Happy Birthday to me!

Yes, folks, I was 61 on Thursday. Hurrah for me!


I was up at a very early hour in order to transport the Best Beloved into hospital for an examination. I won't go into too much detail here but we were calculating how many birthdays of mine had been blessed with visits to the hospital of either myself or the Best Beloved. Her visits actually outnumber mine.


I had a new crown put in on Wednesday so spent most of the afternoon and evening feeling that my lower lip must resemble one of those African tribes which insert plates into the lower lip for show.


I read Paul (Himself) on "Archimedes" (see link on page to the right) re Northern Rock and do so agree about the bank being taken into public ownership. I am sorry about the rights of the shareholders but they did invest in a bank that nearly went bust! I don't think the taxpayer throwing away enough money "to run Wales for 2 years" just so the shareholders can make a profit is the right approach to economic efficiency. Public ownership with professional managers parachuted in to steady the ship until it can be sold at a propitious time to return the taxpayers' money and the shareholders' dividends seems a wiser plan. If the individual shareholders want to abandon ship in the meantime, good luck to them.


In the end decided not to go up to Anfield to support Havant and Waterlooville FC in their fourth round FA cup tie against Liverpool. I had a couple of offers to go up and get tickets. However I decided it was too long a journey to get up there and an even longer one to get back, especially if the Hawks happen to lose. I don't think I have put in my apprenticeship on the West Leigh terraces yet. Trouble is, I intended doing that before their FA Cup success but now everyone will say I am only doing so to jump on the bandwagon! If I had thought about it, I could have gone up Friday night to Bradford, stayed with my brother, crossed to Liverpool and back to Bradford on the Saturday, before coming home on the Sunday. Still, never mind, the Natty Chap has got us a couple of tickets in the North Stand at Fratton Park for the Pompey clash in the fourth round with Plymouth Argyle. I am looking forward to seeing Lassana Diarra play - Terry the Tiger in Cardiac Rehab Phase 4 has been singing his praises all this week! I have just realised this paragraph should have gone in my other blog as it is football and Pompey. Birthdays, eh?

Well done the Hawks! Leading Liverpool at Anfield 2-0 at one stage before crashing out in more predictable style in the second half!

In a marriage one partner is nearly always right. The other one is the husband.


That sprang to mind from out of nowhere.



My birthday celebrations were held on Friday as 9 of us attended a screening of Tim Burton's version of the Sondheim musical, "Sweeney Todd" followed by all 9 attending a meal on Gunwharf. Burton has cut the opening song, "Demon Barber of Fleet Street", but the other songs are in there sung by Johnny Depp (one of my very favourite actors, "Finding Neverland" for example) and Helena Bonham-Carter (Tim's partner). I will have to write a review for my other blog. I had to get in some preliminary consolation for Long Tall Sally, as she is a Plymouth Argyle supporter. However not much consolation as they gave Pompey a run for their money on Saturday. It was hard to distinguish which was the Premier League side - not one of Pompey's most accomplished games.


At my weekly weigh in I was 112.2 kg. or 0.8 kg or 2 lbs down from 17 st 11 to 17st 9. Yes I know, Little Bro, I am still a good three stone or so overweight but I am trying. I expect I might be sorely tempted this week with my birthday meal and then next week with the trip to Spain. However if I can keep my weight the same I can then try again over the next few weeks.

We have decided to go ahead with the extension which should start at the end of July and go through to the beginning of October. The upheaval will be worth it I am sure (?) but begins with a visit to day to look at kitchen plans. Oh joy!

Kitten starts a series of classes with the London Actors' Workshop today so am looking forward to a progress report when she gets back. Hopefully it will inspire her to write an update post on her own blog.

Fare thee well, sweet Hamlet!

Congratulations to the hawks on their historic victory against Swansea. Havant and Waterlooville FC now have to travel to Anfield on Saturday 26th to meet Liverpool in the fourth round. Natty Chap, the son in law, is tempting me with an offer to accompany me on a round trip to Liverpool and Anfield. Greatly tempted as the tickets are very reasonable but the journey is a bit of a slog.

Pompey were poor at Sunderland, where they were roundly thrashed. The players at the African Nations Cup were sorely missed. However the defence had a real off day so it shows how much the midfield had been protecting them. It wasn't helped by 'Arry's perverse descision to put Mendes in the holding role and push Hughes into the midfield. Hughes is good in the holding position but crap up front. Mendes is crap in holding position but could be a playmaker up front. Nugent was crap up front as sole striker and not much better when joined by Benjani in second half. Benjani was wasted on right flank in first half. The need for a striker and right sided midfield player is just screaming at everyone. The Pompey midfield never got a foot on the ball to control the game and never got any service forward to the strikers, so we were toothless as ever. Mvuemba and Songo'o are not up to it. All in all the team were brought down to earth with an almighty thump and expectations need to be revised and much more realistic. Lassana Diarra joined us from Arsenal for a £5.5 million switch and the Frenchman will be a very welcome addition to our midfield. I don't know how instrumental he was in yesterday's 3 -1 victory over lowly Derby. I am glad Benjani got a hat trick - it helps my fantasy football team! However I still don't feel the squad is strong enough. Apparently Lee Hills, the Crystal Palace full back, who I have mentioned a couple of times as a youth target, is a target for the first team. Jermain Defoe is still a major target as Fred from Lyon expected to go to Spurs. Fenerbahce's Mateja Kezman is said to be a target as well. The Serbian international is a renowned number 9, but has suffered from lacklustre performances this season because of a ligament complaint in his right leg. When I last heard he was going to undergo surgery, which would put him out for a considerable time and make him miss Serbia's Euro 2008 fixtures. Not a solution for Pompey, I feel.


On Tuesday weighed myself at 113 kg or 0.6 kg or 1lb down on last week, which is good news. I did n't attend exercise class on Tuesday because I was at the funeral of Babs Wakeman.


Her son, Mark, gave a marvellous eulogy, which made people smile , laugh and cry. It was a fitting farewell to Babs and she would have been pleased by the turnout and the response. I liked the bit in the service where the minister said it was a farewell but not goodbye. I also liked the anthem, "We are the Champions" at the end. It was good to end on an upbeat, an uplift.



I see Northern Rock owe us £26 billion plus £30 billion held in contingency to cover liabilities. We are being held over a barrel by shareholders whose investment is a mere £300 million. Am I being silly in wishing for a nationalisation with professional managers parachuted in to hold the business steady until such time as it can be sold with a higher probability of getting our money back?


Went for a cholesterol blood test on Wednesday and am hoping for a result showing a lowered cholesterol level. Back in July 2007 I was measured at 4.7, which was on the way down from what it had been but my cardiac nurse felt it still had some way to fall. I read in an article about someone whose cholesterol level had dropped to 2 from 4.

I was very edgy this week. I can only presume it is the psychology kicking in as it is the anniversary of my heart attack on Monday. I have felt tired this last week for no apparent reason and suspect my biorhythms are down anyway. A good cholesterol level (to be expected with statins daily) would reassure me I am going in the right direction diet wise. I still drink more alcohol than is good for me but I have certainly cut back on previous amounts. I enjoy a good wine with food though and a daily glass of red wine is good for the Mediterraneans and therefore for us.

