Billy.... Briliant!

I love Musical Theatre, and I like to think I can be considered as quite knowledgeable on the subject too. I love the glitz and glamour of a rip roaring musical romp! On a recent evening in Ol' London town I decided to move from the West End glitz and see my friend, Adam Colbeck-Dunn, in a fringe production of the musical 'Billy'.

The show was on at the Union Theatre, which is basically a theatre space built between two buildings. It's a beautifully intimate venue (only seats about 50) and perfect for these smaller musicals. Having seen this musical a few times before I was looking forward to seeing how on earth it would work in such a tiny space, and with such a small orchestra. I was absolutely blown away by how good this show was. The cast were spot on, the direction and the choreography were wonderful and I loved how the MD had re-orchestrated it for a smaller venue and orchestra size.

I often get that feeling of inspiration from different theatre events and I certainly got it from 'Billy'. The business model of a small scale production, with minimalistic sets that the Union Theatre's production had in place has really encouraged me to see if I can develop similar projects in Calderdale.

I can not recommend this production highly enough, the cast are brilliant, the direction is so clever and the 40 year old score sounds as fresh as the day it was written.... and my mate Adam was pretty awesome in it too. Please, please, please book your tickets now and go see this wonderful production before it closes at the end of June. www.billythemusical.co.uk

ORIGINALLY POSTED ON 3rd JUNE 2013

Auditions, Castings and How To Totally Mess Them Up

As a 'jobbing actor' you spend your life trying to prove yourself. From audition to audition your ultimate focus has to be proving to the casting director that you are the right person for the role. I spend many an afternoon sat in the waiting room of an casting surrounded by many other actors, all of whom have the same 'look' as me and who're all after securing this particular contract and adding a further credit to their CV. 90% of the auditions end in rejection, so thick skin is a priority. I suppose that I take it for granted that I don't get upset or take it personally when the castings don't necessarily go in my favour. But then again if anyone can mess up an audition, then it'll be me!

I was invited to audition for a commercial where I would be playing the role of 'Dad', type casting? We were paired up with potential 'Son's' and had to improvise a game of football. I had to throw the football to the young actor who then had to 'header' it back for me to catch. Simple? Perhaps for someone else, but being totally sport/football remedial only I could totally 'balls' this up. I threw the football to the 'son' who headed it back brilliantly, amazing, all I had to do was catch the ball, how hard could that be? I reached out my hands to catch the ball but for some reason I fumbled the catch sending the leather football bounding across the room onto the table of the London based casting director. The ball shook the table, knocking over her glass of water onto literally hundreds of CV's and all over her. Funnily enough i didn't get the part?

Then there are those castings where you are convinced that you have the part. The role was an ongoing advert campaign, the fee was HUGE and I nailed the audition. I was funny when I had to be, I was charming and polite and I knew that the room loved me. The casting was on a Friday, leaving Saturday and Sunday before I would have heard anything. I was so convinced I'd nailed it that in my head I was spending the massive fee, planning house renovations  holidays with the kids and much more. Monday came.... and the phone didn't ring. It didn't even ring on Tuesday. On Wednesday I rang my management to see if they'd heard anything. That was a few months ago now and as far as I'm aware they still haven't heard anything? I'm not giving up hope just yet..... well, maybe if I've not heard anything by Christmas?

On a more inspiring note I was invited to actually take the other side of the casting panel recently. Halifax Amateurs were casting their latest production; 'Our House', and I was invited to help cast it. I went prepared for the stereotypical AmDram audition process, middle aged women who still think they can play the 18 year old debutante, the member who has always played a part and thinks as they've been a member for 40 years that they deserve there shot at the leading role. HOW WRONG WAS I? I can honestly say that I was blown away by the talent and professionalism of every single auditionee. Every one who auditioned could have easily and very convincingly played the role they fancied casting for. I was reminded of seeing the words 'The level was a very high standard' on rejection letters from my AmDram days, and I suppose, being the cynic that I am, I thought, 'yeah whatever', but this really was the truth. It was a masterclass in audition preparation and as a 'professional audition-er' it really made me reassess my approach to the whole situation. I can not wait to see how the people we cast that day develop from the audition to the opening night.

