done three of these evenings already to help raise money for different charities and I thought the people of Bicester would love to get involved, both to raise money for The Hummingbird Centre and find out more about David.”
A distinguished stage career
Bradley trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, making his stage debut in 1968 in a RADA production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman.
Four years later, he auditioned successfully for Laurence Olivier and spent several seasons with the National Theatre Company. In 1978, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and later received a Laurence Olivier Award for his role in King Lear.
Supporting The Hummingbird Centre
The Hummingbird Centre was founded in 2014 by Mechelle Harris, following a promise she made to her late father, Raymond Hurcombe, to create something positive out of her family’s loss.
Since opening, the centre has supported thousands of people affected by cancer. It provides therapy, counselling, activities, a lymphoedema clinic and dedicated children’s services.
The centre relies entirely on donations and volunteers. All funds raised go directly back into its work.
Mechelle Harris said: “David has had a fantastically successful career which included some unmissable films and television shows. We are absolutely delighted that David is giving his time to help raise money for the centre. We can’t wait to attend this event.”
The Hummingbird Centre is open Tuesday to Friday, from 10am to 4pm, supporting people with cancer and their families across Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.
Event details
- Event: Music, Magic and Shameless Name-Dropping – An Evening with David Bradley
- Date: Friday 20 March
- Venue: The Littlebury Hotel, Kings End, Bicester
- Tickets: £25
To book, email: events@thehummingbirdcentre.org.uk
More information about the charity can be found at thehummingbirdcentre.org.uk.
Who is David Bradley?
David Bradley is a BAFTA-winning English actor with a stage and screen career spanning more than six decades. Many viewers will recognise him as Argus Filch in the Harry Potter films, or as Walder Frey in Game of Thrones iconic Red Wedding.
He has also played Abraham Setrakian in the horror series The Strain, and appeared in a wide range of British television dramas including Our Friends in the North, Broadchurch, After Life and The Tudors.
Bradley won the BAFTA for Best Supporting Actor in 2014 for his role in Broadchurch. Comedy fans may also remember him from the Three Flavours Cornetto films, including Hot Fuzz and The World’s End.
He is closely associated with Doctor Who. Bradley portrayed William Hartnell (the first actor to play the Doctor) in the BBC drama An Adventure in Space and Time, before later taking on the role of the First Doctor himself in the series.
Away from the camera, Bradley is an established theatre performer. He trained at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art and has worked with the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company. He received a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance in King Lear.
Where you might know him from
Film:
- Harry Potter (Argus Filch)
- Hot Fuzz
- The World’s End
TV drama:
- Game of Thrones (Walder Frey)
- Broadchurch
- Our Friends in the North
- After Life
Doctor Who:
- An Adventure in Space and Time (as William Hartnell)
- Later appearances as the First Doctor in the main series
