Step aside Bob Newhart and Elvis Presley: you’ve been dethroned. Last Friday, residents at Ashleigh House put on a fabulous performance in the residential facility’s very own ‘Ashleigh House’s Got Talent’ that would have even Simon Cowell smacking the golden buzzer.
The ‘leisure and lifestyle’ team at Ashleigh House is responsible for ensuring the general well-being of all residents at the Sale residential care centre, and works scrupulously to provide fun, exciting, sociable events and activities regularly.
Ashleigh House’s team comprises six passionate staff members – team leader Ann Cunningham, Liza Pendlebury, Jenni Murphy, Daniel Parker Estoppey, Lauren Ryan and Jayne Davis – all of whom participated in the recent Ashleigh House’s Got Talent.
The clock read 1.30pm, and every seat in the Ashleigh House library was filled, which had magically transformed into a performance theatre.
The Wedge better watch out because this pop-up theatre certainly gives Sale’s performing arts centre a run for its money!
First in the spotlight, Ashleigh House’s Got Talent presenter Daniel called manor and house residents of Manor Choir to the stage for their performance of, ‘My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean’, and ‘I’m Forever Blowing Bubbles’.
A special mother-daughter act followed with Ashleigh House employee Sascha McPherson taking the stage performing ‘Halo’ by Beyonce and daughter Shelby singing ‘Sign of the Times’ by Harry Styles.
After a brief interval, stage shuffle and costume change, Daniel called Jayne and Lauren to take their place for the Ashleigh House News Report.
Laughter rumbled walls and books on the hidden shelves as Jayne and Lauren charismatically presented their original comedy skit, based on real-life events, incorporating Ashleigh House staff and residents in the audience.
From a sneaky cat to Peter Brock on an electric wheelchair, Ashleigh House visitors, heed this warning: keep your wits about you because you never know what mischief residents might be getting up to.
Ashleigh House resident Betty Lauria recited Spanish Maine by poet Alfred Noyse, and Bill Wakely sat centre stage, wearing a pair of angel wings, as his daughter-in-law, Liz Wakely, performed an original song about his youthful antics.
Ashleigh House chief executive Chris Beckman rocked the house with his recorder performance, demonstrating the recorder isn’t just an instrument that teachers give primary school students to take home and annoy their parents with.
After another brief interval, stage shuffle and costume change, Daniel called Ashleigh House residents Stewart Drew, Helmut Althaus and Hilary Wakely to the stage, accompanied by Hilary’s grandson Lachlan Floyd, for their rendition of ‘Laurel & Hardy and the Mechanic Fred’.
If you forgot the year was 2022 and that you were in Gippsland, Victoria, you could have sworn that the real Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy were performing right before your very eyes.
Stewart and Helmut had the audience in stitches reciting jokes behind a fabulously constructed and decorated cardboard car as they waited for Hilary, aka Fred, the mechanic and Lachlan, aka the apprentice.
The entire performance was a hoot from start to finish, with the audience’s and performers’ smiles and laughter confirming just how much fun this Ashleigh House’s Got Talent performance was. You would never have guessed Lachlan didn’t know he was performing until the start of the show.
“I got involved with the show through my gran, the mechanic. I had no idea I was involved until I walked in the door,” Lachlan said.
“Being a disability support worker, I’ve been involved in things similar to this but never in a retirement home.
“I mostly enjoyed seeing my grandparents smiling, laughing and I also really loved seeing how involved the staff were in their jobs and how invested they were to make the residents smile and have fun.
“I got involved because there is not a thing in the world I wouldn’t do for my gran. Being in a play to see her smile is a small gesture compared to what she has done in my upbringing.
“I will definitely be involved when possible to be a part of anything Ashleigh House holds or needs help with!
“I think overall the event was just beautiful, a great success that made the house a place full of laughter and smiles.”
Lachlan added it was reassuring after seeing events like this.
“This is very early days for my grandparents being in a retirement home, and knowing how amazing the staff and facility is gives you peace of mind,” he said.
It was a tough gig to follow the Laurel and Hardy and the Mechanic Fred performance, but the Belles and Beaus, consisting of representatives from numerous Ashleigh House departments, put forward a commendable effort under the circumstances.
The leisure and lifestyle team’s Ann and Liza and residents Wayne Taylor and Bruce Humphries – or rather, ‘Frieda, Agnetha, Björn and Benny’, capped off Ashleigh House’s Got Talent in fabulous style , with a fantastic performance of ABBA’s ‘Mamma Mia’.
The music started, and performers emerged. The audience went wild, kicking any prior assumptions about Ashleigh House’s residents to the curb as the audience clapped their hands, bopped their heads and boogied along.
Ashleigh House staff joined Ann, Liza, Wayne and Bruce on stage for an encore performance, wrapping up the event.