Goodbye to Showbiz Legends... And Friends.

POSTED ON OLD BLOG 3rd JUNE 2013

PAUL SHANE
1940 - 2013

I suppose you know you've made it when the you can't walk down the street without a knowing smile from a stranger, a catchphrase called out and people asking for a picture with you, or even an autograph. The world knew him as Ted Bovis (from Hi De Hi), Alf Stokes (from You Rang M'Lord) or even Jack Skinner (from Oh, Doctor Beeching) but ask anyone in our showbizzy world and they'll all say they knew him as 'Shaney'.

On 16th May we lost one of the most familiar sitcom stars on British Television and our world of showbiz lost a real friend. Paul Shane started his career in the land of Working Men's Clubs, first as a singer, then as a comedian. He eventually moved into television playing small cameos on programmes like 'Coronation Street' and 'Emmerdale' It wasn't until 1980 when he was cast in Croft and Perry's 'Hi De Hi' that he became a household name.
I first met 'Shaney' at a Charity concert in 2008, and once I got over that awkward... 'I loved you in Hi De Hi' moment we started chatting and talking about our career paths, noting that my career was the identical copy of his, only 40 years later. Unfortunately due to filming commitments I was unable to attend Paul's funeral but, quite rightly, we all shared a moment on set at ITV just chatting about Paul and the mark he made on television.

GRAHAM GRUMBLEWEED
1940 - 2013

For the past 50 years the world of comedy has been dominated by such stars as Ken Dodd, Bob Monkhouse, Frank Carson, Cannon and Ball to name just a few, but yesterday the world lost one of the funniest men I ever knew and one of the stalwarts of British comedy for the past 50 years; Graham 'Grumbleweed' Walker.

Graham was one of the founding members of 'The Grumbleweeds' who rose to stardom in the 1980's with there TV and Radio shows. I was so fortunate to have appeared onstage many times with Graham and Robin, in Summer Seasons, one nighters etc... and most recently in a show I produced for Overgate Hospice. There is no greater pleasure than watching a master at work and Graham really was a master of his art. I learnt so much just sat in the wings watching him and Robin tearing the audience apart. Some comedians are joke tellers but Graham was just a FUNNY, FUNNY bloke, you can't rehearse that.

The photo above was coincidently taken by our friend Paul Shane, who passed away the previous week. Graham and Paul passing, Norman Collier, Bill Pertwee. It seems that in the last few weeks Heaven just got a lot funnier!

Creating Art and Opportunities In Calderdale

POSTED ON OLD BLOG 3rd JUNE 2013


I'm one of those annoyingly lucky people that occasionally seems to find himself presented with new and exciting projects in my home town of Halifax. One such project was directed my way this week, so i thought i'd spend a few minutes blogging about it.

Calderdale is a hugely talented area of West Yorkshire, we have numerous amateur theatre groups, a few professional theatre companies, tons of dancing schools and a real passion and support for the arts. We also have some amazing venues to perform in; The Victoria Theatre, Square Chapel, Halifax Playhouse, but what the people of Halifax need is somewhere not as big as these venues, cheaper than these venues; a dedicated performance space to develop new theatre projects and workshop new ideas. Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome onstage.... Bedlam Arts.

I was thrilled to be invited to Bedlam Arts, a great space situated right in the centre of Halifax.  Here I met with Lee and Dan, the creative directors of the project. I was really impressed at what they had already achieved and blown away by the visually stunning space that they have. Although still in early development stages it seems like a really exciting and interesting place where arts and creativity can be developed and nurtured and I really look forward to working with Bedlam to hopefully inspire young Calderdale performers to take that step forward and make a career in the arts.

For more information please visit: http://ldb570.wix.com/bedlam-arts

If You Can Talk You Can Sing!

POSTED IN OLD BLOG ON 20th MAY 2013

Wow. Its not very often that you can be totally in awe of a group of people for there love and passion of singing but today was one of those moments.

