Last night in Chatham, after a gruelling packing up of the show. The in-house crew: Graeme, Neil, Chris, Pete, Frank, Alec were all just excellent. Thank you, guys.

Currently sat in the Ramada hotel (where I arrived to find a fresh poo in my toilet. No paper in there with it, mind.) Have ordered pizza for us all. Tomorrow, off to Hastings. The show feels up to speed, though I was a little under-energy tonight.

Thank you anyone out there for supporting the show in previews.
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First two preview days in Chatham have passed without death or injury. The first night, astonishingly, provoked a standing ovation, despite the fact that I felt the first half went pretty terribly. We’d all been concerned about whether the second half would play well, and confident about the first: the surprising outcome for us was that it was the first that needed the most attention. Things that you imagine will be inherently fun just fall a bit flat, or take too long; you realise that segments are too wordy or bits need to be re-arranged to create the strongest impact. So we cut out some pieces, tightened others, and made a whole load of changes. The second night was better, though my balding headlet got confused over some of the changes and left a few bits shoddier than I would have liked. Such is the nature of previews, and the audience get to see a work in progress, which has its own pleasures. 

I don’t want to mention any specifics from the show, so please, if you’ve seen it, please please don’t talk publically about the content either. I’m very careful in pre-tour interviews, despite journalists’ wearying insistence, not to give anything away that happens in the show (partly because we make so many changes late, but mainly because I want to preserve the surprises). So I hope you’ll join in with that as we go along and more of you see it. There are a few more previews left and then Wednesday the official first night kicks off in Hastings. That’s Hastings, which I royally frigged off last year by having to cancel when I couldn’t speak. At least this year they’ll get a reasonably fresh voice. 

 

TTFN,

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An hour or so before the first night kicks off. Very much looking forward to it. Chatham delightful.
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We got the show up on its feet today for a tech run… well, the first half, anyway, and then it was 10pm and everyone had to go home. I think it will be a good one. There are some previews later in the week, when some changes will be made, and then after a quick bout in Hastings it’s straight into a 4,500-seater in Bournemouth. Goodness me.

If you’re coming, I hope you like it. I hear the tour sold out a while ago, so if you don’t want to risk waiting for returns, get in for London while you can.

Meanwhile, to those of you who got up off your fat, wobbling, lardy sofas and bought tickets, I look forward to seeing you there. Have safe trips and I shall blog more often once I’m on the road.

I don’t want  to post any pictures that might spoil any surprises relating to what’s in the show, so here, instead, is a picture I took of a squirrel today:

I haven’t seen this film yet, but am looking forward to it. John Malkovich plays a famous mentalist who, judging from the trailer on the site, is based on The Amazing Kreskin. Kreskin, known to some in the UK but a huge name in Canada and the US, is a favourite mentalist of mine. Probably no mentalist has managed to create such an original and engaging persona, let alone a likeable one; he is so extraordinary to watch, and his choices so rich, bold and clever. If you enjoy the movie, or even if you don’t, there’s a great DVD set of his 1970’s Canadian series available on Amazon. 

Morning x