The empty stage, there- Peter Brook would be proud.
I don't know- I've been performing now for eighteen-odd years, and I still find the theatre so much more interesting when there's no audience in it.
29.5.07
Theatre Pics.
Here we go then, some pics. Nothing of any real worth, sorry, but I do love the atmosphere of a working theatre- I've always been about process rather than product, and I hope these give a flavour of that process. Click 'em for full-size, as always.
The empty stage, there- Peter Brook would be proud.
I don't know- I've been performing now for eighteen-odd years, and I still find the theatre so much more interesting when there's no audience in it.
The empty stage, there- Peter Brook would be proud.
I don't know- I've been performing now for eighteen-odd years, and I still find the theatre so much more interesting when there's no audience in it.
It's All Coming True.
Presenting The Big Donor Show, a reality-television special airing this Friday night in Holland where a cancer victim will choose which of three kidney-disease sufferers will inherit her kidneys after her inevitable death. The selection process will involve video diaries from the three hopefuls, conversations with their friends and families and, best of all, "viewers will vote by text to urge her who to choose after the videos... have been broadcast" (article here).A decade ago, this sort of thing was what alternative comedy was made of- We've all seen The Day Today, one can imagine this win-a-kidney gameshow being hosted by Chris Morris in his meth-head Paxman guise, but it's totally real, and produced by (who else?) Endemol, Big Brother fans.
Keep in mind that every "TWAT #2 2 WIN LOL VIKI IN DRBY XXX" text that scrolls across the bottom of the screen during the new series is helping to fund television in which death and disease are boiled and sifted to make a televisual gruel on which CUNTS GROW FATTER AND MORE STUPID, and in which you're not texting to evict some dead-eyed no-mark, but to save an actual disease-ravaged human life.
Whatever next, eh? Anyone for Monkey Tennis?
28.5.07
The Best Day of My Life.
It seems like it takes a lot to get me blogging these days- there are loads of photos from the show I need to put up, as well as lots of news from work and such. I've got tickets to a talk by Armando Iannucci next weekend at the Hay Festival, which I'm ecstatic about, but really I'm here to talk about today.The best day of my life.
I could give you the full preamble, but the bottom line is that I JUST SAW AND SPOKE TO CJ DE MOOI OFF "EGGHEADS" WHILE WALKING THROUGH ABERGAVENNY.
18.5.07
17.5.07
AWESOME RECORD ALERT.
Enter Shikari are currently providing the soundtrack to my life. "Take to the Skies" is the finest album I've heard in a long, long time, even beating the brilliant new release from NIN in the "play it through then start it again" stakes. High-energy synth behind roaring yet melodic and lyrical metal. This band sound like they're channeling Faith No More at their finest- yup, they're that fucking good.
16.5.07
What a Cool Week.
I'm having a good one, I really am. Yes, this isn't the most scintillating website at the mo, but y'know. Fuck off.
14.5.07
Opening Night Tomorrow...
... and that's all I really want to say about that. Terrified, adrenalised, all that madness.
25.4.07
The Internet Reckons I Look Like Spider-Man.
Go on, have a crack at the myheritage.com facial recognition profiler.
It's great for listing celebs who look fuck-all like you.
It's great for listing celebs who look fuck-all like you.
23.4.07
When Graphic Design Attacks!
The poster for All 4 One, then:
(click for full-size)
So bad that the first time I saw it my eyes literally bled*.
*not literally.
(click for full-size)
So bad that the first time I saw it my eyes literally bled*.
*not literally.
18.4.07
Richard McBeef
I'm sure that this is the ten thousandth blog to mention this today, but being a Drama teacher I couldn't not. The good ol' Smoking Gun has unearthed and published the manuscript of a one-act play by Cho Seung-Hui, the face of evil* and the loner* responsible for Mondays atrocity at Virginia Tech campus.
The play is called Richard McBeef, and it has become my dream to bring it to the stage- I think it's exactly what the Gwent am-dram scene is crying out for.
*copyright ITN news.
The play is called Richard McBeef, and it has become my dream to bring it to the stage- I think it's exactly what the Gwent am-dram scene is crying out for.
*copyright ITN news.
17.4.07
There Are No Answers...