I decided on Thursday just before the Bench Club Night to withdraw my submission for doing a production of "Hamlet" in July 2008. I have tried to explain why in my linked blog called "Bench Hamlet July 2008". I shall now use the Hamlet link for my feelings and thoughts on productions I have seen and on Pompey!

Happy Birthday. Natty Chap!

Yesterday, the 12th, ten of us spent the day in London celebrating Natty Chap's 30th birthday. Two of us went to see "Glengarry Glen Ross", and the remaining eight, including Natty Chap, went to see the Donmar's "Othello" starring Ewan McGregor and Chiwetel Ejiofor. Apparently this is one of the hottest tickets in town with people buying tickets online for huge sums and begging that the whole show be transferred to a much bigger theatre. We got our tickets the legal way as both David P and I are backstage members of the Donmar and so get priority booking. We managed to get eight seats in Row D and were as happy as larks. "Othello" is tremendous and warrants a review post all of its own, which I will try to get reproduced in the Benchpress.

Last week's method of updating the post a little bit during the week in time for the Sunday morning publishing seemed to work really well so I am persevering with it this week.




On Monday I attended the second meeting of the Havant Literary Festival. This is an attempt to devise and organise a Literary Festival dedicated to the written word, and especially poetry, here in Havant. My friend, David Penrose, is now chairman of the inaugural committee and I am Treasurer. My next task is to set up accounts and things with the bank. The Best Beloved and I saw a bank finance adviser last Monday to work out ways of financing some extension work we want on the house. The idea is to knock the kitchen through into the dining room so whoever (but mainly the lady of the house) is working in the kitchen is not too detached from the dinner party guests. The dining room will then be extended some way into the garden as well. This will enable us to put in an en suite bathroom to the main bedroom above. We now have to complete the application forms and sort out the builders' quotes. Also on Monday Best Beloved held her main auditions for "Bronte", the main Bench production in April. She needs four women and two men.



In the meantime I am working on a submission for a production of "Hamlet" in readiness for a meeting of the Bench Artistic Panel on Thursday. When finished, the submission should be available on Bench Hamlet 2008, a link to which should be found on this page to the right. This body should give me the nod to pitch my proposal to the whole company on Thursday 17th January. If the company select the play, I hope to be doing it in July 2008. As part of my submission, I proposed my son-in-law, the Natty Chap, as Hamlet. I am enjoying watching him work as director himself on the current Bench production of "Attempts on her Life" by Martin Crimp. His energy, enthusiasm and creativity are quite remarkable. The text is inanimate on the page but the variety of situations and characters Nathan and the company are creating is very impressive. As Stage Manager I am having to learn how to use a video camera to record rehearsals and how to use the software, "Windows Movie Maker". Talk about teaching an old dog new tricks!




I am intrigued by a Masters of Arts Degree offered by the University of Portsmouth as well. One is Directing and Writing for Performance and the other is Film and television Studies. Each would be a year full time or 24 months part time. I am not sure whether my B.Ed (Hons) second class will qualify for the entry requirements but it might be worth finding out, eh?




I would like to thank Babs Spiegelhalter for her seasonal card sent via the Arts Centre. Yes, I did vote for Nick Clegg. I would like Menzies Campbell to have remained as leader or even Vince Cable who proved himself a useful parliamentarian. However I had to choose between Huhne and Clegg. Why what has he done wrong now, Babs? The Executive Committee meeting on Thursday was interesting especially as there was some discussion of the borough elections coming up in May 2008. I enjoyed the smell of the hustings and am quite excited by my foray into politics.





I read Archimedes blog quite avidly (I hope there is a link on this page) and am enjoying his tussles for supremacy with the Empress Theodora. I also reading of the adventures and thoughts of Herself and Himself. I like the family nickname of "Bob" for Herself, who is definitely one of the most feminine friends of my acquaintance. Reminds me, of course, of the Blackadder when females would play male parts and be given the name "Bob", pronounced only as Rowan Atkinson can. We are meeting up with Himself and Herself in February to discuss some theatrical projects, although how this young couple find the time is beyond me! I am, however, very excited by the idea of working together on "theatrical projects".




The transfer market is alive with rumours thanks to the appetite of the press and the fans. The following are taken from a table in the Portsmouth News on Tuesday, January 8th. Pompey strikers could be (in my order of preference): Eidur Gudjohnsen (unsettled at Barcelona), Nicolai Zigic (out of favour at Valencia), Dani Guiza (Real Mallorca, said to be a £3.5 m bid already), Cho Jae-Jin (South Korea, rumours say move to Pompey is close and he is on trial here at moment). There is talk of Jermain Defoe but he seems reluctant and would cost a lot but if we can, let's get him! My reservations of the other named strikers except Gudjohnsen is their need to adapt to Premiership. Possible right sided midfielders could be: Jonas Gutierrez (big fee?), Razak Boukari (French U21 international, linked with Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea), Andres D'Alessandro (out of favour at Real Zaragoza but did a good job for us once as a playmaker), Aruna Dindane (Ivory Coast livewire but wants away from Lens. Isn't he going to African Cup of Nations?). I see Pompey Youth have signed an 18 year old striker from PC Basel, Switzerland, Danijel Subotic and a 19 year old Danish striker,Adda Djeziri. Lee Hills from Crystal Palace is still being monitored . I don't think these are first team contenders yet but rather once again part of the youth structure being carefully built up by Paul Hart. Apparently we have made a £8.5 million bid for Fred, the Lyon striker, but have been gazumphed by a £11 million bid by Spurs. Lyon have left Fred to make the choice as they have accepted both offers. Fred apparently has "aerial power,technique and vision" but I can't say I've heard of him before. Definitely puts Defoe in the market but will he come to Pompey? Will he come if 'Arry goes to the Toons? If I was 'Arry, being about the same age as him, I would be mightily tempted by the £20 million offer as one last big pay day and one last big chance. It would hurt Pompey in the short term, and would especially if Distin, Muntari and Kranjcar were to follow in short order. Pompey would also have difficulty in recruiting more players in the transfer window without 'Arry's reputation. However Tony adams could steady the ship until the end of the season and could probably hang on to what we have got. After that we would need to find a top quality coach and a virtually overhauled squad - over to you, Mr. Gaydamark!
Natty Chap woke up on his birthday morning to the news that 'Arry had turned down the Toon offer and was staying at Pompey! I think I am pleased as well but would just ask that Pompey stop mucking around now and get on with investing properly and wisely in the transfer market.

At the beginning of a new year

I have been compiling this week's post in bits and pieces through the week in order to have something to publish in what i hope will be my regular Sunday morning slot. I am not sure whether this approach is better than my old splurge method of writing whatever came into my head as I sat the keyboard.


Pompey are driving me nuts at the moment. 'Arry said he was getting into the transfer market as soon as the month opened. I hope he has been true to his word. The team needs a striker and a right sided midfielder. A right winger would be perfect especially at home. He does need to bolster the midfield with one or two more creative players, who can also attack as well as defend. I think the squad is probably strong enough with the African Nations Cup contingent gone if the above additions are brought in. He also ought to rotate Nugent and Benjani. (Nugent score a striker's goal in the 51st minute as substitute at Ipswich yesterday) Kanu is the tactical substitute. Kranjcar should be put in the hole behind the main striker (at least at home) with Mendes expected to rotate with him as legs and tiredness kick in. Hughes should retain his place as the main stopper in front of the defence but we need Sean Davis back as soon as possible to bolster the midfield (perhaps rotating him with Diop). I thought Lauren did a good job at right back recently and perhaps Glen Johnson could be played in front of him in right midfield as a poor alternative to buying in that right winger. I notice that Dean Ashton is reputed to be a target as a striker, but also has Manchester City, Spurs, Newcastle and Chelsea in pursuit of him. Regular readers of this blog will note that I recommended him a season ago. He hasn't fully recovered the form before his injury but is certainly a target man like few others.


