Beacon Season

February 25
First of all thank you so much to all of who have logged on during the past month and if it’s your first visit welcome. February started sadly with Henry McGee’s funeral. A very moving and loving event with many friends present. We hope he rests in peace and may that beautiful smile live on in our memories. I had the privilege of working with him quite recently in a tour of The Ghost Train, where he gave a fabulous performance, playing the old station master, Saul. Always on the edge of laughing when he shouldn’t, he managed to bring joy to everyone he worked with.

I am just returned from a Dr Who Convention in Los Angeles (I’ll post a photo as soon as I can work out the technology) where I had a truly fabulous time. It was extremely well run and the icing on the cake was a massive $6,000 raised towards the Dyslexia Bursary fund (see Links page). The generosity and spirit of the whole week-end was breath-taking. I then took a few extra days to see some old and dear friends, visit the Getti museum, sunbathe, watch the posers on Venice beach and eat far, far too much.

I have returned to a MOUNTAIN of mail and emails and shall spend the next week sorting through everything, losing those excess pounds at the gym and promoting the first of my season of productions which starts with Sex with Pete Searles (one night only) at The Beacon, Tunbridge Wells on March 3rd 8.00 till late. 01892 524252 is the box office for those of you who may be local and for those of you who are not, they do run a B&B, highly recommended.

adult café theatre
at The Beacon 8.00pm til late
Tea Garden Lane, Rusthall
01892 524252

PETE SEARLES - Friday 3rd March
Sex with Pete Searles
Part stand-up, part storytelling and part fantastic physical comedy. This is an hilarious journey through Pete’s entire sex life to date. From fearing he was pregnant at boarding school to tantric sex, he takes us on a candid, vulnerable, poignant and fascinating story about the making of love.

AMANDA SYMONDS - Friday 7th April
Amanda has traveled all over the world with shows as diverse as The Men I Have Had (an autobiographical piece) to Five Go to Illyria (Shakespeare a la Gyles Brandreth). In the last 12 months her smoky tones have been heard in Edinburgh, the States and most recently the West End. We are so lucky to have her, but for one night only, so book now for the amazing Amanda as she sings for her supper at The Beacon.

Charity Night for V day - Friday 5th May
LOUISE JAMESON (with Helen Goldwyn and Jan Chappell)
Vagina Monologues
This is exactly what it says. Eve Ensler has written moving, funny, informative, vulnerable, witty and intelligent monologues about the vagina. She’s gone where no feminist has dared to go before and the result is the funniest and most poignant of contemporary writing. Award-winning and post-West End this really is an evening not to be missed. Ladies it makes you proud to be a woman. Gents you may discover a thing or two.

Louise is probably best known as Rosa di Marco in EastEnders, but has done much classical work (both with the RSC and National Theatres). The series Tenko remains her firm favourite, although Bergerac too had it’s moments. She is local and has teamed up with John and Di to make this exciting and slightly risque season of plays possible.

HELEN GOLDWYN - Friday 2nd June
When Lights are Low
Pop open the champagne, roll out the sheepskin rug and join Helen Goldwyn for an evening of songs celebrating love, lust and downright lasciviousness! The evening will sensuously slide through classics of the 1940s, steamy jazz and some red hot favourites from musical theatre. Helen will introduce you to some wild and wonderful characters, all on the lookout for turning down the lights.

Miss Goldwyn has sung and acted her way all over the globe and also performs regularly with The Piccadilly Dance Orchestra (hosted by Sheridan Morley) at The Savoy Hotel and The Queen Elizabeth Hall to name but two. Do join us on the 2nd June and watch this Diva in the making!

CAROLINE BERNSTEIN - Friday 7th July
A Bit of The Other
Comedian and impressionist Caroline Bernstein has been successfully donning wigs and teeth for over 20 years, recently appearing as Cherie Blair in the Panorama documentary Blair V Blair. She was one of the main actresses in LWT’s Beadles About and part of the regular impression team on Who Do You Do. Caroline’s inspiration for her new show A Bit of The Other started last year, when she realized that she had accumulated 16 wigs and 4 sets of teeth! The ‘celebrity’ look-alike industry was in demand and it was time to take her one-woman show out on the road.