... and the sooner you stop looking for them, the sooner you can understand and appreciate the world on it's own terms. I believe that there was a time when there were answers, but back then we didn't know that we'd ever need to ask such difficult questions, so we let things slide. I love to dream of alternate realities splintering from our own, worlds where there is a point and a purpose and the difficult questions didn't have to be asked because way back when it counted, someone somewhere did the right fucking thing. If that other place exists, then it's a comfort to me- but that place is not this place. In this place we've gone too far, and there's simply no way back.
Okay! Hi all! Things are very fucking hectic here indeed- so, right? Last week, with just five weeks to go until curtain up, our lead fucking actor walked out. Upshot? I have to start from scratch learning the lead role for a show which starts now in just under four weeks time. Another actor whom none of the cast has ever even fucking met also has to step in to learn and perform my old role. This is sham-dram at it's finest, folks.
My work situation is worrying me a little, too- there's an interesting offer on the table from the LEA regarding work as a home tutor, but I just don't know where to hedge my bets for the long-term prospects. Gah.
Let's see, the bright side, the bright side... a new series of Peep Show, Xbox Live, Year Zero, a night with Gavo, wedding plans coming together, discovering how easy it is to give up smoking, the interwebs... see, on the small-scale it's a pretty beautiful life, but when the camera pulls back to show the bigger picture then it turns into fucking Babylon. Just spend fifteen minutes at foxnews.com, you'll see what I'm saying.
Oh and by the fucking way, regarding the worst shooting in American history which occurred yesterday- if you really want to bring the loss home to yourself, don't bother with the newspapers and television reports. Look up each victim's myspace and read the tributes being written by friends and loved ones. That's Tragedywang. And Marilyn Manson has a new album coming up- eh? EH? Coincidence?*
*No, it isn't. BLAME MANSON.
Okay! Hi all! Things are very fucking hectic here indeed- so, right? Last week, with just five weeks to go until curtain up, our lead fucking actor walked out. Upshot? I have to start from scratch learning the lead role for a show which starts now in just under four weeks time. Another actor whom none of the cast has ever even fucking met also has to step in to learn and perform my old role. This is sham-dram at it's finest, folks.
My work situation is worrying me a little, too- there's an interesting offer on the table from the LEA regarding work as a home tutor, but I just don't know where to hedge my bets for the long-term prospects. Gah.
Let's see, the bright side, the bright side... a new series of Peep Show, Xbox Live, Year Zero, a night with Gavo, wedding plans coming together, discovering how easy it is to give up smoking, the interwebs... see, on the small-scale it's a pretty beautiful life, but when the camera pulls back to show the bigger picture then it turns into fucking Babylon. Just spend fifteen minutes at foxnews.com, you'll see what I'm saying.
Oh and by the fucking way, regarding the worst shooting in American history which occurred yesterday- if you really want to bring the loss home to yourself, don't bother with the newspapers and television reports. Look up each victim's myspace and read the tributes being written by friends and loved ones. That's Tragedywang. And Marilyn Manson has a new album coming up- eh? EH? Coincidence?*
*No, it isn't. BLAME MANSON.
26.3.07
"... Then I Shall Blog in the Shade".
First and foremost a big "welcome" to my new niece Chloe, and gigantic congratulations to her Mam and Dad, my brother Alan and his wife Lyndsey. I've always sort of thought that all babies look the same regardless of gender, but I'm taken aback by just how lovely she is- all perfect-looking and little and wrinkly and confused by everything.
Excellent work.
School continues to be constant and fulfilling, wedding plans are continuing apace and the only thing that's really worrying me at the mo is the ever-creeping-closer opening date of All 4 One. The local paper is plugging it (click) and tickets have started selling... but it feels like we're really badly behind schedule. There's nothing worse than an underprepared performance, it's like eating half-cooked food or reading an unfinished book, it just disappoints and makes everyone involved look like a dick. There is still a month and a half to go though, so I won't shit it just yet.
Let's see... was able to have a typically messed-up night with Rob J and Kara last weekend- Big thanks to the former for the Gwar souvenirs (sorry I missed it, dude) and to the both of them for the stunning drinking-game bruise.
That's it for now- very much looking forward to 300 and TMNT this week.
To finish off, let's have a SophieFact-
Ooh!
Before I go, regarding the Cash Money E-Mail Experiment- No responses yet, although I'm still plugging away. I've gotten through quite a bit of marked cash by now, but it's all been in my home town or thereabouts. I've got a plan in mind to widen the distribution area a little, more in the next update. My legal advisors (i.e Laura) are advising me against continuing, what with the technical illegality of marking banknotes, but I really can't see the web police or interpol launching a sting operation on me, particularly not with Pete Townshend still at large.
