Emergency Blog!

I know what you are thinking - he promised to stop blogging - well, let's just pretend I'm a politician and that means promises are made to be broken, plus this is an emergency, so stand back as I break the glass and release the handle on the emergency blog.

Since 1997, I have appeared on the stage many times in many guises - from the owner of an Italian restaurant via a Brummy horse to a Jewish gangster and ending up as a Geordie elf! And all for no pay - I did it for the love of theatre and I have to say it was brilliant. I was brilliant too - occasionally.

My friend, the JP, is busily scripting and shaping words into a new play that he will eventually deliver unto the world and I have recently been invited to several local shows created by young ambitious folk who want to take this love of theatre and make a life out of it...and good for them I say.

I suppose acting must be about the most over subscribed occupation in the world, for every actor that gets the job there are hundreds that don't and to get the job there are many sacrifices that have to be made - it is not an easy life but it can be a very rewarding one.

Having that chance to grab your dream and to just go for it - I would suggest to anyone out there who is sitting back thinking, "I can't" or "I shouldn't", that you should and you must!

Yes it will be a struggle but then life is never guaranteed to be easy, but if you work hard and if you suffer the slings and arrows, you might just find that you have some great memories to look back on, a renewed confidence to chase the dream and some good friends to support you.

Now, where is all this cosy philosophy coming from, why the warm gush first thing in the morning? Well, it is the fault of several people  connected with the show I went to see last night at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield - Laughter in the Rain.

Laughter in the Rain is the story of Neil Sedaka, told to the audience by the man, his family and collaborators. It obviously contains many of his songs and if you are from a certain generation you soon find yourself drawn along with the inevitable uplifting tide of the show. It is a great show, you sing, you clap, you smile and there is even a chance for a tear to fall - you even get to stand up and dance and that is the first thing I want to say thank you for...there were hundreds of people 'dad-dancing' in that auditorium and it felt OK!

Of course the best thing about the show was the superb role played by the ASM and the whole thing held together thanks to the efforts of the wardrobe assistant but beyond those two hard working, dedicated, sober individuals, it would be unfair to pick out anyone on that stage for special mention...it was simply a great piece of work.

Having said I don't want to mention individuals I am now going to do exactly that...Wayne Smith as Sedaka, a warmth of delivery that cannot be produced from just acting - it comes from that reservoir of sincerity that not every actor possesses. His singing voice was first class too.

Edward Handoll as Howard Greenfield, Alastair Natkiel as Don Kirshner - both excellent.

You see this is why I shouldn't have started with names because now I want to praise them all - anyway, the rest of the cast and the band were brilliant.

Let me backtrack a little - if you do love the theatre and you want to make a life for yourself in that world you have to fight hard for it, you have to make those sacrifices and I met two young men who are doing that and more power to them for chasing that dream and not giving in and for giving it 110% last night during the show.

First of all, Charlie Adams, a brief meeting with Charlie will leave you with the memory of his smile and a likeable quality that makes you wish you knew him better - he can sing too! Charlie played several roles in the play and you just knew he was enjoying himself and having read his bio I will now watch out for his appearance in the tampax advert! I'm sure his confidence flows from somewhere other than a sanitary product.

Kieran Brown, we met after the show - he played Elton John and Tony Christie as well as other roles. Kieran has a big one, a bio that is, measured against Charlie anyway - Kieran has worked in productions from Les Miserable to Taggart and he seems to have made a great life for himself. All that work and he doesn't look a day over 19 and I want to put on the record that he is about as far away from camp as you can get - no camp with Kieran, even if he does drink wine before beer.

Here is a young man working hard, getting paid next to nothing but still determined to be the best he could be...and with such plans for his own future.  I wish him every success and I can only suggest you visit his website at www.kieranbrown.com or follow him on twitter (luciferbox). He knows Daniel Boys too - so that raises him another level for me.

There will be many who went to see Laughter in the Rain who came away feeling better and happier for the experience - I certainly did. I was invigorated by the youthfulness and unadulterated joy of the cast and I was left thinking - come on old fella, get your arse in gear and start learning lines!

So, emergency over, a little release of pent up happiness which a miserable old bastard should not have to carry around all day.

Thanks to Dean and Niki, thanks to Kieran, thanks to Charlie, thanks to all the cast and crew of Laughter in the Rain - hope you get to the West End.