DAVID WARWICK with SIMON JAMES - Friday 4th August
Behaving Badly
David’s life and times in the theatre. Not the posh affair you may imagine, but a wry look at what it’s really like to tour, the terror of a first night, how you cope with those ‘what am I supposed to say next?’ moments. He will name names and make himself blush. An evening interspersed with beautiful singing accompanied by the brilliant Simon James. Simon is the leader and co-founder of Kymaera, the seminal jazz-rock band. As a solo artist he is an outstanding exponent of Spanish classical acoustic guitar. David’s credits include just about every sit com going (Only Fools and Horse, Reginald Perrin), he’s been in Dr. Who (the classic and the new series), and had a eclectic career both in New Zealand and here, most recently concentrating on directing and performing farce. He does indeed have stories to tell.

February 28th
I have just returned from an absolutely fantastic evening at Battersea Arts Centre. Something Dark written and performed by Lemn Sissay. I believe it tours so if any of you want a moving, funny, profound, exciting, interesting, witty, intelligent, insightful evening book this NOW.

Sunday next we launch into recording the last of the Gallifrey series with Big Finish, always a lovely job. I am sworn to secrecy about the plot lines but there are some real shocks and surprises in store, so watch this space. I’ll be back in about a month xxx

Happy Valentine's

Hallo everyone, my first attempt at "blogging". Just in time for Valentine's Day. (aaaaah). It would have been a January posting but due to Broadband problems, leaving me with complete and utter computer rage, it has not been possible. I'm sure most of you have been there at some point but this is my first real experience of such problems in the 13 years that I have owned a computer and it has struck at exactly the time when I am most dependant on the infernal machine.

Firstly my brand new website is now up and running as you have so flatteringly discovered. Kosha Engler has designed it, very reasonably and has been extremely patient and helpful despite my total ignorance and inability to grasp the simplest things concerning modern technology.

Secondly I am now a fully fledged producer as well as actress/writer/director and am starting with six one person shows which will be showing at The Beacon starting on March 3rd with the fabulous Pete Searles. Then there will be a performance on the first Friday in every month through to August. This needs the internet! Copious emailing, proof reading of publicity, keeping tabs on everyone blah blah blah!

Thirdly, and most importantly, my one-woman show Hot Flush is now ready to roll. Written by the wonderful Helen Goldwyn, another patient soul who has printed off and posted every re-write when it would have been so much easier just to press a key on her computer. Still the end result is fantastic, she is such a gifted writer and I am really looking forward to the start of rehearsals (end of April) for the first showing at the Tristan Bates Theatre (at The Actors Centre) on May 30th and 31st 2006, for two nights only, so if you want to book a seat the number is 0207 240 3940.

Hot Flush
An ageing Bridget Jones meets Women Behaving Badly. The diaryof a menopausal Diva. We follow Jo through 70 minutes of her life whilst she chats to us about the events that have brought her to this critical time of change. Does she assign herself to the scrap heap, go for the "nip-n-tuck" approach or venture out with the gorgeous young man who is flattering her with his attentions? Does she confront the builder, the ex lover or her nemesis, the stunning Loretta,or does she reach for the chocolate and the remote control? Women of a certain age will love this intimate show, and so will their children and husbands. No-one escapes the brilliant observational writing of Helen Goldwyn, or the acerbic, witty delivery of Louise Jameson. A "must see" evening. Enjoy!

I have just slipped in a performance at Leatherhead with Colin Baker of Love Letters on Sunday January 29th, and despite a small audience I think we gave it our best shot yet. They loved it and were extremely complimentary afterwards. Next show will be Middlesborough March 26th, watch this space. Two days ago I finished an episode of Doctors, viewing May 11th I believe and on return from a Dr. Who Convention in Los Angeles I shall be recording another in the Big Finish Gallifrey series. Add to that the fact that we are setting up a fund-raiser for the Ron Davis approach to dyslexia for February 12th (www.dyslexia-kent.co.uk) and going to LA for a Dr Who convention, it's all a bit hectic! But there will be stories to tell I am sure.
I will try and update around the middle of each month. In the meantime I hope your 2006 has leapt into action and is giving you everything you need and most of what you want. Thanks for checking in, and I look forward to the next one.