I am hoping to watch some home games of the Hawks (Havant and Waterlooville FC) as I am feeling starved of live football. ( Wee done the Hawks for holding Swansea to a draw at Vetch Field. Still in the draw for the fourth round. History in the making!) It is a real faff to get to Fratton Park and sit in overpriced not very good seats. I was hoping to make a fresh start as a new season ticket holder in the new stadium. I am not surprised to learn that some nimby has prompted English Heritage to question the new training grounds at Titchfield. I don't know how long the space has been in the hands of English Heritage or they have known of its existence. But now suddenly on the eve of the football club creating a training ground, English Heritage start to worry about what might be buried below the surface. They had their chance and blew it. It is not as if Pompey are going to concrete it over. They are creating training pitches so if English Heritage ever take it into their heads to start an archaeological dig, it will not be impossible. Though I would demand firm evidence rather than a faint hope. One of the things delayed is the Academy. I see that Pompey have made a rejected £1 million bid for a 17 year old player, Lee Hills, from Crystal Palace. I am delighted that Paul Hart is working away at the Youth Team as I believe it is the way forward not just for Pompey but for England football.


Went to see "Tales from the Brothers Grimm" by Creation Theatre at the Spiegeltent in Oxford. I was very impressed by the Spiegeltent which this year is erected in one of the many car parks of the BMW plant in Cowley. The tent allows the theatre company to move to different venues with different shows. The tent, also called the Mirror Tent, is an old German classic and is reputedly where Marlene Dietrich sang "Falling In Love Again" for the first time. It is a cabaret tent with heavy drapes down the sides and a coloured glass dome in the centre. The sides are supported by twisted metal poles in the style of old fashioned lamp posts, which are also adorned with small mirrors. The back of the tent has bench seating with mirrors above like a fancy boudoir or lounge. There is a circle of chairs and tables around the sides called C. Another concentric circle of tables and chairs between sides and the central raised stage in the round is B. Circle of tables and chairs, A, abut straight on to the circumference of the stage. I was really impressed with the tent and the surroundings ( although the chairs, which were upright dining chairs, proved decidedly uncomfortable after a hour).


"Tales from the Brothers Grimm" was an adaptation by Gari Jones, the director, and not the Carol Ann Duffy/Tim Supple version I know pretty well by now. The first half was a wonderfully paced and funny version of overlapping stories built mainly around the device of Hansel and Gretel who told each other stories to keep up their spirits. The company of three men and three women played a range and variety of parts. Some parts they sustained or reprised and some were quick cameos. The girls were attractive and costumes were an eclectic mixture of styles that added to the quirkiness of the tales rather than detracted. Eilidh McCormick was a jaunty Little red Riding Hood in the first half and an evil stepmother in Snow White in the second half. The men were versatile. Alex Beckett was interesting (and seemed to take a particular shine to my Kitten) and looked and sounded pure Brothers Grimm. Richard Kidd was the dancer and comic, who made everyone laugh at his drollness. In the second half, after delicious crepes from the creperie in the foyer, the stories concentrated on the story of Snow White, and, although this wasn't the Disney version, the seven dwarves made amusing contributions to the story. The circular staging with access underneath and two circular trapdoors was used to excellent effect. Like all theatre in the round it relied on very little furniture and dressing but mainly on the actors. There were some magical effects used and in the main these were effective. However, if I was to complain, it would be that there were not enough magic effects used. The theatre can make the audience of young and old alike gasp at magic. These "Tales of the Brothers Grimm" were a sterling piece of work and certainly made me want to see the company again, but fell a little short of the magic expected for the festive season.


Over the last few months I have thought very little about school and indeed my memory of the place where I spent 21 years of my professional life has begun to fade. I have kept in touch with Liz, Babs and Jools. Liz provides me with amusing emails and Babs visits the shows I am in. Both though were very tight lipped about the outcome of an Ofsted inspection the school received this last term. Finally I got to read the inspection report as published on the Ofsted website. The reason for the tight lips. and indeed pursed lips, became abundantly clear. The school requires special measures. This is particularly hard because during my time there we went into special measures and fought our way out again. It is disheartening to hear that the school has regressed again. It is particularly hard to know that I am one of the reasons behind that situation. I know people will say it has nothing to do with me because I have retired. To which I would counter that my retirement means I can have nothing to do with the needed recovery but the timing of the inspection and my retirement are so close that some of the fault lies with me as a senior manager. It means I can't look back on a distinguished career in education thinking I did well. (I certainly tried my best and hardest. I will have to return to this subject in other posts.) However my sympathy goes out to Liz and Babs and other ex-colleagues at the school, who now have to go through the gruelling procedure of getting out of special measures. The ridiculous aspect of which is that staff will probably be reduced because the numbers of pupils will fall and redundancies will be in the air. It is daft in my opinion as I think the Governement response should be to double the staff there so that the children work in smaller tuition groups and concentrate on literacy and numeracy. This would improve the chances of the children immediately, which must be the major aim of all concerned. I would also like to point out that the County inspectorate has already been heavily involved with the school before and after my retirement, so couldn't this situation have been foreseen and remedied before the Ofsted verdict. Final comment for this post, I remember the last time we went into special measures, the Ofsted inspectors gave the school management, including myself, forty days in which to prepare an action plan to get ourselves out of special measures. I exploded and wasted several days of those forty being scraped down from the ceiling. If I could have come up with a plan to get us out of special measures in forty days, we wouldn't have been in special measures in the first place! This is the equivalent of digging a deep hole, dropping the senior teachers in it armed with shovels, and the inspectors from the safety of the surface yelling "Keep digging!" Bastards!

Attending my first rehearsal of "Attempts On Her Life" today as Stage Manager.

Have accepted post of Treasurer for the embryonic Havant Literary Festival though as DP says we know "bugger all about the venture". He is thinking of standing, somewhat reluctantly, as Chairman on this project offering a very steep learning curve.

I will have to prepare a written submission to the Bench Artistic Panel for Thursday night if I am going to offer "Hamlet" (I have the LibDem Executive Committee meeting that night as well). 2008 seems to be the year of "Hamlet"; David Tennant is performing the role for the RSC, Jude Law is doing it in a production directed by Kenneth Branagh and the Southsea Shakespeare Actors are planning it for November. The Bench could get in first by doing it in July and of course under my magisterial directing could produce the best "Hamlet" of 2008!

An Obituary

I hope the following does not offend but I felt moved to write it. It is a very small gesture, kindly intended and I hope not too badly executed.

