Sunday 11 December 2011

The Random Blog

It's been a month. I can't believe it but it's been a month since I was sitting here writing bits and bobs.

Excuses? None. Reasons? Well.... I have been busy and I do mean busy. I thought that as the season of shows came to an end, and I mean the Autumn tour, life would ease off and I could relax.

What happened? My world got busier. Father Christmas needed some tricks for his shows around London, Aladdin needed a couple of flying carpets, and then I found out that crews and actors don't 'nurse' magic props like we magicians do so repairs had to be done as well.

In the midst I managed to find time to nip over to Dublin with Debbie to talk to the Irish Society of Magicians and then do a mini show for them. Why is it that every time we go to Dublin we have SUCH a good time. This time we became tourists and went on one of those open topped buses on a freezing cold morning. You are supposed to hop on and hop off on the tour but the driver was so funny we never got off.... 'Coming up on the right is a memorial to the famous Molly Malone who has a reputation for being naughty but not many people realise she was celibate. Yes indeed... she used to 'sell a bit' on that corner and 'sell a bit' on that street over there.....' 'We are now approaching the Irish Disneyland.... sometimes called the Parliament...'

That same evening we went to see the pantomime at the Gaiety Theatre. You don't often get to see Robinson Crusoe as a panto but the cast made it fly along. I don't think I have ever seen a panto with such energy and speed. Frank Kelly, the great Irish actor best known over here for playing the drunk priest in Father Ted, and who played the Dame in the Gaiety for 7 years, was sitting a couple of rows behind us.... 'Well now Paul, you wouldn't want to be over 25 years old and be in this panto would ya?'

We had to fly back the next morning :( because I had to get to the Indigo Theatre which is in the O2. The O2, erected in the worst place in the world to get to easily, came as a bit surprise to me because on the outside it looks so scruffy and more like a building site than an entertainment venue. Inside it's a different story and it was a pleasure to spend time on and off stage with Penn and Teller. I interviewed them, the audience threw questions at them, and they performed some of their classic routines. Tomorrow night we are taking Teller to see his first pantomime. Quite what he will think of it is anyone's guess.

Life is slowly settling down it would seem but I am spending time in the workshop putting ideas into reality for the Spring Tour and doing private shows in the evenings. Those venues vary widely and you never know what the performance conditions are going to be.

Wish me luck.................. and thank for being patient!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm worn out just reading that!!! So busy!

Pete Biro said...

You are having too much fun for an old geezer... need you to come to Hollywood so you can rest... hahah...

RG9 said...

And about time too: I really did think that this time you had given up on us blog readers.

Anyway, well worth the wait with an entertaining read as ever and with no sign of you ever slowing down, not even a little bit.

Just in case you don't blog again before it, Happy Christmas to you both!

A Magic Life said...

Ah... I see my readers have been too kind to me ..... again!

RG9 said...

There I was in my car this evening listening to PM on Radio 4 when they announced a piece on well known folk who haven't died but Twitterati claim they have.

Having just arrived at my destination, I had actually got out of the car when I had a sudden premonition.

So I got back in, turned the radio on again and, yes, just as I had forethought, there was one, Paul Daniels Esq, confirming that he was, ideed, alive and well and wishing us all a very Happy Christmas!

Happy Christmas, Mr & Mrs D!

RG9 said...

Idling trawling t'internet, I see The Lovely Debbie McGee is up for sale again at a boatyard at Potter Heigham on The Broads [and at a VERY reasonable £10,995!].

After taking a leaf out of your book and being much more realistic with my pricing, I sold my own boat shortly after you flogged TLDM and my boat too has been put up for sale at the end of the season!