Theatre greats in tsunami show

It was honours all round when many of Britain's best-loved actors linked up for an evening of drama, music and comedy in aid of the tsunami appeal.

Six dames - Joan Plowright, Judi Dench, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, Diana Rigg, Eileen Atkins - and one knight, Sir Antony Sher, took to the stage for One Knight Only.

Members of the audience paid up to £1,000 each to see the show at the Theatre Royal in Haymarket. The money will be sent directly to rebuild villages in the southern Asian countries devastated by the disaster.

Dame Judi said: "All getting together to do something that we love for a worthwhile cause seems to me to be the best of all possible worlds."

Other stars taking part last night included Kim Cattrall, Patrick Stewart, Zoe Wanamaker, Joanna Lumley, Edward Fox, Ned Sherrin and Kevin Spacey.