Jack and the Beanstock the Kings

Well end of the first weeks rehearsal. It was a fantastic week. We laugh so much. And even more this year with Andy Gray back in the building. We had an incredible first run through on Saturday morning, 5 days after meeting for the first read through. Everyone was off the book, including me (unheard of in the past) I am terrible at learning lines but this year for some reason it almost all stayed in the brain....amazing. Its also great to hear every one laughing at the material which is generally untested. I may have said this before (my wife tells me I have .....several times) this is a real cracker this year. Paul Elliott is waiting for the iceberg. As it happens it may be a real iceberg as I woke up to deep snow this morning. Will the set get through to Edinburgh in the this weather. We'll see. Didn't fly back this weekend as I usually do. Which is just as well. Probably wouldn't have got back up. Stotty boy on form as usual and Jo Freer as happy as I have seen her. Moyo is working well and our new "Jack" is great. The girls will love him.

So one more week of tightening and polishing and we'll be off and running. Wonderful. Look forward to seeing all our loyal fans.

Nearly there

Well only a few more days till we start rehearsals for Jack and the Beanstock. Its amazing that we all look forward to this time of the year. The team have all been in touch with each other like kids waiting for Christmas. How can you have so much fun with your clothes on.....

I had two great cruises to finish off this year. One was on the Queen Mary and the last one was on the Aurora. I tried a new routine in my show and it went unbelievably well. I call it a mega mix. Its a resume of my whole act in 2 and a half minutes. All the music is battered through at break neck speed ending with me collapsed on the floor. I love it when and idea comes together. Ross King came up with the idea when I was in LA in the summer and I came back and put it all together.

Christopher Biggins was on with his partner Neil. We had a great laugh. So now I'm home making the last little tweeks to the script. So Paul Elliot and I fly up to Edinburgh on Sunday and on Monday morning Andy Grant and I meet at Costa's for our coffee before we start. (we have the same ritual every year, mind you its complete now that Andy is back.)

Ok will up date you all as we go through the process.

bye x

New regime

Ok its a new regime from now on. My good friend and journalist, Gavin Docherty, tells me that I don't update my blog enough and he would like to see me do it on a regular basis.....ok it might be boring but I will try and do it more often......my says that to me all the time.

I have two more contracts at sea, Queen Mary and the Aurora and then up to Edinburgh for Panto.....wonderful. I was, as everyone else was, shocked to hear about Gerard Kelly. He was a well loved man in and out of the business. The Kings panto in Glasgow will never be the same.

I am still tweaking my Aunty May play and I was hoping to put it on in the Autumn but I think we will be going back out with a new production of Jolson and Co. at that time. That will be great. I loved doing that show. So I will probably do the play.....my working title is ,'Aunty May's Big Day', a few weeks after the 2011/12 panto finishes....if God spares me. My aunty always said that.

Everyone is fine. Jane is the busiest she has ever been. She is doing the Take That tour in the Uk and Europe. I have hardly seen her as she is working a 14 hour day. I don't know how she does it. David still with Example and Kate getting ready for her Students audition at Arts Ed. So that's it up to date. I will endeavour to keep posting.

bye