That's (Animal Farm) Showbiz!

Bleak (Animal Farm rights) House.

Bummer!  We had the rights to perform George Orwell's Animal Farm for all of 8 weeks, till the 'principle agent' changed their mind and decided to cancel our license.  It probably means a commercial theatre producer has decided to try a production. Which is good for us fans of Orwell, but not so good for WE fans of Orwell.  

A bit like when we performed 'Under Milk Wood' in the Wheatsheaf in Fitzrovia, London, the pub where Dylan Thomas met his wife.  It was commercially stupid to mount such a large production in such a small room, but it was the 60th anniversary of Dylan's death. And it was the pub where he met... oh, I've mentioned that.  It was about the sprit of the production, the emotion of the moment.  And not about the money.  I'm not sure our 9 shows in a pub would have rocked the commercial rights holder, but that's Animal Farm showbiz.

And it means our next full theatre show will be the Maverick Theatre Company's 21st Birthday show - Henry V - Lion of England, in April.  And there's no problems with the rights for that.  I wrote it myself!  With a bit of help from Shakespeare, of course.  I might consider cancelling the licence.  But I doubt it...

A Birmingham Stomach and Goodbye M. Palin

I'm off to Olde London towne for a full week and after a conversation with me other half, Rebecca, about the joys or otherwise of being a Lady of Leisure, I decide to become a Lad Who Lunches. Bring it on, capital city. Can you beat Birmingham, Balti Capital of the World?

The potential cost of this potential gluttony is being supported by another personal loan I have had to take out. As you may know from a previous blog, I ran out of money at the end of March. This new loan means I now have enough finance to keep going till September 2007. The reality of Maverick moves another step closer. As does the reality of paying back the loans. But this is no time for a faint heart...!

I have also now COMPLETELY got over Michael Palin. I have a new best friend now, a man called Dominic Dromgoole. Apart from the obvious Irish connections, Dommy, as I have already started to call him, has written a book called 'Will and Me - How Shakespeare Took Over My Life'. So far it's a great read. As with Mickey P, I feel an initial twinge of envy at the Oxbridge education and all its opportunities, but, also like Mickey P, Doms lack of bull is refreshing. And reading about another human soul hijacked by the Bard gives me something of the feeling of self-help. I've also been buggered a bit by the bard, metaphorically speaking. Although, looking at my finances trying to get Henry V on, maybe more literally. And Dom likes his Shakespeare without all the pretentious bollix that often goes with it.

I love Dom. I hardly give Mickey P a thought now. Ever. I'm completely over him and his diaries 1970 - 1979. Although I did nearly buy the Monty Python DVD last week. ..

A Brilliant Response, Michael Palin.

I've had a great response this week to the e-mail I sent out announcing this Blog.

Our e-mail list is really small, but not only did I have over half a dozen messages of good will, but also an e-mail from a brilliant Los Angeles based producer, Gerry, about possible work in South Africa. Then the Waterside Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon phoned and said they'd heard about us and would we like to go back there this autumn, bless 'em. Then another e-mail about a potential for eight months work at the fabulous Shakespeare's Globe. And Penny (Tour Booker extraordinaire) phones and says that just a quick conversation with a London venue was enough to interest them in at least a couple of nights of Henry V - Lion of England. How fab is all that!

I'm so elated I spend some time with my new friend Michael Palin. Or at least his diaries, which I am currently reading and using as a cleverly written self-help aid on how to be a self-employed artist working from home. Without, of course, Mikey's success. Or talent. Or family. Or Oxbridge education. Or money.

Then the thought of money brings me rather crashing to earth. I've finished my first attempt at a business plan and circulated it to (read Foisted Upon) a few trustworthy business friends for comment. But I realise that I've used up nearly all my working capital. I'm living on the money earmarked for a new kitchen back when times were fiscally easier. Better do something about that, or the mortgage will suffer and this suddenly popular Peddler of Bill Shaky will be receiving all these marvellous offers in a tent on Billesley Common!

I casually and perhaps rather heartlessly throw Michael Palin to one side, poor love.