2007 ended with the death of Mark Wakeman's Mum after a stroke. Mark Wakeman is a very gifted young man who I have known now for many years since he appeared in "Martin Chuzzlewit". I have got to know him better over the last few years through "Dude" and through his strong friendship with my son - in - law, the Natty Chap. Mark's Mum was a character in the best possible way. When she attended performances, which she did often to support her son, who is a prolific performer and playwright, you always knew she was in the audience. She made you feel good and special as an actor. She took me on one side just over a year ago and said I should play Hobson in "Hobson's Choice" as she thought it would be a perfect part for me. We were both more than a little piqued when the Chichester Festival Theatre included it in their 2007 season with John Savident in the role. We both thought that the director at Chichester must have been eavesdropping on our earlier conversation. Her generosity of time, praise and support will be missed by all of us but particularly by Mark and his Dad. My Mum died over thirty years ago, not long after the Best Beloved and I married. I still think of her lots and raise a glass to her memory on occasions.Her birthday is 6th April 1917 so my Mum would have been 90 in 2007. I know she would have loved Best Beloved, Firstborn and Kitten fit to bursting. I regret that she never had the chance to express that love. I am pleased that Mark's Mum had the opportunity to show how much she loved and was proud of her son. Those are the memories he must hold on to at this sad time of mourning.

Approaching a New Year

We met up with the Caddy clan yesterday and a good time was had by all. One of the questions I was asked often was what was I doing in the new year. I have lots of little projects and nothing major planned. I will still have lots of time to waste outrageously.

I am working on a submission to the Bench theatre company of a proposed production of "Hamlet". My last production as a director was November 2007, when the play was David Hare's "Racing Demon". We are lucky enough to have a Bench Theatre website at www.benchtheatre.org.uk and so I was able to look back and read my own notes on the play. I was definitely in a political mood even then and certainly found myself in accord with a great deal of what David Hare has to say. The following two quotes are taken from those notes and are copyrighted by David Hare himself.

"The one thing I have learnt and understood from five years' study is that British society needs not to abolish its institutions, but to refresh them. For, if not through institutions, how do we express the common good?"

I still believe the above to be true but am not sure how to go about refreshing the institutions. It is one of the reasons I am interested in local politics. In conversation with my brother in law, Christopher Caddy, who was, before he retired, Chief Planner for the Vale of the White Horse, he was discussing the frustrations of being a minority party local councillor. Excluded from the corridors of power, such as the Executive, even majority party councillors can feel marginalised and out in the cold. This can impact on one's ability to serve one's constituents.

I am indebted as always to Trevor Hare for his comments and the one on the Queen revealed a great deal to me. Yes, it was the Queen to whom I referred as a rich woman, not my mother in law, Trevor. Trevor's comments also resonated with me as I read the second quote from my "Racing Demon" notes. I am not sure where I got this quote from but I believe it was from a book written by David Hare. Although, as I have said before, I love collecting such quotes , I am not always scrupulous about their source.

When I give bread to the hungry, they call me a saint.
When I ask why the hungry are hungry, they call me a communist.

I am getting cold feet about the submission. I think it is because I am not totally clear in my own head as to why I want to do it, which is rather a Hamlet type situation to be in. I began to try out some of my proposals on the Best Beloved yesterday as she is a member of the Artistic Panel. She is a tough questioner and after a very short while I began to feel my enthusiasm wane. It wasn't the response she expected and so she was a little upset. The truth is I was arguing with my head but my heart wasn't engaged. Am I offering a production because I can rather than because I want to? I believe I am a good director but can I be bothered getting off my arse to prove it?

The production would rely on the black curtain surround on offer at the Arts Centre and building up a stage area using the Arts Centre's own blocks. The latter would need hardboard covers so some expense there. I am not doing the designer's job but rather cutting my cloth to fit the basic ideas. I haven't resolved the stabbing in the arras problem although have a couple of ideas in mind. I would like to use large laundry baskets, probably four, as props and onstage storage and as furniture and even part of the stage. (At this juncture, the Best Beloved asked what I would do about storing these things afterwards. I can see the logic of the question but always wonder why the person asking fails to see the broad sweep and magnificence of the idea itself.) I would use the majority of the production budget on hired Jacobean costumes. I am tired of productions set in modern times or in eclectic costumes just because they are cheaper to produce. I would want the wardrobe department to concentrate on looking after and organising the costumes (possibly even their collection from and return to the hirers) rather than making or designing. I would like the July 2008 fortnight slot. I would like the fortnight because I believe a production of this scale needs eight performances rather than five of the one week offered in September 2008. The play will grow during the performances. I would like to concentrate on filling the seats of the first three nights from within our membership and supporters in particular as these would still be preview nights as far as I was concerned. The Sunday and Monday in between performances could then be used to rework any aspect considered necessary. Each preview night would have notes provided by director. After that the show would be allowed to run solely under commend of stage manager. The News reviewer could be invited any of the three preview nights as the review is useful to spread word of mouth for the second week and could be published as late as the Monday of the second week. Tuesday of that second week may also need a substantial push from the production and box office team. I will be going on holiday for a fortnight in the rehearsal period but these rehearsals can be run by the stage manager from the book. The cast can reinforce lines and moves while I am away. Hopefully I will come back refreshed and with a new impetus - could be a scary prospect for the company!

As this seems to have become a Bench Theatre posting, I am on the lookout for raising £250,000 towards providing the Bench with rehearsal space. Any ideas as to how this money could be raised would be gratefully received. A lifetime in public service does not prepare one for the entrepreneurial skills required for such a project.

Bad Heart

It was one of those simple comments that came up in last Tuesday's exercise class. Alan was relating a story of someone he had met in hospital who had claimed he was unable to do something because "he had a bad heart". I had to think about it for a moment but I don't consider I have a "bad heart". My heart is perfectly fine and strong. legally I had a heart attack back in January 2007 but not technically. My heart simply complained that it was not getting sufficient blood and oxygen to do its job properly. The triple bypass is just to replace clogged tubes with ones that will dilate sufficiently to allow an adequate supply of blood and oxygen through to the heart. Thanks to Debbie Hobbs and cardiac rehab phase 4, I feel fitter now than I have done for a few years. I thank God for a good heart although I am not always goodhearted. I upset my mother-in-law by questioning how a woman with a huge estimated personal fortune should spend Christmas Day afternoon lecturing me about looking out for the homeless. I am not totally happy about the money I have invested in Northern Rock apparently as it doesn't seem I am getting a great deal out of it. We watch the Queen's Speech out of respect for Old Gran and as part of our family traditions on the Day. Unfortunately it tends to counteract the good warm and humane feelings I have after the traditional Christmas morning church service Best Beloved and I attend.

For the first time, Natty Chap and the Firstborn stayed overnight at the end of the Christmas Day celebrations. This certainly extended the event into the early hours of the morning and was full of daft family games.

The Kitten has applied for a course run by the London Actors' Workshop. This covers 12 Sundays from January to April. She may have to make a weekend of it by going up on Saturday for a bit of theatre and stay with friends. However if she gets the afternoon sessions, she might even be able to make it in the one day. I spotted the course in "The Stage" last week and felt my regular subscription may be beginning to pay off. I was pleased that she thought it was a good idea immediately and got straight in touch with the course organiser and sent off her application form.

