MORNING tea with the Governor at stately Government House? Hyacinth Bucket could only dream of such an honour.

Patricia Routledge, of Keeping Up Appearances fame, at Government House

MORNING tea with the Governor at stately Government House? Hyacinth Bucket could only dream of such an honour.

Governor Peter Underwood welcomed one of Britain’s most distinguished and decorated actors, Patricia Routledge – best known for playing social-climbing Mrs Bucket in the 1990s TV sitcom Keeping Up Appearances – and world-renowned pianist Piers Lane to Tasmania yesterday, ahead of tonight’s Australian premiere of their acclaimed show Admission One Shilling.

Admission One Shilling tells the story of pianist Dame Myra Hess, who organised almost 1700 concerts at London’s National Gallery during Wold War II as a distraction from the bombs.

Routledge, 86, has a connection to Admission One Shilling, having seen Dame Myra perform in Liverpool as a child. Now she’s looking forward to sharing the moving story with Australian audiences.

“Her contribution to the war effort was invaluable,’’ she said. “Like Churchill did, she kept our spirits alive, which is very, very important during times of conflict.’’