Jim Bywater

Tomorrow I go back to the Arcola. I'm rehearsing Ibsen's GHOSTS, for the Actors Touring Company, directed by Bijam Sheibani - a nice bloke with a good way of working.
I'm playing ENGSTRAND, a carpenter. In case you don't know, GHOSTS is about this carpenter who has a stepdaughter who works for a woman whose deceased husband is the real father. There's money, sex and an STD involved. Doubtless, other members of the cast will have a different perspective. I think there's a couple of laughs as well - well, if I've got anything to do with it there will be. I'll let you know.
I'm looking forward to the Lachmajun from Mangal, over the road. £1 for lunch - NOT BAD, EH?

Continue reading "Here we go again." »

Posted by Jim Bywater at 8:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

The daughter's gig was great. Her stuff is edgy and difficult to play; it needs experienced musicians (and a bit of editing, it has to be said). She heard today that she got a 1st for her 'David Bowie' project, for which she was partnered by Liam, an excellent guitar musician from the antipodes.

Continue reading "There's more." »

Posted by Jim Bywater at 7:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (2) | TrackBacks (0)

Almost two years to the day since we last spoke????

Well, my dog died last year. Then my agent retired two years ago and I haven't stopped working since. What's all that about? I've got a new agent now - Robert Kelly @ Kelly Management. We're getting on great, so far. I've just had a casting for a new Roland Joffe film about Josemaria Escriva, founder of Opus Dei. I'll keep you posted, if you're interested.

Continue reading "Two years, already?" »

Posted by Jim Bywater at 12:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Look, this is my opinion - right?
Bill Shakespeare's THE TEMPEST is like the Windows Millenium computer operating system. Y'know - "We've spent all this money developing the next generation of our OS we had better publish it. I know it's not brilliant but we've got to recoup".
I think THE TEMPEST is 'work-in-progress'. Shakespeare observed what was going on in society at large, devised a poetic setting in which to 'paint the picture' and discovered that there was no plot to speak of - simply a set of elements which were either in flux, or were constants.
NOTHING HAPPENS!!! There is no action - no physical state-of-things that is attacked, defended or changed. There is no struggle through which the 'combatants' learn something about themselves and each other.
To my mind it's a description of the way God, (whoever she is) was working in the time between the Old Testament and the New Testament. Like Prospero, she was changing her attitude (or mind) from 'An eye for an eye' to 'Peace and Reconcilliation'. THE TEMPEST is set in Prospero's cell on an island; it could be set in Nelson Mandella's cell on Robin Island.
Maybe Shakespeare's intention was to develop a trilogy - the first part, "Prospero's Fall", set in Milan. The second part, "Prospero's Return", set on his island. The third part, "Prospero's Second Fall"back in Milan. It would be like a collection of "ROCKY" movies in which Prospero is the winner every time but against terrible odds. I wonder if Stallone would be interested? This idea's copyrighted, by the way. How do you spell that - copywrighted?

Posted by Jim Bywater at 7:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Long time, no see. What have I been up to? Well, I played Dame Trott - full name, Dame Tilly Buttermilk Full Fat Egg Custard Fromage Frais Gold Top Devon Knows How They Make It So Creamy I Can't Believe It's Not Butter Gorgonzola Dolcellata Double Gloucester Trott. Cheesy, I know. This, in JACK AND THE BEANSTALK at the Queen's Theatre in Hornchurch.
During the final two weeks at Hornchurch I began work on CHASING THE MOMENT, by Jack Shepherd, at the Arcola theatre, Dalston. I played Harry Mossman, the drugged up bass player. In the final week of 'MOMENT' I began rehearsals back at Hornchurch playing Trinculo in THE TEMPEST. Though I say it myself, I got very good reviews in all three productions.
Of course, none of the national press could be arsed to get off their butts and haul themselves over to Hornchurch. However, there are two weeks left of THE TEMPEST so you never know, they might make the effort - though I doubt it.
Whilst rehearsing at the Arcola my agent phoned to say that he was leaving the business and moving to South Africa. So now I am agentless. I have written to six agents and had a reply from one who was going to come to one of the performances. Unfortunately, the performance had to be cancelled because a cast member, Tom Silburn, developed appendicitis and had to be rushed to hospital. As yet, no other agent has had the good grace to reply.
There can only be two reasons for this.
1 - the business is so chocker with prospective clients that the agents don't have to make an effort to find people for their books and,
2 - I'm too old for them to find me enough work to justify working for me.
It can't be because I am inexperienced because I've been doing this job since 1968. And it can't be because I'm useless, because I'm not - for some reason, I'm very good. Maybe, someone is trying to tell me something.
Can you, dear reader, recommend an agent? If you can, pop the name in the 'Comments' section.
Today, with my mate Jack, I played golf in a blizzard. Couldn't see where the ball went, but - excellent!

Posted by Jim Bywater at 6:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)

Appologies for my absence. Lots been going on - not all of any consequence. I'll try to get it all down.
Last significant entry - 28 June 2006. Since then, er, er....... I'll just refer to my diary/calendar, 'ang on.....
Well, there are only four or five things to report, apart from Saddams demise, of course.
Firstly, me and the missis had ten days in Tuscany, right at the height of a heat wave that even the Tuscans described as 'too hot'. We went to the first night of Puccini's 'Tosca' at Torre del Largo where Puccini had lived and worked. It was big, it was posh and it was disappointing. The sound was crap, the lighting was crap and the direction left a lot to be desired. During the interval we met the lighting designer of The Producers, in London's West End and he, an opera buff, confirmed that it was less than good. And, on top of that, we discovered that we had to pay to go on the beach - that is, unless we wished to associate with the 'Great Unwashed' on the pathetically small public beach. So, if we fancied a couple of hours by the sea at about 3 o'clock it would cost us £8. Nuff said. We found two or three excellent restaurants. The one that I remember easily is called 'Lo Studio' in Pietrasanta. A menu of local dishes deliciously prepared and entertainingly presented and served. The Mother cooks and the family - of clowns - wait on table. There was an exciting and intriguing atmosphere in this ex artist's studio. Delightful.
THEN, Beth found that she was accepted onto the popular music degree course at Goldsmith's University. Since then she's actually read a book. Ooooooh!
At the back-end of August I worked, as an actor, on the last show to be produced at the Southwark Playhouse before they moved to the arches under London Bridge Station prior to an eventual move to their own building at the Elephant and Castle. So, I appeared in the show that closed the Southwark Playhouse! That's one for the C.V.
THEN I redirected 'Missing Dan Nolan' at the Queen's Theatre for another schools tour featuring a cast of actors which had each been trained at E15 drama school. They were all v. good so the E15 must be doing something right.
THEN we arrive at NOW!
I'm still at the Queen's Theatre til mid January. I'm Dame Tilly Buttermilk Full Fat Egg Custard Fromage Frais Gold Top Devon Knows How They Make It So Creamy I Can't Believe it's not Butter Gorgonzola Dollcelatta Double Gloucester Trott BA. I'm one of the Wensleydale Trotts. Mother of Jack Trott - he of Jack and the Beanstalk by Nicholas Pegg. Don't try to come on Boxing Day - I've just bought the last twenty tickets. It's a family affair.

Posted by Jim Bywater at 11:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (3) | TrackBacks (0)