Its over

Well, what an end to a great season. We had the audience from heaven on Saturday night. They just roared at everything. Then Sunday first matinee was great fun with a few different gags (that's tradition on second last show) then the last show..... I was feeling a bit down and not feeling like doing the show....then we get the news that Susan Boyle was in the audience. As I do an impression of her, I thought this is going to be fun. Then I get a message that she would like to come on stage with me and I think, this is going to be a bit of showbiz magic. I mean who gets the biggest name in the world at the moment to walk on at the end of your impression.....and she did. It was wonderful. The audience went wild. They screamed and shouted Su Bo, Su Bo. She was lovely and had photo's taken with the cast back stage. I said to her before she came on "Hello darling thanks for doing this" she said "Oh its great this is great fun." I couldn't see her after the show as she was going back with her friends. But she certainly set the place alight. My mate Ross King and his lovely fiance, Brianna were in Edinburgh and saw the show the night before. So I called him and said get down here now, its going to be great. So he was there as well. So it was the end to an incredibly successful season. Now we have to start again for next year......

bye

nearly over

Well, we only have just over a week to go and its been a great success again. Business has been up 8% (and in a recession) and we've a fantastic time doing the show. Everyone has worked hard. I think that is the reason it works. We never let the energy dip. When we opened it took about a week, as usual, to find all the little comedy bits that you don't know about till an audience comes in. Then you just keep adding every show and also editing. Next year is the end of my 3 year contract at the Kings so we'll see what happens after that. I say three year contract, more like the 13 year contract. If only I had bought a flat up here in Edinburgh when I first started.

David is going from strength to strength. He is working with a guy called Example and was touring with Lilly Allen recently. Example's single is out this week and David is doing all the TV's and gigs around the country. He also looks like he is signing with a new management. His writing is so strong at the moment. Kate and Jane are doing well. So the whole family is on form.

I have a couple of weeks off then I go to the Caribbean to pick up the Oriana.

Ok that's the news for now.

bye

Pantoland

Hi, well and truly into it now, and as usual loving it. We had a wonderful weekend. Saturdays shows were amazing. It was like a football match. The crowd were screaming. Had a funny moment the other night. In one scene I say "You're embarrassed? I'm embarrassed ....I'm an award nominated actor." but I made a mistake and said "I'm an award WINNING actor" and from the wings the whole cast (who were about to make an entrance) shouted "Oh no you're not" Lovely moment.

Every one has relaxed into it and Mr Stott is on great form. So its just down to the hard run of shows now and a bit of partying.

Have a good Christmas

We're open....again

We are off and running. It was a hard one this year. Paul and I have done more re-writes than ever before. As I said it gets harder every year. Right up to the last minute I was worried. The dress in front of 50 non English speaking people.....well it seemed that way, was very hard and I was slitting my wrists after. However opening show on Saturday afternoon was wonderful, and then Saturday night....wow!!! it was as rip snorter. (my dad's saying) So thanks to a great team. You couldn't put a show on of this standard in 10 days if we all didn't pull together. I had to have two days off in the middle because of a bug. But I managed to catch up.

Funny moment. There is a part where I say this is very embarrassing ....I'm an award "nominated" actor (re Jolosn)

But by mistake I said I'm an award "winning" actor, and everyone standing in the wings shouted "oh no your not" I roared at that. I think we are in for a great run. Thanks to Paul for being a great director.

David is on tour with Example and Lilly Allen at the moment and getting the best experience a young muso could possibly get. Right in the think of the pop world. Earls Court, Arenas all over the country. Wonderful. Every one else is great. Speak soon

Allan

Hello

Well Mr Negative was right.....didn't win the TMA award. Oh well I'll just have to be happy with my cycling proficiency award.

Nearly at panto time. Script all finished and frocks all ready. Really looking forward to it. Grant and I have set a time for our coffee before our first day of rehearsal. Its a little ritual we have. I've got two weeks at home before I go up on the 15th. What a bonus that is. Ross is over from L A so spending some time with him this week. Ok that's about it. Speak once we are open.

bye

Hello

Hi just a little note to tell the world that after 45 years in the business I have been nominated for an award. Yes.....can you believe it.

The TMA (Theatre Manager Awards) have nominated me for 'Best Actor in a Musical' for Jolson and Co.....ACTOR! Moi. Anyway quite excited about that. Mind you Mr Negative, me, says I wont get it....but as they say its the taking part that's important, not the winning....is it fuck.

PS If you can find it BBC Alba(168 on Sky) a little documentary about a day in my life. Cathy Mcdonald will interview me in Gaelic and I answer in English.....strange. Oct 19th 10pm.

bye

My apologies

Sorry, I have never left it so long between blogs before. So much has happened. David and I had a great week on the Jewel of the Seas. He did a number in my show. It went really well. We didn't argue, that's not bad for an old guy and a young guy. He's a great kid, takes after his mum.

We went to LA for our hols. I was worried that Kate would get bored as she was on her own with us. We were invited to a bar-b-que at a friends house. (They are a great group called Purple Melon and they have moved over to LA to crack the States) Now, as well as the 5 man band they had twin brothers and aged 16 and she started to hang out with them. So we were made redundant. Anyway the holiday was as great as always and Ross and Briana looked after us so well. I just love it over there. Don't know if I could live full time but great for a holiday.

So back to ships for a while. I was on the Oriana but wasn't well (bad tummy) and had to postpone first show. Just getting over it now.

I'm sitting in a hotel room in Quebec Canada writing this. Never been here before. I'm picking up the Aurora and coming back to Southampton. So that's us up to date. I'm off to look around Quebec....they all talk French. As the taxi driver dropped me off he said aurevoir and I said bonjour....what a prat. (cant spell those French words)

bye