Hello, Goodbye.

Well, what a month it's been. For 2 weeks I was working for an American University at Shakespeare's Globe in London. It must go down in history as a job with the longest interview period and the shortest actual period of work. I first interviewed for it 18 months ago and lasted 2 weeks in the position. It was not quite what I expected and I was not quite what they expected. I won't go into details yet. But there are some lovely and dedicated people working at Shakespeare's Globe and I hope I haven't inconvenienced them by quitting so soon. I'm not normally a quitter, but life is sometimes too short and it was bad timing on my part to start a demanding job with an American company at the same time as the Henry V - Lion of England tour starts - which it did this week. It coincides nicely with Maverick becoming a 'proper' Limited Company and marks the start of what I hope will be greater independence for the company.

Talking of Henry - Henry V - Lion of England kicked off its latest incarnation with two dates this week - a preview performance at Hall Green Little Theatre in Birmingham and its first tour date at the Leighton Buzzard Theatre in Beds.

Both productions have moments good and bad. I keep forgetting I've created something of a monster for all concerned. This play is the Grand National Beecher's Brook of productions and places incredible strains on not just the actor, but the technical crew too. The levels of skill needed to present 80 minutes of Henry with its hundreds of light, sound and effects cues are more akin to a major West End musical than a small scale traveling production. But we get by; Ed Actor, Louise Stage Manager, Robb Music, John Lights and Emma Set do themselves, Maverick and me proud. And both productions are imbued with audiences generally raving about how good it is. Not good enough for us yet, but it will be. And I have an eye on the bigger picture. Watch this space!

Ooo it's all gone a bit pear shaped in London, so I'm not working there anymore. Best for both of us, methinks. However...

ONE NIGHT ONLY!

Special Preview Peformance

Henry V - Lion of England.

Tuesday 18^th September, 2007at 8pm.

Hall Green Little Theatre

Pemberley Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham, B27 7RY Tickets £10 (concs available)
Tickets (0121) 707 1874. www.hglt.org.uk

Film star glamour!

But not if you don't like car parks! Check out purgatory on You Tube.

Ah, me!

Pass The Jellied Eels, guv'nor...!

After 50 years in Birmingham, I am now a Londoner. Until May 08 anyway. I'm now Resident Director for Rutgers University at Shakespeare’s Globe on the South Bank. What a place! And what a great bunch of people. So far, anyway!

This is a picture of my new office. Tales From My Riverbank will start soon enough, but the last few months have been 12 to 14 hour days and although the Maverick Theatre Henry V tour is calming down, nothing else is!

Better than boredom though, eh?

Oh, and if you're thinking of burgling my house, don't bother. My nephew, 'Killer' Matt is house sitting. He'd LOVE someone to try and break in. Not sure where his genes come from, but they're occasionally useful to point at bad people!