Back home

Just back from LA on holiday. Wonderful is all I can say. We had two weeks staying in the Hollywood hills with my mate Ross King and then a week in Laguna Beach. The weather was perfect and Ross's hospitality was magnificent. The kids loved it and Jane had a well earned rest. David did a small gig in a club called Room 5. It was a singer songwriter club and he did 3 numbers at the piano. It went really well. Kate spent a fortune on clothes.....actually we all did.
On a sad note I learnt that Hazel Horner (she had been coming to my shoes for about 35 years) died of cancer. I saw her and her friend Joan at Christmas in Edinburgh and Hazel bought the tickets for next year as soon as they came on sale. Unfortunately the cancer spread very quickly and she died at the beginning of August. The Panto wont be the same without her.
The Jolson tour is coming along nicely and I will post the tour dates on my blog. Another panto meeting tomorrow to discuss costumes and script, and off to the Arcadia on Wednesday.
Bye

Jolson

Hi, well I'm really pleased to announce that I have signed to do a UK tour of a new Jolson musical next year. Michael Harrison, the producer, has found a great script in America and when I read it I loved it. We are going to premier it in the Kings in Edinburgh, tour England and then close in Glasgow. I am particularly excited because I have always wanted to play Jolson again after the success of the last one in 1996. Its a much smaller production than the original but it is very cleverly written with a lot of humour in it.
The Panto is coming along really well and Paul Elliott and I have had a few meetings in the last few days. I'm off to Naples to pick up the Aurora.
OK that's about it for now.
Bye

Trouble

Well my humour got me into trouble this week. I was on the Aurora and towards the end of my act TWO very large people (I'm being kind) sitting in the front row, got up and walked out. (to be fare they probably thought I was finished.) Well I defy any comedian not to take advantage of the situation. So I chased after them. Come back I shouted, I get better. They didn't hear me so I stopped them. They looked very embarrassed. I said where are you going. Surely not for more food.....I know its been 45 minutes but you must be able to hold on. Well they didn't come back they just carried on. So I said Ok if there is anybody standing at the back there is room for 4 down here. The audience roared. I laughed as well and it was me who said it. Anyway the next day the Cruise director said they put in an official complaint. I did feel bad for a little while but when your thinking on your feet and someone walks out on you, a man has to do what a man has to do. We sent them some pies and they were alright. I hope they will eventually see the funny side. Someone said I was fattist....I said I think you'll find they were fattist....(Jimmy Carr 2205 Royal Variety show)
I've been told you like to read about my funny exploits in my blog. So I'll keep you up to date.
bye.

What a cheek.

I received a cutting from a Scottish newspaper from a friend. I think it was the Sun. They were talking about how female binge drinkers were being compared to men "If you drink like a man you may finish up looking like a man" (or something like that) Then they said, so dont drink to much ladies or might end up looking like Allan Stewart, and they had a picture of me as Dame last year.......what a fucking liberty.
I hope my updated web site will be up and running soon. Not to much change but I have a few new photos, a review section, and a video on there. I also hope to add videos as I go along.
Jane and I went to the Isle of Wight to see David and his band. He opened the Big Top stage on the Saturday. It was a massive gig for a young boy who has only worked live in 4 small venues. I know I'm biased but he really rose to the occasion.
Paul Elliott and I went up to Edinburgh to launch Aladdin (with the 3D genie) its going to be great this year. We also auditioned for a princess and we found a beautiful girl who was Miss Scotland and Miss UK. (Nieve Jennings) Not only does she look great she is a lovely actress and singer. So we are all set. Mr. Stott was on great form when we did the Q and A with the audience at the launch. Ok I wont leave it so long till the next time.
Bye

HI

So what's been happening. I flew out join a ship in Malta and arrived at the Hotel Casstille at about half two in the morning. I was a little worried as I walked into reception as it looked a bit tired and Sydney Greenstreet from the film Cassablanca was behind the desk. But it was in the middle of the night and hey, I was only going to sleep a few hours and then go to the ship.
As I opened the door of the room the smell hit me. Dead body?...... animal?......or just piss. There was a little single bed with an old quilt on it. A dilapidated dressing table and a standard lamp with a squinty lamp shade on it cowered in the corner. The swirley carpet had stains and was well worn. I looked in the toilet. An old gag came to mind. "Do you have a good memory for faces, asked the landlady. "Why" I said. "Cause there's no mirror in the bathroom". I decided not to take my clothes off and I pulled back the quilt and lay on top of the bed. The only thing it didn't have was the red flashing light shining in through the window which is in all the old movies. As I lay there I thought of the conversation I had with my old mate Ross King, a few hours before. He was in Las Vagas sitting on the balcony of the Ritz Carlton over looking the lake. He was drinking champagne with his new 23 year old girlfriend, and I thought...where did it all go wrong.
I woke up every hour on the hour to the sound of the church clock which was situated in my wardrobe.
When I eventually went up stairs to the breakfast room to eat my slice of toast and coffee from a flask I rehearsed what I was going to say to the Port Agent for putting me in place like this. I was going to tell him a thing or two. When he arrived he couldn't speak a word of English so that was the end of that. My mobile had no charge and I had forgotten my charger, so I had to go into a phone box for the first time in 20 years to phone my wife. I related my story and she laughed. ..... "What a fucking liberty"
I joined the ship (incidentally it was a company I hadn't worked for before) and everything was fine from there on in.
So all you avid blog readers, as you see ,show business isn't always glamorous.
Bye

You Tube

Just a quickie before I fly off to Barbados. Have a look on You Tube (Kings 100) and see me Grant Stott, Ross King, and Andy Gray doing Il Divo on the Centenary Show. Thanks to the expertise of Mr Fixit Stotty boy for working out how to put something on you tube.
bye

Sorry again

Ok so its been 6 weeks since my last blog......no excuse, just lazy. Well panto finished and we had a great time as usual. The general opinion was that everyone loved it but said it was different. Well it was and that was what Paul and I set out to do. Andy wasn't there so it had to change. Grant and I had our usual wind ups going and he is just a great person to work with. He also really came into his own this year as well. His partnering with Jo Freer really worked well. Paul and I have started talking about next year already. I went to Birmingham to see the production of Aladdin we are getting next year and its fantastic. The 3D sections had the kids almost hysterical ( and the grown ups) The sets are all new and have a great modern look. We will be back to a traditional panto with a few surprises.
So back to work. I'm off to Singapore on Monday. My agent phoned up and asked if I wanted to be in the Queen Vic....... I thought me in Eastenders......but it was the new Queen Victoria (the latest Cunard super liner) so I fly to Hong Kong to pick that up in March. I was offered the new John Byrne play about the Slab Boys (the fourth in the series) at the Lyceum in Edinburgh but as usual I was committed to other work and couldn't do it. Every time something different comes up I'm working. The family are all well and David, with his band ,have been booked for the Isle of Wight festival in June. He also has a big publisher interested in his music. So all is well there.
Ok I wont leave it so long till the next time
bye