A luvvie fest! A gorgeous Kimberley Walsh leads the celebrity crowd congratulating ex EastEnder Kara Tointon after her new play
By SEAMUS DUFF and LUCY BUCKLAND
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One used to appear in EastEnders and the other rose to fame on a TV talent show.
But Kimberley Walsh and actress Kara Tointon showed just how much they had grown as they were reunited after an evening at the theatre.
It was the press night for Kara's new play Relatively Speaking and Kimberley looked ultra glamorous in a clinging navy dress with a scoop back.
Simply stunning! Kimberley Walsh looked superb in her clinging black dress which was set off perfectly with the slick of red lipstick
Old friends: Kimberley and Kara have known each other for years after meeting on the theatre circuit
The Girls Aloud star, 31, showed off her perfect figure in the demure dress and, as a seasoned theatre actress herself after starring in Shrek, she made sure she congratulated Kara on her performance after the show.
Kara, who played Dawn Swann in EastEnders in 2005, has transformed since leaving the soap and has been nominated for various theatre awards and won the glitterball trophy in 2010 on Strictly Come Dancing.
Lovely to see you! Kara and Kimberley have a showbiz hug
It's emotional! Kara and Kimberley hug it out
You were great darling! Kimberley and Kara catch up at the after-party
Wearing a cute black dress Kara was undoubtedly the star of the show and was more than happy to pose up with Kimberley and pal Denise Van Outen.
Denise wore her hair in what looked like a sock bun - the latest way of creating a flawless look and the Magic radio presenter looked chic in her black suit and white shirt.
All girls together: All three ladies appeared on Strictly at one point and are well known in the theatre
A kiss for Denise! Kara puckers up as Denise leans in for a chat
Smile! Kimberley Walsh, Artem Chigvintsev with girlfriend Kara Tointon and Denise van Outen
Proud boyfriend! Artem Chigvintsev and Kara Tointon met on Strictly in 2010
Cheers! Kimberley and Denise sample some of the free champagne during the after party
It was a rather demure dress code as every celebrity guest wore black for the press night of the play, which sees Kara invoking a bit of '60s glamour as she continues her prolific stage career in the Alan Ayckbourn classic.
The show is now running until August in London’s Wyndham’s Theatre and is the latest live-performance role for Tointon following a successful appearance in Pygmalion, with Rupert Everett.
Celebrations! Anna Carteret, Felicity Kendal and Susan Hampshire toast to their success
Perhaps not the best pose! Kara looks slightly odd as she laughs during the after-party
Chic: Denise and Kimberley almost steal the show from Kara in their fashionable attire
A family affair! Michael Rudman, Felicity Kendal and their son Jacob
Cast: Jonathan Coy, Felicity Kendal, Kara Tointon and Jonathan Coy look relieved to have press night over with
Stage beauty: Kara Tointon shows off her elegant side with 60s glamour in the new production of Relatively Speaking in London
Relatively Speaking sees the 29-year-old actress in a comical farce as she plays a woman named Ginny who finds herself trapped in a love triangle with her lover Greg, and a married man.
The actress is joined on stage by Max Bennett as Greg, Jonathan Coy as her married love interest Philip and The Good Life actress Felicity Kendal as Sheila.
Hilarity ensues as a variety of mistaken identities and crossed wires find the four characters enjoying a Sunday breakfast together.
Lighting up the stage: The brunette star clutches a cigarette during her live performance
With a blue patterned mini-dress and a bobbed hair-cut, Kara looks quite the '60s pin-up as she slips perfectly into the era of her art.
The play - which has already been on tour around England - has proved a hit with audiences, with fans deeming it 'very enjoyable' and 'wonderfully funny'.
While the actress certainly lights up the stage in her vintage get up, it would be unfair to say she doesn't look equally as arresting off stage as well.
Lovers at lunch: A mix up and mistaken identity finds Kara's character Ginny at a table with both of her boyfriends
Pleased to meet you: Iconic actress Felicity Kendal is also part of the cast as Sheila
Beautiful on stage and off: The actress looks great in her 60s costume (left) and also lit up the red carpet in an elegant gown for the TV BAFTAs (right)
The brunette was just one of the many celebrities to walk down the red carpet at last weekend's TV BAFTA awards, looking elegant in a floor length nude coloured dress.
And she also wowed audiences in 2010 when she appeared as a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing.
Appearing each week in a dazzling dance-hall outfit, the amateur dancer went on to win the competition and also met her current boyfriend Artem Chigvintsev while on the show.
Fast footed: Kara also won Strictly Come Dancing in 2010 - where she also met her boyfriend Artem Chigvintsev
Kara first appeared in EastEnders in 2005 where she played the character Dawn Swann until 2009.
'I was sick of doing jobs here and there and everyone else seems part of a team... so it was good to have a normal job and a normal income,' she told the BBC last month, explaining the pros and cons of being in one of the biggest soaps on TV.
'EastEnders was this things that changed things for me and I got it, it's hard to watch someone once they've done something like that.'
Where it began: Kara got her big break playing Dawn Swann in EastEnders in 2005
She went on to reveal that Strictly Come Dancing saved her career, saying it was something 'that I thought would change that as I was going to go off and be an interior designer but it had the opposite effect and now I'm in this theater world and really enjoying it.'
Indeed Kara has since wowed audiences in her role as Eliza Doolittle in the West End production of Pygmalion in 2011 opposite Rupert Everett and Dianna Rigg.
Break a leg! Jonathan Coy as Philip, Felicity Kendal as Sheila, Max Bennett as Greg and Kara Tointon as Ginny compose the cast of Relatively Speaking
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2328123/Kimberley-Walsh-leads-celebrity-crowd-congratulating-ex-EastEnder-Kara-Tointon-new-play-Relatively-Speaking.html#ixzz2TugIHffT
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