D’ye Ken John Plunk In His Plunk So Gay?

Many years ago, I inherited a few books from my brother. They were Spike Milligan’s war diaries (which included, within the first ten pages, my first sight of the ‘C’ word) and a couple of the Molesworth books by Geoffrey Willans and Ronald Searle. I was hooked instantly, despite not really understanding the setting, a… Continue reading D’ye Ken John Plunk In His Plunk So Gay?

1966 Seaman’s Strike – Photos of Stranded Ships

I found these photos in my Dad’s stuff. In May 1966, a strike by seamen caused several cruise liners and other large ships to be stranded in Southampton Docks. My family were on holiday down there at the time, and they went on a boat trip around the docks. My Dad took these photos (click… Continue reading 1966 Seaman’s Strike – Photos of Stranded Ships

Sweaty Greeks

Thursday. Audience = 20. This is one those liveblogging things where I’m typing backstage, while Tiresias applies her Amy Winehouse eye makeup, and on stage Oedipus and Jocasta discuss the stories that will soon intertwine to reveal their terrible fate. Not exactly liveblogging, because this won’t hit the web until later, but kinda. My first… Continue reading Sweaty Greeks

A Cigar Tube At 35,000 feet

This post was written on March 26 2008 while trying to doze off on allergy pills. Warning – contains introspection, fractured sentences and fear. This is being written on my EeePC while listening to the new Sigur Ros CD in the in-flight system over the coast of Greenland, approaching Godthab. I’m in a Boeing 747-400,… Continue reading A Cigar Tube At 35,000 feet

Photos Of Miracles

My lodger/roomie, Yusuf is a photographer by – not by trade, not yet. By what then, paying hobby? He takes pictures which go up on walls and in magazines and people pay for them and have them framed and hang them in their homes. Nice pictures too. I don’t know much about photography, but his… Continue reading Photos Of Miracles

We’re Surrounded!

Saturday 3 May. Audience: 20 / 20ish. A matinee performance where the audience outnumbered the cast? Unthinkable. But there we were, with people… looking at us… on all sides. Despite this unforeseen hiccup, the first performance was good with lots of energy. I think I saw the fabled Man of Wimbledon, with his harrumphing and stretching,… Continue reading We’re Surrounded!

Derivative Horsesh1t

This band thing is catching. Around the same time as Mairi was forming her not-so-merry* band (which I have yet to talk about – blog post pending, along with photos), I was at a gig at the new Marquee club in London, watching Pocket, and I was very much taken with their support, which was… Continue reading Derivative Horsesh1t

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Social Oedipus

Friday 2 May Audience – 4 + 6 Good one tonight. Bit more pace. I was more confident. Small audience, but at least there was someone there. I was a bit distracted, what with the same old stuff. So it was nice to go to the pub afterwards. But before that I went out and… Continue reading Social Oedipus

‘Heroes’ Is Based On Me

In the new series (sorry, “season”, cos that’s what we call them now, right?) of Heroes, one of the titular super-mutants is experimenting with her limb-regenerating ability. She scissors her little toe off, it amusingly pops off and flies across the room. For a moment you think her Pomeranian is going to eat it. The… Continue reading ‘Heroes’ Is Based On Me

Is There A Shepherd In The House?

Thursday 1 May Audience – about 8 “Does anyone know the herdsman?” I have one reasonable-sized speech in the play, explaining why Creon wouldn’t want Oedipus’ position. I (Creon) point out that I could have grabbed the top job when it was empty, but I didn’t want it. “Where is the herdsman?” Except that I didn’t… Continue reading Is There A Shepherd In The House?