It's been far too long since I posted to my blog, so what better way to refresh my raging thoughts than with a little film. Just Double click on it for full screen showing...

Actor and Writer

In his role in loco-parentis my writer/editor Grandfather set about draining my soul of all blood and replenishing it with ink in order to stop me from making the fatal mistake of becoming an actor. In this he failed, but all the thrust and parry of our many discussions in his study did sharpen my blue pencil allowing me to hone the dullest hopeful prayer into a pointed epistle, and in so doing become a not half bad (s)wordsmith.

This has served me well all my life and never more so than earlier this year when, as part of the Bath Comedy Festival, I was given ‘carte-blanche’ to prosecute the City Council for its many myopic misdemeanours in ‘The Case of Bath versus Bellotti’ in the Guildhalls of Court.

Councillor Bellotti was then the Chair of Bath City Council and was therefore the buck-stop, almost pitiful chained to an officer of the law. Whereas I, resplendent in wig and gown, and surrounded by mounds of manila in pink ribbon, strode the old courtroom floor billowing wrath and innuendo in equal measure delivering a highly polished script of all my aggrieved annoyances of the past thirty years at the Council’s blundering, inept and disjointed thinking, its solipsist behaviour, and general usury to the ratepayers and shopkeepers it all the while pretends to sustain.

Imagine it dear reader. A monumental task all too poorly remunerated, until the joyous delight of the moment he was found by the audience to be “guilty on all seven counts!” and was sent down by the judge. Yes, it’s a grand life being an actor, especially when one has the chance to distill one’s own vitriol.

My First ever Blog!

I recently began the 2009 tour of my play 'I Shot Dirty Den' under the auspices of The Rural Touring Network. The remit of this organization is to promote suitable culture to remote areas that have no immediate access to the mainstream touring music and theatre companies, and a jolly good thing it is I can tell you. The modern village halls of England are a collective treasure where the locals can have a smashing night out, buy a few drinks, and share in their enjoyment of the spectacle in the familiar surroundings that they themselves have worked so hard to have in their midst. These halls are run on a voluntary basis and are in a way very much the ' WI ' of our generation. Of course if one were to mention the ' WI ' to today's children; most would merely think that one had mispronounced the name of the popular new parlour game " Wii " currently sweeping our nation and keeping good folks indoors. Whereas the Women's Institute ethos is that of getting people out of their homes and joining together in communal activities, enjoyment, and interaction. Not just jam. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction of having a full house in a warm clean and proudly run hall, where nothing is too much trouble and everyone does his or her best to be as welcoming as possible. Indeed the weekend's performances quite lifted my spirits. The audiences had little of the highbrow disdain that is so often associated with city theatre; and once aware that they were being presented with a piece of quality work on their own doorstep, were more than a little demonstrative of their pleasure. Thank goodness this is a bit of "old Blighty" that has not been left behind, but provides a wonderful stage for the many peripatetic performers currently bringing great entertainment to so many.