Category Archives: Blogs
BUGSY AND KRISTOFER.
Two things happened last week that at first didn’t seem in any way connected – [...]
Aug
THIS IS NOT PERSONAL SONNY, IT’S STRICTLY BUSINESS
The other day I was watching a documentary about Arthur Miller, the American playwright. For [...]
Jul
A BEGINNING IS A BEGINNING WHEN IT’S NOT THE END.
Probably the question I’m asked the most is – “How do I become a writer?” [...]
Jul
NO VIRUS, NO PINA COLADA, NO PROBLEM.
Round about now, forty-five years ago, I was starting a summer season of plays at [...]
Jun
TAKE THE PLUNGE AND HOPE IT’S NOT THE SHALLOW END
I reckon the biggest question on everybody’s mind at the moment is – “What happens [...]
Jun
TANKED UP HIGH
Last week’s VE day celebrations didn’t quite go to plan in our house. The only [...]
May
PROG JUNCTION
This week I watched the 1968 film Up The Junction. The original book on which [...]
May
MAKE-BELIEVE MEETS CHUTZPAH
A few days ago we were meant to be disembarking from a cruise that would [...]
Apr
SNIDE AND PREJUDICE
I started this blog, mainly because the company that handle our PR, Puzzle Communications, thought [...]
Apr
APRICOTS AND APPLES ARE NOT THE ONLY FRUIT
Imagine what it would have been like if this virus had hit 60 or 70 [...]
Apr
ADAM ADAMANT WILL LIVE!
In my last blog I started off by mentioning the situation we find ourselves in [...]
Mar
THE SHOW MUST GO ON
At the moment it’s like we’re all in a bad sci-fi movie with no hero [...]
Mar
CONSPIRACY IS A WORD I SELDOM USE
I do have jokes about viruses, but I’m not going to tell you any, ‘cos [...]
Mar
LOST IN PRODUCTION
This week is the Fisheye Film Festival. Most of you won’t have heard of it [...]
Mar
ONE DAY THE REPS WILL RISE UP AGAIN
I was trying to figure out the other day, about the changing world of theatre [...]
Feb
BLOODBATH REBORN (THE POSTSCRIPT)
Okay – this is not earth-shattering news and it’s certainly not new news, but it [...]
Feb
BLOODBATH REBORN – PART III
If you’ve ever thought of getting involved in producing, then please come and see me. [...]
Feb
BLOODBATH REBORN – PART II
Producing a theatrical production is totally different to producing a film or a TV show, [...]
Feb
BLOODBATH REBORN
In 2009 we did a production in Edinburgh of Bloodbath The Musical. Now eleven years [...]
Jan
ANGRY ARCHITECTURE
Last week I went back to Yorkshire. It was the funeral of Barbara Bird, the [...]
Jan
AT THE ALTAR OF NEW BELIEF
It seems fewer and fewer people are making New Year resolutions. All that business about [...]
Jan
PANTO TO JAMES BOND
Christmas used to be the time of year which, workwise, meant one thing – panto. [...]
Dec
IF MUSIC BE THE … (COMPLETE THE SENTENCE)
“Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, [...]
Dec
BLUEPRINTS ARE FOR CIVIL SERVANTS
I’ve had some terrific reviews for my novel Beck Le Street, which I’m both grateful [...]
Dec
SUCKING THE LIFE OUT OF LIFE
I know I’m going to incur the wrath of many people with this blog. But [...]
Dec
THE STORY IS GOD
It’s amazing, I can’t think of a time that I cared less about politics, except [...]
Nov
F****** ENJOY IT!
I loved listening to Ian McKellen the other day on Good Morning Britain. Deciding which [...]
Nov
IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE
Christmas is certainly on its way. The TV ads are flooding onto our screens, the [...]
Nov
FRONT STALLS IN THE CINEMA
Recently I watched a programme on Sky Arts called Discovering Gregory Peck. It’s part of [...]
Nov
NEVER RECYCLE
I’m about a third of the way through a treatment. There’s no doubt about it, [...]
Nov
Opening Salvo
Okay – this my first ever blog. Why should I suddenly start writing a blog [...]
Oct
The Decline of the British Soap Opera
Anybody watching The Loudest Voice on Sky Atlantic with Russell Crow? It’s about the rise [...]
Oct
No Need to Kill to Thrill
Equity – the actors union, demanded last week that bias against working class actors be [...]
Oct