Prince Edward gives Fareham Live the royal seal of approval at special visit

Prince Edward was in Fareham to officially open the town’s £17million 800-seat art and entertainment venue. 

Councillor Connie Hockley (Con, Titchfield), who has called Fareham Live the ”jewel in the crown” of Fareham’s regeneration plans, said the Dukes’ visit was “the icing on the cake”.

Although it has been open since October the Duke’s visit marks the official opening which is “a real in the cap of Fareham Live”, said another councillor.

He charmed invited guests with his humour, passion and enthusiasm for the new venue, said the guests.

Prince Edward said a place like this will ”lift everyone’s game and ambition.”

He was welcomed by the mayor, Councillor Pal Hayre, executive leader of Fareham Borough Council, Councillor Simon Martin, and other members of the council before meeting local people and community groups. 

The Duke of Edinburgh said: “Thank you for inviting me here to see the wonderful new building you’ve created here and I hope it’s a really good addition to Fareham and the local area. And that you use it well. There appear to be some thriving companies here which is fantastic with lots of brilliant ideas of what you can now do with the space. 

“Now you’ve got these brand new facilities and it’s so much better than what was here before, the standard of production will go up. Everyone will lift their game. You come in here and you feel inspired whether you’re on the technical side or whether you’re on the performance side.

“A space like this lifts everyone’s ambition and their whole game. I’m delighted that given the other things you’ve done here you can use this space throughout the whole day. 

“The place will come alive the whole day. Well done on the concept and seeing it through. Well done for sticking with it.”Cllr Martin (Con, Park Gate) said: “It is my absolute honour and privilege to be here today to welcome HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, to Fareham Live. His Royal Highness has a genuine interest in and enthusiasm for theatre and the arts, which we all share.”

He spoke to two community theatre groups that were rehearsing in the spaces. In Studio one, Nick Scovell playing Poiret in Agathe Christie’s sold out Black Coffee this week at Fareham Live said The Duke watched very quietly and didn’t rustle his sweet papers, he said he was quite drawn in and would have stayed for the whole show. 

Prince Edward was then treated to a performance from Annie Jr featuring Mabel Mulcare and Phoebe Nolan who will perform two performances as Annie each and Daisy Ferguson as Oliver “Daddy” Warbucks. Fareham Musical society’s production of Annie Jr is nearly sold out and starts next Friday.

Mabel and Phoebe said they spoke to Prince Edward about how the Annie show was going and how excited and nervous they both were about its opening next week. They both have ambitions to be singers.

Lewis Evans of Box House Theatre said it was “surreal” to meet him and not what he expected. Lewis said he held back to start with but once he started talking to Prince Edward it felt like a normal conversation with a “humble” and down to earth guy.

They discussed Mr Evans’ company not using technology – the striping back of performance to the actor’s physical body and voice which is what he said audiences come for – the craft.

Jordan Knight, a teacher at a special needs secondary school in Stubbington, enjoyed talking to The Duke about what Fareham Live will mean to her students. She said it is clear how passionate he is about the theatre industry. 

Since the closure of the Ashcroft Museum the Ash Knit group has been adopted by the new venue, said co-founder Libby Walsh or Fareham. The group of five ladies were knitting all through Prince Edward’s visit and got a chance to chat to him about their passion. They said he was interested in what they were doing and found him very easy to talk to. Co-founder Elisabeth Staples, Portsmouth said the group meets once a month or every couple of weeks upstairs.

After lunch with Prince Edward, Cllr Hockley described her day as “surreal”. She swooned and said he is so natural and knowledgeable about talking about the arts and theatre. He was asking lots of good questions backstage, absolutely smashing. 

Councillor Michael Ford (Con, Hook-with-Warsash) said: “A terrific relaxed person who had a breadth of subjects to talk about and who was engaging with everyone at the table. Lovely experience.”

Cllr Ford said: ”It’s incredible that a building that was built by a council can attract a senior member of the royal family to open the event. A feather in the cap of Fareham Live.”

Councillor David Foot (Con, Sarisbury and Whiteley) said: “It was a huge honour to meet the Duke. An amazing experience to talk to him just over the table, he is so down to earth and so connected. I met his father in 1975.“