Pompey are playing Arsenal this evening. Pompey have lost their unbeaten record and now have to scrap a bit to recover their way. For what it is worth, 'Arry, here is my suggestion. At home keep the defence as it is but hope that Pamarot comes back as Hreidarrson isn't the same quality. at left back. In midfield keep the same players with Sean Davis protecting the defence (substitute with Hughes if and when needed), play Diop and Muntari as midfield enforcers but give former a kick up the arse, bring in Taylor as wide left midfield and find someone to replace Utaka as wide right midfielder (I don't know that we have anyone other than Mvuemba), play Nugent up front as lone striker (Benjani needs a rest when we are at home particularly) with Kranjcar as playmaking midfield in the hole behind him. This formation leaves Mendes as a substitute for role Kranjcar is playing. It also leaves Kanu and Utaka as tactical substitutes in attack. The suggestion is we are going to approach Arsenal for their younger players as loan signings. I have no objection to this plan and believe a lot of good could come out of it. However, I still believe we need a right winger and a proven goal scorer. Spiderman Guiterrez with Utaka in the middle would replicate a formation used elsewhere with reasonable success. Spiderman and a big forward might work. Johnson with a more traditional full back behind him might make something of that right midfield berth. We still need that big striker though! It would be a worthwhile investment.

To hear 'Arry complain about the African Cup is a bit rich as he signed these players but doesn't seem to have had a back up plan in mind. I thought our squad was supposed to be stronger in depth than in previous years. It should be able to cope with absentees as it would have to do in a European campaign. If it isn't strong enough then the Chairman is going to have to dip into his pocket again. The possible rewards are such that it would be a shame to spoil the ship for a pennyworth of tar.

Play up, Pompey!

Strictly Come Dancing

I was delighted that Alesha won the 2007 Strictly Come Dancing contest. I voted for her but must confess that I voted for her consistency throughout the series rather than her performances on the night. If I had to vote solely on the performances in the final, Matt would have won the my vote. He and Flavia were fantastic on the night. Flavia is a fabulous dancer and her choreography really was exciting and played to Matt's strength. In particular, the show dance by Matt and Flavia with its one handed lift was outstanding. In contrast, Matthew Cutler's choreography seemed a little tamer and playing well within Alesha's ability. However I cannot fault the partnership and think the pairing of Alesha and Matthew were worthy winners.

I have thoroughly enjoyed this series of "Strictly Come Dancing" even more than the one which Darren Gough won. I still want to learn to dance ballroom for those French fetes. I am trying to persuade the Best Beloved to attend the Fred and Ginge classes on Monday mornings at the Havant Arts Centre in the New Year.

Christmas Eve 2007

I had to raise a glass of "Bushmills 10 Year Old Malt" to toast Big Jimmy's birthday yesterday as I hadn't any Jameson in the house. I am not sure that the old man would have minded too much but would have appreciated the gesture anyway.

I am learning "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening" by Robert Frost as my seasonal poem contribution to the evenings on the 28th and 29th.

I collected the turkey this morning and brought it safely home. I also visited Waitrose at some unearthly hour to stock up the drinks cabinet. I didn't buy any spirits as we seem to have plenty in stock already so concentrated on wine and soft drinks.

The Firstborn is downstairs at the moment setting the table for the Christmas meal. Kitten is installing some coloured lights in the kitchen. Best Beloved is sewing and ironing a pair of curtains for the dining room. I am sitting here typing up an extra blog posting. Other than that, everything seems in hand for the great festivities.

Big Jimmy's Birthday

Today is Big Jimmy's birthday. If he had survived he would be 98 today having been born in 1909. Big Jimmy, by the way, is James Patrick Corrigan, sire to Peter John and Andrew Patrick. His favourite song was "The Mountains of Mourne" and I will have to play the song once during the day and perhaps raise a glass of Jameson in fond remembrance. I used to get the Kitten when she was singing with Amber, the girl trio, to sing "Danny Boy", which was another of his favourite songs. The old man was a mixture of John Wayne and Robert Mitchum in my imagination. I cannot watch either of these stars without fondly recalling my dad. He was something of a failure as a dad having divorced my mum when I was five. However even the judge at the divorce court proceedings had to admit it was one of the strangest divorces over which he had presided as both parties, but especially my father, appeared to love each other. It was just that though they loved each other they couldn't live together.



We have had the last minute scramble to find those last minute presents. We were unable to find a CD of Andrew Carter's Christmas music for the Best Beloved because it turned out to be one of the most popular CDs for some time, even play.com and amazon.com were sold out!



I am working on the video equipment for "Attempts on her Life" as Stage manager. It has led me into some interesting ways and byways of the electronics world. As usual I end up a bit overwhelmed or over-faced (as my Gran would say) by all the advice and help offered. I think I am getting a handle on what I want. One piece of advice was straightforward about working out what it was I wanted actually to do. The trouble is I don't know what I can do until I get hold of some equipment to have some trials. Once again I am reminded of the Pie Corbett advice: imitate, innovate and invent. I need to see some ideas or to be shown a range of what could be done before I can begin to decide what it is I want. This is also to be balanced with whatever the production throws up as well; the creative energies of the director and company have to be added to the mix.



I am also working on the role of the Stage Manager. I think we are going to need a Deputy Stage Manager for "Attempts On Her Life" so that he/she looks after the book during rehearsals or on the night while I try and maintain overall technical control. We may need a couple of ASMs to work the camera and projector. I also need to establish a routine with the Bench that I don't think exists yet. The Stage Manager is in charge of the show on the nights of performances. That includes FOH. There should be a House Manager but they deputise for the Stage Manager out front. The analogy would be the Chef in the Kitchen and the house staff in a restaurant. In other words the Stage Manager controls the calls to the audience and the curtain times not the House Manager. That voice you hear in professional theatres asking you to take your seats is usually the Deputy Stage Manager under instructions from the Stage Manager. We have had the situation where the Stage Manager sits and waits for the House Manager to tell them the house is ready. There will still be an element of that but the understanding should be clear that it is the Stage Manager demanding to know when he/she can start. The show is ready and the audience loses out by tardiness.



"Bronte" is auditioning on Monday January 7th and I need to be there as Movement Director. I need to get some ideas together before then as to how to ask the company to audition. There is a strong movement element in the play and I need to help the Director chose wisely. I have also suggested that the Director look at an Accents CD from the National Theatre on the Yorkshire accent to help the company gain the necessary expertise in dialect speaking. I can speak Yorkshire but helping others to master the accent is another thing entirely.



I have written to my film extra agency asking if they can substitute my head and shoulders portrait for my full length one in the initial display shown to prospective employers. I am hoping this will have some impact on my chances of being hired. I haven't appeared in any films yet and am beginning to annoy my family by taking the opportunity to say "I could have been in that" whenever extras appear on TV or in a film made in this country.



I am learning a poem to ease my memory cells into the task of learning considerably longer monologues such as "St Nicholas". I need to learn the poem for evening events on the 28th and 29th.



We are booking a canal boat holiday for the middle two weeks in June so need to include this fact in as part of my pitch for "Hamlet" in July 2008.



My cardiac rehab classes have closed down for the Christmas and New Year break (http://www.cardiacrehabphaseiv.co.uk/) so I need to fit in as much walking and exercising at home as I can this festive season. My weight is stuck at the 112 kg or 17 and a half stone mark. One New Year resolution must be to lose two or three stones in 2008. I did get down to 16 stone in 2007 but the technique employed was too scary to contemplate going through again.

I wish all my readers a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year. (I will probably get in another posting before the new year but just in case....) I do enjoy writing my blog and the fact that more than one person has complimented me on it is very reassuring. Sometimes it is just the trivia and minutiae of my life but occasionally there are glimpses of the passions that drive me.

