Go Live Theatre Will Host WEST END MEMORIES With Rosalyn Wilder and Patricia Hodge

Go Live Theatre announced a special event West End Memories - Rosalyn Wilder in conversation with Patricia Hodge taking place on Monday 9 March 2026 at 7pm at The Theatre at the Hippodrome Casino. The evening, the first in an occasional series, will include Wilder and Hodge sharing some extraordinary memories of their careers, including Wilder's involvement in the 2019 biopic Judy in which she was portrayed by Jessie Buckley. 

Rosalyn was ‘executive in charge' at the renowned Talk of the Town, and assistant to its creator Robert Nesbitt. From auditions, backstage staff, costumes, sets and even front of house, Rosalyn had an eye on everything, including of course the world-famous performers who performed there. Her memories are legion and involve a truly fascinating period of London theatre. 

The event will offer a rare opportunity to hear footage of Judy Garland singing at the Talk of the Town cabaret in 1968, a recording which was confiscated at the time from an audience member and has never been broadcast publicly in its entirety. The evening will raise vital funds for Go Live Theatre allowing them to continue their work increasing accessibility to live theatre and the arts for all children and young people.

Rosalyn Wilder said today, “It is always a delight to return to the Hippodrome - one of London's most historic entertainment venues. On this occasion the pleasure is all the greater because I am being given the privilege of discussing part of its' heritage with the delightful Patricia Hodge. We will trip through the earlier years, remember the Talk of the Town and its many international stars and glamorous floorshows and spend some time paying tribute to the late great Judy Garland and the 2019 film starring Renee Zellweger documenting her last engagement at the Talk of the Town.”

Patricia Hodge said, “The Hippodrome/Talk of the Town, as described to me with awe and wonder by my parents, was the Emerald City of my imagination when I was a child. I am therefore excited to be in the company of the amazing Rosalyn Wilder, herself a living legend that was such a vital part of its history, and indeed of the history of Show Business in the 20th Century.”

Chief Executive of Go Live Theatre Sita McIntosh said today, “West End Memories promises to be a very special evening of sparkling conversation and reminisces that will appeal to anyone who has an interest in the West End. We are hugely grateful to Rosalyn and Patricia as well as Ian Haworth from the Hippodrome and Ryan Woods from Playing Field who have been instrumental in putting this evening together in aid of Go Live. “

Since its inception as Mousetrap Theatre Projects in 1997, Go Live Theatre, has enabled more than 290,000 children and young people to experience the joy of live theatre, with that number growing exponentially. The company work with those from disadvantaged and/or vulnerable backgrounds for whom a trip to the theatre is out of reach because of economic or physical reasons or quite simply, relevance. Working on a wide variety of programmes with producers and venues, Go Live Theatre exist to change that.

Go Live Theatre are committed to cultivating the next generation of audiences or creative talent by igniting a passion for theatre from an early age through trips to the theatres, impactful programmes and inspiring workshops.

Rosalyn Wilder started her career in 1956 for Lew and Leslie Grade, one of the largest talent agencies in the UK during the 1950's. Having ‘retired' at the age of 18 to get married, Wilder decided to return to work in 1959 and a chance meeting led her to becoming personal assistant to Robert Nesbitt, director of shows at the London Palladium and at the time the recently opened Talk of the Town. She worked with Nesbitt for 20 years and heavily involved in the Palladium Pantomimes, summer shows, Talk of the Town and 18 Royal Variety Performances. From here, she went on to work at the Barbican Centre and after her retirement was approached to be involved with the making of a movie about Judy Garland's engagement at the Talk of the Town show in 1968. During this time, Wilder was solely responsible for Garland appearing each night. It was a turbulent engagement and sadly, Garland died six months later. Wilder was heavily involved with the development of the film over a four-year period and in 2019 the biopic Judy with Renée Zellweger portraying Judy Garland and Wilder played by Jessie Buckley. The film itself became a box office success with Zellweger winning an Academy award for her portrayal of Garland.

Patricia Hodge trained at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art and has worked extensively in all aspects of the media, collecting six award nominations, an Olivier Award in 2000 and Female Performer of the Year, Spoken Word Awards, in 2003. Her television credits include The Naked Civil Servant, Edward and Mrs Simpson, Hotel du Lac, seven series of Rumpole of the Bailey, The Life and Loves of a She Devil, The Shell Seekers and The Cloning of Joanna May. For the BBC she played Betty Maxwell in Maxwell, Margaret Thatcher in The Falklands Play, Ursula Thorpe in A Very English Scandal, several series of the hit comedy Miranda, and is currently filming the sixth series of All Creatures Great and Small.