BIG DAY ON WEDS...

I've got an audition for a big west-end/no.1 tour musical on Weds. I've not sung in about a year or so, got tomorrow to learn a song and a piece. Keep your fingers crossed for me, I'm very excited!

They'd be lucky to get me in their show, just got to keep reminding myself until I believe it too!!!!!

The Play Is Now Open!

So the play I'm doing is now up and running and I've got a few days off to recover before the next bit of touring! Naturally as this is an anonymous blog I can't tell you when or when but rest assured it's a quality piece.

It's been a great experience so far, bloody hard work but I've met some lovely people. Nobody is too luvvie and, at the moment, any niggles within the group of actors is being handled very diplomatically. I'm pleased because when I signed up to do this play I was dreading the possibility of working with some awful people! I'm really enjoying being back on the stage and doing character work. So much of the jobs I've done have no real development of character, in TV there is never any time to explore or even discuss how to play it. Film does allow more time but hasn't given me the opportunity to shine yet!

However theatre is the place to develop these skills and I'm realising that I've left it far too long. Let's hope that some caster or director will see me in this and recognise my talent and give me another opportunity because I'm loving this experience and I want to do it again soon!

Where is the Talent?

Katie Price and Alex Reid got "blessed" this recently to maximum publicity and an ITV deal worth so much money (plus a free 5 star Thai honeymoon with three camera crews on board - how romantic?)

It got me thinking, just what exactly is the talent of Mrs. Reid? What does she do? She has an empire of business assets, clearly some good advisors, but what exactly is this talent that she sells herself on?

Ask any young girl and she'll name Katie Price as a role model but why? Why was she awarded Mum of the year? Mum of the year to a woman who constantly parades her children in front of the media? REALLY?

So she shoots a good sex photo, that is a talent (but the press will take photos of any semi naked, big breasted woman) and she hasn't done that for a long while. She publishes adult and children's books in her name that she doesn't write! 23 books so far: 17 for children, 3 novels and 3 volumes of her autobiography. YES 3 VOLUMES! She has an equestrian clothing range (in pink), a crying baby doll (probably in pink), 2 perfumes, a new single out (give it up Katie you can't sing!) and, according to one source, has recently signed a multimillion pound deal to front shows on Virgin media.

It seems to me that Mrs Reid has made a living purely on her celebrity. The word celebrity means to be widely honoured and acclaimed, however it seems to me a sad time we live in when we apply this to someone with no talent to talk of except for manipulation? Surely we should celebrate people that save lives, climb mountains, sail single handedly around our globe, sing beautifully, paint inspiration, act in something that changes the world? Surely those kind of people should be our role models? Shouldn't they?

There was a fly in my room last night that repeatedly woke me up with it's constant need for attention. I'm thinking of calling it Katie Price!

The Producers Of No Imagination Award Goes To...

...Calendar Girls!


I'm in the car with Joan going to rehearsals having our usual morning moan about the industry when she tells me that WEATHERGIRL Sian Lloyd is to play Celia in Calendar Girls....  Good job she was driving as I think I would've crashed the car! How does a weathergirl get cast as an actress? What is wrong with these producers? Can they not find a proper actress or do they just don't care anymore? Anyone will do?

As you can tell I'm a little riled up! I found the interview online (see link) where the undeniably lovely Sian was quoted  as saying: "I'm sure I will be nervous, but sometimes in life you have to push yourself." Which is all very well Sian but if I were you I'd be more worried about how you are going to make it through a 2 hour play than taking your kit off. Stripping is easy, untrained acting is not. Now i'm not denying that presenting the weather is a difficult task, but it's hardly preparation for a full length play is it?


The original west end cast for Calendar Girls was a great cast full of classy British actresses. So Mr Producer just how do you get from Patricia Hodge to Charlie Dimmock? As it seems that England has run out of decent actresses (it must have done if we're converting presenters and general "names") I thought I'd add some suggestions to the producers of my own (I expect some have already been approached), Outsiders feel free to add your own:

1. Charlie Dimmock (already booked?...moving on)
2. Tessa Sanderson
3. Natasha Kaplinski
4. Jennie Bond
5. Edwina Curry
6. Gabby Logan
7. Paula Radcliffe
8. Christine Hamilton

Mind you the online cast list for Calendar Girls already reads like a guest list for the daytime, utter tripe that is Loose Women - so don't get me started on that! I mean really, Jennifer Ellison????? In the W.I.?????? REALLY??????? Give me a break!