Kitten's Birthday

Nearly missed my weekly blog posting because of the Kitten's birthday. I won't mention her age as that would be ungentlemanly but it certainly gives me pause for thought (I think there is a pun in there but I can't be bothered sorting it out)!

The kitten, firstborn, natty chap and I went for a six mile walk this morning before meeting best beloved and old granny in the Castle Tavern for roast Sunday lunch. My legs, lungs and heart survived but as usual I sweated excessively and ended up with a stiff neck. My shoulders begin to ache and then I tense up my neck and bingo! I had to have a hot shower on returning home from walk and pub to avoid the chill.

Old Granny was returned home before we watched "Strictly Come Dancing". Delighted that Alesha is in the final as she should be. It was really tight decision between Matt and Gethin. On the dances on the night I think Matt probably shaved it but think that the five dances required for next week will be a taxing task for Matt. I feel Gethin would have given Alesha more of a challenge in the Final next Saturday.

We then played games in celebration of birthday and had pieces of cake baked by Herself. The cake was very tasty as is Herself. Firstborn and Natty Chap repaired home and the three survivors watched "Cranford". I haven't watched the other episodes like the girls have, but thoroughly enjoyed the quality of the final episode. I don't know the trilogy upon which the series was based and neither did the girls which added to the enjoyment.

We are off Christmas shopping in Chichester tomorrow. Our friend the Cattermoles are coming to tea. Terry is accompanying a school party from where his son, Simon, is headmaster, to the Naval History Museum. Terry's journal when he was an officer in the Royal Navy is an exhibit there and so he is literally a piece of "Living history". Best Beloved is then off to the carol concert at her old primary school where she taught not where she attended.

This week is end of term for my exercise classes and the cardiac rehab Christmas lunch on Thursday. The Bench Club Night on Thursday is the one hour panto, where groups are given an hour in which to improvise a panto from scratch to show to the rest of the company. I missed out on last year's so am looking forward to the fun.

I am also pursuing the video equipment recommended for "Attempts on her Life". I hope to finish Bronte Act 2 and do some more work on my "Hamlet" submission for a Bench production in 2008. Need to complete booking a winter sun holiday. Our canal boat holiday in France is underway, folks.

London Theatre

One of the things I promised myself last December was to make regular visits up to London using my Senior Railcard and catch up with a bit of the London Theatre scene. I was even presented with a wad of theatre tokens by the school as a leaving present to make this dream come true.

Yesterday I managed my very first such visit of the year. I had used all the theatre tokens to help me pay for tickets to the season at the Chichester Festival Theatre, a decision I don't regret as it was again another splendid season. I don't know how to finance the 2008 season but I still hope to repeat the attendance.

Yesterday I discovered day tickets for £25 and went to see "Billy Elliott". I travelled on a return ticket for £16.65 (which would have reduced to £13 if I had travelled after 8.00 p.m. In the end I caught the 7.15p.m. back from Waterloo.). I managed to read the first half of "St Nicholas" on the return journey and was thoroughly gripped. I need to read the second half as a matter of some urgency! You can tell it was good because I didn't fall asleep which has been a longstanding tradition on return train trips from the capital.

I enjoyed "Billy Elliott" but wasn't bowled over by it even though I wanted to be. It appeals to me as a subject matter. I come from mining stock on my mother's side and have no difficulty in relating to their dilemma. I feel very strongly about Thatcher the Milk Snatcher and destroyer of several cherished English values. The use of police as army (the use of army as police?) on English streets is unforgivable. The transfer of Metropolitan policemen to subdue North Eastern miners was a blatant misuse of political power. The desire to centrally govern every aspects of our lives was not a Thatcher invention but has rarely been so openly and brazenly applied. The neo-Thatcherites called New Labour still clearly have this desire and social justice and individual liberty have to be sacrificed to economic efficiency at all costs. It is good therefore to see that the economic efficiency so prized and vaunted is coming back to bite them on the arse. Why don't politicians learn from history?

Anyway back to the musical. It has some gripping moments and I like the roles of Billy's Dad and brother. I found them to be quite truthful and invested them with my sympathy and empathy. I liked the dance teacher and the uneasy relationship with the Elliotts. The clash of the middle and working classes is always a good mainstay of English theatre. I liked the anthems especially the one where the miners return to work and descend en masse to the coalface, with their pit lamps blinding the audience. The choreography was excellent if a little repetitive. The solo dance by the young Billy which impresses his father enough to take him to the Royal School of Ballet auditions. I liked the auditions and warmed once again to the father. The music generally though was not very inspiring - loud and enthusiastically played - but not inspiring. The lyrics failed to grasp me and though moved by the swell of music and the enthusiastic dancing the lyrics will not live with me. Older men such as myself always claim to come from a working class background. However we lived in a back to back in Clipstone Street, Bradford, with a toilet out the back down the passageway. It belonged to my Granny Frost and my Mum worked in the Bulmer and Lumb textile mill at the top of Wibsey Bank. I couldn't dance or sing but I think I read my way into the middle class I now find myself in. The storyline of "Billy Elliott" should in theory reverberate strongly within my breast but perhaps the beta blockers etc which now keep my blood thin so it runs smoothly and easily through my arteries have also lessened something of the passion and power of feeling that used to grip me.

It is a pity therefore that my first London theatre visit should be somewhat anti climatic. The second Thursday in the month seems like a good time to go. Yesterday was the 13th and on the 12th January (not a Thursday) a family and friends group is decamping up to the Donmar to see "Othello". The reviews are very good so perhaps this will be a theatrical treat!

I saw "Wicked" this year (that must have been a trip to London theatre as well as I was on my own for that as well. The mind is treacherous and perhaps yesterday wasn't my debut.) and now "Billy Elliott". I found both of them rather empty vessels so perhaps West End musical is not my true scene. I would like to find more chamber sized and new musicals at the Drill Hall for example. I still seek a musical director at the Bench for several projects jumping around in my head. I would also prefer to visit some of the off-West End smaller theatres with new cutting edge theatre. Ah well, who knows what 2008 might bring?

Weekly reviews

This is the first of my Sunday morning blogs. Usually I post as and when the spirit takes me but I am hoping the discipline of sitting down on a Sunday morning regularly will impose some order on my life. I suspect that this is a hangover from my professional life, which I haven't totally succeeded in leaving behind.

I love reading other people's blogs and do a circuit almost daily of my favourites. I notice Archimedes the cat has had a great deal to say, while his owners, Himself and Herself, have been a bit muted. I suspect the workload as we head to the festive season has got on top of them. The Best Beloved and I have been invited to a meal in the new Year to discuss "projects" and I am already salivating at the idea - the project as much as the meal! Natty Chap has given up smoking and is enjoying cold turkey before Christmas. He is also writing an interesting blog about his production of "Attempts on Her Life", due for presentation at the Havant Arts Centre in February. I am feeling a little guilty as I am Stage Manager for the show but haven't attended any of the rehearsals yet. Nathan said I was expected after Christmas so I took him at his word. I am reading "Stage Management:The Essential Handbook" in the meantime and researching the use of CCTV for stage purposes. The Handbook says that the stage manager should be in attendance all the time and I am not sure the Bench have got quite the right angle on stage management. I might even write a document to that effect. Anyway if I can solve the use of TV, I can then make a visual recording of the rehearsal process, which should be more valuable and pertinent for "Attempts" than the usual Stage Manager's copy.