Mark.
Excellent work.
School continues to be constant and fulfilling, wedding plans are continuing apace and the only thing that's really worrying me at the mo is the ever-creeping-closer opening date of All 4 One. The local paper is plugging it (click) and tickets have started selling... but it feels like we're really badly behind schedule. There's nothing worse than an underprepared performance, it's like eating half-cooked food or reading an unfinished book, it just disappoints and makes everyone involved look like a dick. There is still a month and a half to go though, so I won't shit it just yet.
Let's see... was able to have a typically messed-up night with Rob J and Kara last weekend- Big thanks to the former for the Gwar souvenirs (sorry I missed it, dude) and to the both of them for the stunning drinking-game bruise.
That's it for now- very much looking forward to 300 and TMNT this week.
To finish off, let's have a SophieFact-
"During the last year Sophie’s been listening to lots of Goldfrapp, Turin Brakes, Streets, Human League, Prince, and Heart FM".
Ooh!
Before I go, regarding the Cash Money E-Mail Experiment- No responses yet, although I'm still plugging away. I've gotten through quite a bit of marked cash by now, but it's all been in my home town or thereabouts. I've got a plan in mind to widen the distribution area a little, more in the next update. My legal advisors (i.e Laura) are advising me against continuing, what with the technical illegality of marking banknotes, but I really can't see the web police or interpol launching a sting operation on me, particularly not with Pete Townshend still at large.
Mark.
22.3.07
Ooh, I Know...
... let's have a picture of Sophie Ellis-Bextor:
There's lovely.
Right, big update over the weekend- loads has happened but I've got literally NO TIME RIGHT NOW.
There's lovely.
Right, big update over the weekend- loads has happened but I've got literally NO TIME RIGHT NOW.
10.3.07
The Cash Money E-Mail Experiment.
If you saw an e-mail address hand-written on a banknote in your possession, what would you do?
I know what I'd do. I'd mail the fucker. I think lots of other people would too, and with that in mind I'm scrawling my hotmail address on any banknotes that come my way...
...and crossing my fingers that I get something interesting. Any and all responses will be posted here, naturally.
As an interesting aside, when I tried to open the above image in my usual photo program I got this:
... which at first made me reach for my tinfoil hat, worried that tsar Blair was controlling my computer via radio-waves in my fillings. A quick Google, however, taught me about something called the EURion Constellation, a pattern of dots on every banknote that's recognised by commercial printers and scanners, which triggers their blocking mechanisms to prevent counterfeiting- here it is:
That pattern of dots is hidden on every banknote- on the £20 it's disguised as musical notes. If you are considering chancing your arm at counterfeiting though, don't worry too much- there are tutorials all over the place on how to crack the fucker.
I learned something today. I hope you did, too.
I know what I'd do. I'd mail the fucker. I think lots of other people would too, and with that in mind I'm scrawling my hotmail address on any banknotes that come my way...
...and crossing my fingers that I get something interesting. Any and all responses will be posted here, naturally.
As an interesting aside, when I tried to open the above image in my usual photo program I got this:
... which at first made me reach for my tinfoil hat, worried that tsar Blair was controlling my computer via radio-waves in my fillings. A quick Google, however, taught me about something called the EURion Constellation, a pattern of dots on every banknote that's recognised by commercial printers and scanners, which triggers their blocking mechanisms to prevent counterfeiting- here it is:
That pattern of dots is hidden on every banknote- on the £20 it's disguised as musical notes. If you are considering chancing your arm at counterfeiting though, don't worry too much- there are tutorials all over the place on how to crack the fucker.
I learned something today. I hope you did, too.
28.2.07
No-one Likes a Smartarse.
Have that, ASIMO.
I love the cameraman at the end- "A-haha! Robo-san, he ferrovah!"
21.2.07
Squashed Tomatoes and Stew.
It's this blog's second birthday today. Anyone who's ever left a comment, anyone who's chuckled, tutted, cursed or yawned at this site, you have my thanks. It feels as though shitloads has happened since 21/02/2005, but looking through the archive I suppose I must've either imagined it or not been arsed to write about it. My patch of internet continues to serve it's purpose though, so I can't see myself packing it in yet. Here's to the next birthday!
19.2.07
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