Hair Today - Gone Tomorrow on Tour

The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of activity trying to get all the props together for the tour. If you see the show you probably won't notice most of them, you will only remember the laughter.

As any pro magician knows, it's not just the getting them together, it's getting them to work and making sure that everyone on and off the stage knows where each item has to be at the right time.

Then there's the music cues and the lighting cues and then................ you arrive at the venue and some of them haven't got the facilities for a full blown stage show so you have to 'edit' the show on the fly.

The night before the tour started I performed at a Comedy Festival in the East End of London. I found it very interesting because it is not my normal kind of venue or event but it took me back to my roots in the clubs and seemed to operate in the same way.

The van had set off the day before for Morecambe and Debbie and I drove the rabbit limo (my new name for the Prius which now has a cage and run in the back) 240 miles up to do the Platform which is a converted railway station on the Promenade. First night and the sound cues weren't right 'cos our sound man wasn't completely sorted out, but because most of the show is about comedy it was easy to make gags out of the situation.

It was great to have Martin back in the show and even Debbie did a couple of tricks. As it was an open platform two illusions had to go, there wasn't enough room to get them on, but it didn't matter to the audience who were rocking with laughter and having a great night out.

The next morning we had to drive 240 miles back again. That's the life of the entertainer folks. Immediately I was back at work adjusting bits and bobs and on the phone discussing what needed tightening where and so on.

All in all I am happy with the way it's working and I think that this run will be fun.

Whilst that was all going on I decided it was time to let the world know about http://www.facebook.com/magicfancydress and get them to 'Like' the page. It's early days so we are focusing first on the fancy dress side of the business before going on to increase the magic props and routines.

Already there has been a swell of interest so fingers crossed that it will take off and we will get more and more organised in that direction.

As I write it's late and I have to be up at 6 a.m. to load up for a few days away. Tomorrow night we will be doing the show in the lovely Opera House in Buxton.

I can hear the words of the song I'll be singing as I pull away in the morning..."On the road again, me and Debbie on the road again....."

Nigel Kennedy, Ronan Keating and Penn and Teller

What a title, what a time we have had since I last scribbled in here. I cannot believe it is 10 days ago. Debbie and I whizz all over the place and we don't notice the days speeding by.

I will now go into reminiscence mode... not too far back but I do have to check the diary in case I miss something.

The first big news is that The Lovely Debbie McGee, the boat, not the woman, finally came home again. She has been having her bottom fixed so it is a very good job it IS the boat... It was glorious to be able to take her up and down the river again, noting the changes that are continually happening which we never notice if we pass by daily.

We enjoyed our evening at the Henley Festival. If you have never been make a date in your diary for next year and it really doesn't matter who is on the 'floating' stage on your night. There is so much to see with strolling performers, paintings and statues, great food or snack food, and everyone is so elegant. The night we went Nigel Kennedy was performing. I have long admired him and his abilities. He is such a likeable personality but sadly, I'm afraid this concert was SO self-indulgent, playing all the music from the Duke Ellington 'song book'. A lot of it was too similar and the only real variation was in the penultimate piece which turned out to be a 20 minute dirge. Add that to the fact that for a lot of the concert we were watching Nigel's back and so many of us felt that Nigel had forgotten, for this concert, that he was supposed to be entertaining US. Ne'er mind, maybe next time he'll be better. The rest of the night was great and the fireworks amongst the best I have ever seen.

I had to drive up to Gainsborough to do my show at the Gainsborough Trinity Arts Theatre. It's a great venue and, I learned later, I got the same guy on stage that I did last time I was there. He must look friendly!

The next morning I was up very early to grab some stuff out of my store, which I have to have cleared out completely as soon as possible. Already about 50 magicians have been in touch asking to be informed of what I have for sale. I wish I was more efficient at that kind of stuff. That night we loaded Debbie's parents in to the boat and cruised slowly downriver in perfect weather to tie up close to the stage and spent the evening munching our onboard picnic whilst listening to Ronan Keating doing his set. Afterwards we took the boat home in the dark. Perfect.

After a couple of days at home Debbie and I went up to the shop that Paul Jnr runs up in Wigan and commenced the big facelift. It is changing and will include a magic corner where the local magi can sit and natter about secret stuff. Back home that night for us because the next day I had quite a few interviews to do about the upcoming Best of British Variety Show, a tour I am REALLY looking forward to.

That same evening we were guests of Penn and Teller. If, perhaps, you have not liked them on TV, GO AND SEE THEM LIVE. This was our second viewing and this show was slightly different from their Vegas show. It was a delight to be able to watch two professional entertainers performing beautifully constructed routines. This was a great night out.

Today has been a day of making some tricks for Debbie, who has a job in a couple of days time, tidying up the workshop and a bit of gardening. We were going to go to the Traditional Boat Show in Henley, but I'm afraid we just have so much to do, we had to give it a miss this year. Our loss.