The weather yesterday prevented me from putting Teak Oil on the Firstborn's garden chairs. They are stored in the garden shed and. when the chairs are in there keeping dry, there is no room for me to get in there. let alone wield a paintbrush. I am hoping Kitten will find a solution to the bike stored there. If the bike goes, I can at least get into the shed alongside the chairs. The garage looks like a theatrical furniture store with the dining table and chairs from "The Wild Duck" and the Kitten's store of furniture. It is therefore not much use as a workshop or a garage. I put Garden Furniture Protector on the chairs on Friday when the weather was cold but dry and my exercise class for that day had been cancelled.

It is two more weeks and the Christmas break will be upon us. This is when I have a break from my exercise classes as well and so am looking to have lots of walks to make up the difference. I am eating healthily and well. I feel fitter than I have done for many a year but I still weigh eighteen stone. I went down to sixteen stone during the early part of the year and that is probably where I should be if the truth be known. However the weight creeps up on you. I try to claim some of it is muscle rather than fat, but it still feels like a feeble excuse. I am going to reinstate Sunday afternoon as a visit to the gym and the treadmill or static bike, in order to bring my exercise sessions up to four per week. I also try to walk on Mondays and Thursdays - non exercise class days. Saturdays are slobbing days and I watch football as much as I possibly can. Yesterday's game against Aston Villa at lunchtime set the standard. Pompey didn't play well and never really got their act together but still ran out 3 -1 winners despite giving away a penalty.

I have a meeting tomorrow night with Tim Dawes, which might result in yet another project. I owe Tim an apology as I quoted extensively from a newsletter, of which he is the author, in an earlier posting. I don't think I actually gave him the credit in the posting and I would like to point out that the copyright is his. I am something of a magpie when it comes to ideas - decades of being a primary school teacher - but lack the academic discipline of clearly identifying and thanking my sources as I should.

The Cattermoles (Robin and Terry), our friends who live in France, are coming over this week and Terry would like back the two books he lent me when we were over there earlier this year. I am ashamed to say that they are still unread by me. I am beginning to get the hang of this reading lark but it tends to be theatrical works or play scripts at the moment. The former tends to be my bedside reading and the latter needs sit down concentrated time for it to be absorbed by me. I still haven't finished Act 2 of "Bronte". I was chastised by the Kitten because I couldn't remember the plot of "Shadow in the Smoke", the second part of a series currently being filmed and shown on telly with the girl from Doctor Who and Secret Diary of a Call Girl (name escapes me). I read the whole series a couple of years ago but haven't retained the plots. I don't think this makes me a wicked person, an absent minded waste of space perhaps, but again some of the ideas will emerge in future productions and I will claim them as my own. I remember still Pie Corbett's advice to creativity: imitate, innovate, invent. I am still firmly in the realms of imitation in most areas of my endeavour. Occasionally I will take an idea and add something new to it - innovate. However invention is still a distant dream!

Billie Piper!

There's life in the old dog yet!

Beware fair maidens - and you know who you are ( I may forget a name but never a pretty face or turn of an ankle)!

Bench anniversary

The Bench began to discuss its 40th anniversary season in 2009 at last night's club meeting.

The Artistic Panel put forward a revival idea of productions from the previous decades. I think there is some limited value in this idea but don't want to do it for the whole season of four plays. The Panel put forward four suggestions, one from each decade, of plays that struck the individual Panel member.

I was struck by "Death of a Salesman" (third ever production) and "The Entertainer" (fifth ever production.

There is a wonderful article in the Guardian this week about Shakespeare and star roles. It is mainly looking at Ian McKellen, Ewan MacGregor and Patrick Stewart, all of whom have become known to mass audiences through sci-fi or fantasy films and are taking on Shakespearean roles in London at this very moment. The article writer draws attention to the fact that Shakespeare provides star roles, Lear, Iago and Macbeth, which modern writers usually fail to do in contemporary plays relying more on ensemble work.

However Willie Loman and Archie Rice are certainly star roles written by Arthur Miller and John Osborne in the two plays mentioned above. I loved playing Willie Loman in a Cunning Plan production a few years back. However at the Bench I would propose Peter Woodward would make a marvellous Willie Loman and David Penrose would make a fabulous Archie Rice. The Bench would be looking afresh at these theatre classics, which still speak loudly to today's audience. None of the original casts are still with us - at least not the leads! I did play Archie's son in the original Bench production (my Bench debut in fact). I think I am probably too old to reprise the role. Archie Rice was played by the dear departed Ray Osborne. John Batstone asked who played the original role so perhaps he is tempted by the idea? I would certainly be tempted by "Death of a Salesman" as director.

Organ

"My brain is my second favourite organ" Woody Allen.

Pompey line up for home games (as compared to the 4-5-1 away from home):
James, Johnson, Campbell, Distin, Pamarot (no change there)
Utaka, Diop, Davis, Muntari,Taylor
Kranjcar (in the hole behind the lone striker)
Benjari (as lone striker)

I would sell Lauren and Traore in January window. I would hang on to Taylor (see above).
In absence of Davis I would use Hughes as holding midfielder in front of defence rather than Mendes. Pedro I would use as cover for Kranjcar in home formation above. Nugent would cover for Benjari. Kanu is a one off and should be used tactically.

Kranjcar could move across to replace Utaka in away games if needed as suggested by "Julie, Cosham" in yesterday's News.

I still think 'Arry is right in pursuing a striker to increase number available up to 4. A right sided midfielder or wide player would also be a good purchase to provide a different option to Utaka. Loss of four players to African Nations Cup is heavy but should have been anticipated when being bought. Still feel there is room for creative player(s) in midfield. Someone makes point about Croatia players and other European teams in today's News.

I am almost certain to submit "Hamlet" as my pitch for July/September 2008 at the Artistic Panel meeting on January 10th. I will need to make my apologies to "Attempts" as stage manager that night as a rehearsal clashes. I will need to ask the Artistic Panel if I can be an early item on their agenda that evening as it also clashes with my first meeting of the Libdem Executive Meeting. It's like buses, nothing for ages, and then three come along all together.

I will have to start a "Hamlet" blog although that might be a bit presumptious until I get selected. However i have lots of ideas buzzing in my head and it would be good to write them down and look back at them later.

Trevor, I hope you might have some ideas about using closed circuit TV on stage during "Attempts". I also need a digital video camera for recording rehearsal outcomes - any ideas or suggestions?

New Liberal

I attended the AGM of the local Libdem party last night and now find myself on the Executive Committee. I am also helping out in the Libdem charity shop on Thursday.

I am also accompanying the local British Heart Foundation Organiser to a local group meeting on Wednesday evening to see if joining a fund raising group is for me or whether I am better off signing up as a one off stand alone fund raiser. I think it is probably the latter if I want to fit in Libdem and Bench activities.

I notice that my full length photo is showing on the film extra agency website where the other male artistes have their head and shoulders portraits showing. Could this be the reason for a dearth of employment as a film extra?

I am going to visit my Auntie Doris in Blackpool tomorrow. She is the sole survivor of my Mum's family and therefore living history of the Frosts.

We are planning a winter sun break to avoid clashing with "Attempts on her life" and a early summer break to avoid clashing with a possible production of "Hamlet". Both will avoid school holidays it goes without saying of course.

That's my news for now. I am hoping to be more organised and write a blog entry once a week perhaps on a Sunday morning. This posting will be instead of this Sunday so regular posting will begin on the 9th December.

