A peace offering fit for a queen: now Helen Mirren is banging the drum for equality, too

Helen Mirren was presented with a drum from the As One In The Park street band at the stage door of the Gielgud Theatre yesterday. The 67-year-old actress, who is starring as the Queen in The Audience, accepted flowers, a drum and an invitation to their festival. At the weekend, Mirren had stormed out of her play during the interval to remonstrate with the drummers for disrupting her performance by playing very loudly just outside.

On Monday she offered them an olive branch, by appearing in a T-shirt with a hand-written message advertising the festival - but with a cheeky message on the back urging them to take their drumming elsewhere.