On ya bike

A few years ago I was asked to work for three days on a new play in Nottingham. There was no money involved but because I wanted to be an actor and I wanted to meet the writer and the directer I say yes.

Yesterday I organised an audition for Elves and the Shoemaker with local agents, this was the info I sent to them.

We're looking for a boy (20's 30's) to play the shoemaker and an elf. The show is for age 3+ we need a good mover and singer. the dates are 1 DEC till Christmas eve the one show on the 7Th January. Can you help? This would be a great job for a graduate.

The agents knowing that their young clients will be working with a fantastic director (Judith Barker) submitted actors - most of them with hardly any CV. I looked through the suggestions and invite actors come and meet us for an audition. Of the 10 actors I invited 7 come back to us and turn us down, two graduates (who'd be lucky to make the tea) said "they'd earn more money from their temp job.

The three days I did as a young actor straight from drama school led me to be offered the lead part in the play at the Nottingham Playhouse, then numerous adverts and finally a feature film in Rome.

Moral - make as many ripples as possible as you never know where they lead.

What's on in Saddleworth

I went to the saddleworth business association the other night. as it says on the tin its business's based in saddleworth who meet up every now and again to talk about business in Saddleworth. confused?

This week a lady from Visit Manchester came to talk about marketing events in Saddleworth - that's why I went, to market or get help marketing the Elves and the Shoemaker this Christmas. We were talking about the lack of visitors to Saddlewoth and one chap pipes up "It's because they moved the tourist information into the library" quick as a flash the lady says "I don't think the half dozen visitors to the tourist information are really going to help you, you need an Internet presence, we had 1 billion hits last year on our website, maybe you need to try and draw some of those into Saddleworth?" He shut up then.

life and art

Funny old day. I was on the street trying to make a few quid this morning when a beautiful woman approached me. "how much?" she said looking me up and down. I've been busted a couple of times recently so I'm cautious if I don't recognise people. "Who wants to know?"

no,no,no stop making it up.

I found an E.T. tonight - they can bleddy eat! I did a big shop yesterday, gone. I was glad when his mother ship got here.

Why are drugs illegal? Gordon Brown could make a fortune if he legalised them.. Stack em high sell em cheap.

The Elves and the Shoemaker

Well we've had our holiday, gone back to school, work or life so now it's time to think about Christmas. Time for the endless rows about who's house you're going to end up at this year, whether you want a turkey again (too dry) or a goose (too fatty). "We could go out to a restaurant but that costs proper money.

Whatever you decide to do bare a thought for all those entertainers up and down the country in Pantos and Christmas shows making life a little more colourful.

This year in Saddleworth, Oldham Hard Graft present A GREAT christmas show The Elves and the Shoemaker, as I write I'm waiting for the set to dry in my back yard - Christmas comes early to the entertainers.

MERRY CHRISTMAS christmas show in saddleworth

If you're looking for somewhere to take the kids this christmas in oldham, saddleworth or dare I say the whole north west get yourself along to Uppermill, Civic Hall, Lee St.
Uppermill

Read all about it

Spent the morning with Ruhubia a journalist from the Oldham Advertiser. Very nice lady and very interesting. She was helping me with research for Knife Edge. I never realised what journalist's go through to get a story, imagine knocking on the door of a family who's lost a son or daughter and asking for photo to put in the paper.

I parked in Sainbury's car park in Oldham today and as I walked to my car a man approached me and asked if I knew who's car this was and he pointed to a green Nissan. Sainbury's car park has parking for hundreds of cars and is used by thousands of people every day. No, I said. Do you have a camera I could use? he said. "Only on my phone". "Good" he said "Take a picture of this" . He had a scratch down the side of his car that he claimed was done by the Nissan. " I've been here two hour waiting, I can't believe they've been gone so long."

I text's the photo to his daughter (his phone didn't do MMS)

I left him waiting, talking to the bloke who collects the trolleys.

working 9 till 5

Right here we go.....

I've been dossing in France on a beach for too long, I need to get some work done. Went to visit happy cow books in Uppermill today. Lovely man called Neil runs it. We've been trying to come up with ideas to work together on our Christmas Show the Elves and the Shoemaker.

I got a strange phone call today, a man asked me where my heart was? I said in my chest and laughed, then he asked again 'Where is your heart' and hung up. I 1471 him but no number.

I meet the press tomorrow.

later