A Liberal

I had a delivery of four books from Amazon today: "What's Left? How the Left Lost its Way" by Nick Cohen, "Thatcher and Sons; A Revolution in Three Acts" by Simon Jenkins, "An Oak Tree" by Tim Crouch and "The Theatre Audition Book: 144 Monologues" by Gerald Lee Ratliff.

As you can see, the first two are political books and the second two are theatrical. Tim Crouch is a playwright and his play is remarkable in that it is for two actors, one of whom is played by a different actor - male or female- at each performance. They walk on stage having neither seen nor read a word of the play they're in...until they're in it. You can guess why I fascinated by the idea. The monologues are to help with the memory idea mentioned in a previous post and perhaps also to help the Best Beloved's Green Room group if they run out of plays to perform.

I would like to think about politics for the moment. Since I became conscious of politics in my teens, I would have described myself as a socialist. On my mother's side I come from miners - my great grandfather dug the first sod of grass when they were sinking a new mine pit at Wombwell colliery. My grandmother was a socialist and voted Labour. She was the first person to influence my political thinking.

I remember going to bed on the eve of the Neil Kinnock general election thinking we would awaken to a new Labour government in the morning. How disappointed I was to find the Tories had retained power. Most of my adult life had been ruled by a Conservative government. I cannot tell you how vehemently I was upset by the Thatcherite years and philosophy. I moved here and found a Tory stronghold. I like my constituency MP even though he is a Tory bigwig. I always felt my vote was wasted. When New Labour got in I was pleased as anything both as a voter and as a teacher. However Nick Cohen's scorching polemic examines the "quagmire of mashed-up values and watered-down principles" of the old Left.

I became a Liberal: "economic efficiency, social justice and individual liberty." I am a practising Christian, and when those who know me well sometimes question this (the old roue and the young ladies of the theatre, for example), I reinforce the word "practising". I am not very good at it but I am trying to get better - that's the Christianity not the young ladies of the theatre! The same applies to my liberalism.

I have joined the Liberal Democrat party and voted for one of the two candidates for the leadership. I must say I am sorry at the departure of Sir Ming Campbell. I think the two younger candidates are clones out of the Blair/Cameron mould. Sir Ming was a staunch Liberal with a dignity and a principled history/background. The fact that he was older than the other party leaders was stupidly held against him and makes me worry about the direction of the party. It seems to be both Labour and Conservative now occupy the same centre ground of politics rather than left or right wings. Their policies are carbon copies, if indeed not pinched from the other side and claimed as their own. Once upon a time the Libdems occupied that middle ground but this has been usurped. There is not a scrap of political conviction to separate Labour or Conservative governments, either actual or in waiting. The Libdems need a rethink and for me Sir Ming would have proved a better leader for that revision of what Liberals stand for than either of the two young men. My vote went to the man I thought was the better Liberal rather than the best Libdem leader to take on Brown or Cameron. I also sweat a little when I hear Democrats wish they weren't lumbered with the Liberal label. More of my infantile political ramblings are bound to follow.

I am now expecting a delivery from the National Theatre bookshop of the first folio Hamlet, a book about tackling hamlet and a third book showing how three distinguished directors tackled Hamlet. The Danish prince is a project I may be offering as a Bench production in 2008.

Wild Duck Lands

It was great on Saturday night as the performance of "The Wild Duck" was one of trhe best we gave. It all seemed somehow to come together. One of the factors was the audience, who seemed so alert and so responsive to the detail of plot and character.

It was no surprise afterwards to find Barbara and John Spiegelhalter had been in the audience. These two are such good company and always make me feel good about myself. They are also two of the most politically aware people that I know and are supportive of my embryonic political ambitions and awakening. In an earlier post I covered the fact that I didn't stand for nomination in my local ward because of the operation an dits aftermath. I am beginning to become more involved and more interested in the local Liberal Democrats. I have voted for my choice for the new national leader (more on that later in the week) and I am attending the local party AGM on Thursday night.

Also at the last night performance was Trevor Hare and his daughter. Trevor used to be a Bench member about thirty years ago. He has indicated an interest in taking the dress rehearsal photos for "Attempts on her Life" in February 2008. We have had a number of people doing this for the last few productions but it would be good to find someone to approach rather than havuing to cast around at the last minute. The photos provide a valuable record and become a resource for the Bench archives. Trevor also has very strong feelings about the political scene as well and has rationalised some of the points over which I still have a very hazy understanding. I like bouncing ideas off of him and seeing what shape they come back in.

Yesterday started as Stage Manager for the next Bench production of "Attempts on her Life" by Martin Crimp. If you follow the link to the left to Nathan Chapman's blog, you will find anothe link there for his production blog on "Attempts on her Life" as he is directing the same in February 2008.

I also had a very interesting chat with Robin, who is the producer. She mentioned going to see "St Nicholas", a Conor McPherson monologue in Guildford. I have put in an order for this play as it was one of those projects designed to help me stretch my memory cells. I shall watch her blog with interest (even more so than usual) to see how her ideas about "St Nicholas" pan out.

I have started work on my "Hamlet" pitch or presentation for the July 2008 slot. This has to be ready by January 10th so I can present it to the Artistic Panel prior to getting the go ahead to present it to the company as part of the play selection process at the end of January and beginning of February.

I am also toying with the idea of putting in a submission for the one week slot in September 2008. I know there are lots of reasons why I shouldn't but I thought I would let the Artistic Panel or the company dissuade me rather than do so myself. I have a number of modern plays in mind at the moment but a chance conversation as brought "The Pillowman" by Martin McDonagh to the fore.

I am meeting the British Heart Foundation lady tomorrow to discuss how I might support the BHF locally.

I am also researching stage armoury and movement directing so I can offer Clun Nights and do a better job on "Bronte" in particular, where I have been taken on as Movement Director again. Auditions are coming up soon for that so I need to get my act together.

Busy blissful days!

Havant Arts Centre - The Future?

The following article is taken verbatim from the Nineveh Newsletter (Nov/Dec 2007). Nineveh Exhibits can be found at 11 The Pallant Havant PO9 1 BE. The Best Beloved works there on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.
I have reproduced the article because it raises the interesting idea that the Arts Centre might be moved from its current site.
I am interested in finding rehearsal space separate from the Arts Centre because of the increased demand on space there. I would envisage the Arts Centre as being our performance base for as long as it exists either at its current site or if it moves elsewhere in the borough.

With money from the Heritage
Lottery Fund, Havant Borough Council has engaged ABL Cultural
Consulting to “develop an audience development project” for the
East Street Arts Centre and Museum.

They are also working with
the Portsmouth based Creative Industries Business Advisory
Service to consider how the facilities could be improved if
external funding were available in the future. Options might
include removing the facility from the current site. As part
of the process, ABL will produce a consultation questionnaire
which will be available from 10 December for anyone who would
like to take part – copies will be available at Havant Arts
Centre box office.

For more information please contact the
Council's Cultural Services Team Leader, Elaine Clarke, at
elaine.clarke@havant.gov.uk.

Wild Duck Comment

Alan, one of my pals on the Cradiac Rehab Pahse 4 exercise, brought his wife to see the second Thursday performance. he made the comment about Nathan, "Either he is a real actor or a natural buffoon". I think you have proved the former, Nathan, and earned a real compliment from someone not in the business.