I was at a place called Kala Sangnam, a fabulous arts centre in Bradford which has been set up and run by the asian community of the town. The whole building is alive with colour, beautiful murals and the sound of a very special group of people. I had been invited to meet with a wonderful choir who call themselves 'Sing From The Heart'. The group is a 'Glee' style singing group made up of adults with learning and physical disabilities who all share a passion for singing and performing.

Along with the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress of Bradford we were treated to hits from Adele, Brian Adams, Boyzone and I even got the opportunity to perform a duet of 'Edelweiss'.

These singers struggle to converse and express emotions in everyday life but here they not only listened to the music, kept in time with the track and sang for us but they turned that singing into a proper performance and it was evident from the size of the smiles on their faces that this was pure fun.

The group have one motto and that is 'If you can talk, then you can sing' and they certainly can do that. Thank you to Maralyn for the invite and whatever I can do to help and push this brilliant idea I'll do.

Which ultimately brings me to beg, borrow or steal from anyone reading this. The group is only in its infancy so can still not get a charity status but they have been very kindly allowed use of the room at Kala Sangnam from Disability Services and also been lent a PA system from Pro Audio, however a lot of time is wasted in each session loading CD's, CD's not reading, CD's jumping. I want to see them 'going digital' so I'm making an appeal on their behalf. If anyone has an old laptop/netbook they would kindly donate to the group I will upload the many thousands of tracks I have and all relevant performance software so that they can perform new songs much quicker and easier.

For more info please pop along to their facebook page at - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sing-from-the-Heart/485766128136832?fref=ts

Made Up North - The Life of a Northern Actor - or the Diary of a Showbiz Dad?

POSTED ON OLD BLOG 20th MAY 2013

Made Up North - The Life of a Northern Actor - or the Diary of a Showbiz Dad? Well I suppose that kind of sums this whole thing up? So, in the words of Jean Valjean... 'who am I?' Neil, aged 32 (almost), northern, balding, overweight (bordering obese), career currently 'resting', love machine? (maybe not!) but above all Husband and Father.

My wife is awesome, you may think your wife is the most awesome wife in the world... but you're wrong, mine is! I met Emily in 2005. I was booked to appear in a tacky seaside summer show, hardly the glitz and the glamour I expected when entering the crazy world of showbiz but hey a gigs a gig. Sorry I digress, you'll get used to that. Emily was working there as an usherette and our eyes met over a 90% empty auditorium. She rolled her eyes at me, so I picked them up and rolled them back. Before Emily came along my life was devoted to making a name for myself in musical theatre, variety, television. I lived to work. But when I met Emily I realised that in actual fact I didn't want to live to work, I wanted to work to live and I wanted to spend that time living with her. Katie was born in 2008 followed by Aimee in 2011, with a wedding wedged in between the two visits to the maternity unit.

So there I was, gorgeous wife, two beautiful daughters.... and then it dawned on me. "You need to provide for these women now Neil, the messing around at the career has to stop, you have to start making some money" My career in recent years worked in such a manner. Pantomime - Cabaret - Easter Tour - Cabaret - Summer Season - Cabaret - Pantomime. No problems, thats the way it's always been, what could possibly change? Little was I expecting the whole bottom to fall out of the world of live entertainment.

I was used to easily getting £250 a night on the cabaret circuit and could always guarantee a summer season at one resort or another, but then suddenly I was lucky to bring in £150 a night for cabaret 'the clubs don't have the money anymore', X Factor wannabe's prepared to gig for less and less without any idea of professionalism. The resorts were no longer bringing in the crowds like previous years, people were daytrippers, leaving before the shows started. People who were staying at the resorts had hotel provided entertainment so why would they come to the theatre to watch a show when they have one for free in the hotel. The showbusiness that I carved my career in was very quickly disappearing.

In summer 2012 Emily was offered a job in Bradford, closer to where we both grew up, so up we got and back over to West Yorkshire we headed. Kirkhamgate to be precise, just between Leeds and Wakefield. No summer seasons here, less and less club and hotel cabaret work.... now what?? Well thats what's going to be documented here in, so if you're mildy interested about the life of a jobbing actor, strangely curious about the scrounging a living in the arts or just nosey about what a panto comic does for the other 11 months of the year then this is a blog you might want to follow.