Richard Ashcroft a 2006 interview, Ashcroft mentioned taking Prozac to help him with clinical depression, but said that it did not help, referring to the pills as "very, very synthetic." Ashcroft has said that he's always been "a depressive, someone who suffers from depression", and that music and creativity help him cope with his illness. Controversy exists over The Verve's biggest hit, "Bitter Sweet Symphony", on which Ashcroft is the sole band member to share a co-writing credit. The song uses a sample of Andrew Oldham Orchestra's recording of The Rolling Stones' 1965 song "The Last Time". The Verve had negotiated this
Ashcroft Theatre Dame Peggy Ashcroft. The opening ceremony included the reading of a monologue specially penned by Sir John Betjemen called ‘Local Girl Makes Good'. The first play was ‘Royal Gambit' starring Dulcie Gray. Those to have trodden the boards at The Ashcroft Theatre include Richard Todd, Rex Harrison and Dame Peggy herself. The auditorium is on two tiers with the stalls heavily raked. The front of the circle is unadorned and the straight walls have natural finishes. The stage, with false proscenium, is well equipped with 30 single purchase counterweight sets for flying, and an orchestra pit on a hydraulic lift