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.
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!
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.
Sorry I've been away for so long. But, I'm only back temporarily - to run a check on my net access. See you in a mo.
Hello again, again. Well, that seems to be working. I can get any website I like except btYahoo or my emails. Curiourser and curiouser.........
It's been quite busy since last we spoke. First I attended the anniversary of the cocktail when I got merrily tiddly on exotic booze at the Café de Paris and dangled a python just so's I could be close to the woman it belonged to. Then I went to see Clarence Smith at the Soho Theatre in a play, the title of which escapes me. Then I took part, as an actor, in the New Writers Showcase at the Queen's Theatre, Hornchurch. Next day Jeni and I went to Mike Robertson's The Pot Kiln Restaurant out near Newbury where we sampled his smoked venison (absolutely delicious!) the local mild and bitter from the micro brewery in his back yard and, a taster meal from his menu in the restaurant that satisfied all the buds in the gob which were, by the way, refreshed regularly with a delicious claret at £90 a pop - unforgettable. This was followed shortly afterwards with an afternoon at the Hackney Empire watching a London Arts Festival in which a dance group from the East End presented a piece which had been choreographed by, our friend, the lovely Bonnie Oddie.
Then on 3rd June we attended gorgeous Ella Grice's 18th birthday party down in Playden, East Sussex. We ate, drank, played TIPPIT (rules of the game given on request) and left 'cos Paul MacCartney didn't turn up - don't know why, he only lives down the road. I've also had a couple of golf lessons and my game's improved. I won't say any more 'cos it might unimprove.
On the 10th June I attended the opening of Phill and Chrissie Straker's new premises of their company Sax.co.uk. We were entertained with wine and music. Six of the countries top sax players performed non stop. They were all members of the acclaimed group called Sax Appeal whose members include, Jools Holland's man Derek Nash, Simon Bates and surprise guest, Pete King, co-founder of Ronnie Scotts. The actual store was opened by Courtney Pine who described the store as "A temple to the Saxophone." We had a brief chat, Courtney and me, over a ham and tomato sandwhich in the canteen before I took my place behind the bar whilst Courtney signed autographs and the shop wall. Quite interesting really.
