The Final Countdown

Things are really hotting up now, in respect of the Triliteral Festival. We have less than two weeks to go and there's still a raft of work to do. Rehearsals are going well and luckily the actors are all doing a splendid job and really enjoying their work. We've had quite a few of the writers along to see how the rehearsals are going, and in the main they're all very pleased with the results so far. Set-building, prop-gathering and costume-making is also coming along at a pace, but there's still quite a bit more to do on that front too. With nine different plays being performed over three days, in three different venues, with roughly fifteen different actors, four directors and a producer - it's all something of a strategic tightrope, let me tell you! I woke up screaming this morning. But hey, that is (as they say) show business.

Tickets are on sale and if you want to buy some, then click here. There are some terrific performances emerging, and all the writing is new, so you won't have seen any of these plays before. There'll be something for everyone, and all the details about the plays are available on Triliteral's website - just click on 'The Shows' and take your pick!

Yesterday I went to see my mate Adam play with his group at an open air concert in the centre of Nottingham. The concert was called 'City Pulse' and it was absolutely free (pity there was no sunshine). Captain Dangerous were, as expected, excellent - but they were followed by an equally talented and entertaining troupe of strolling minstrels, the awesome 'MANIÈRE DES BOHÉMIENS'. Apparently formed through a mutual love of sitting on sofas and improvising, Manière des Bohémiens play a mix of the French swing popularised by Stephane Grappelli and Django Reinhardt, energetic eastern European gypsy-folk, and a smattering of many things else. They were fabulous - not least because they are the only band I've seen in a long time to feature an accordionist! And what a spectacular performer he was - young Jonny Kerry (so young! picture abve) played like a veteran with real panache and quirkiness. I loved it. Watch out for them!

My Great Aunt Dolores (she who was run over by a lorry yet survived and later took up playing the xylophone, only to die even later by going over Niagara Falls in a barrel) once ran away with an accordionist. He was a Hungarian gypsy called Janós - poor as a church mouse but Dolores, for some reason best known only to her, had convinced herself that he was in fact a Count from an ancient noble family and that he owned a huge sprawling Transylvanian castle with vast lands (she never quite worked out that Transylvania is not actually in Hungary). She told everyone that he would very soon be re-claiming the fortunes out of which he had presumably been tricked by his wicked uncle Vlad, and then would be whisking her away for a fairy-tale wedding. Dolores and Janós lived together for a short while in Paris - she claimed that they shared a romantic little garret apartment while she took in washing to support him, but I know that in truth they lived in a suite at the Hôtel George V, paid for by her. Apparently (so she said) he would play the accordion to her while she danced naked in the dust, underneath the attic roof (for this, read: dancing on a massive Empire double-bed underneath a cascading crystal chandelier, whilst sipping vintage champagne). When he'd practically bled her dry, Janós ran off with a Spanish waiter and so Dolores skulked back to England and - to recoup her fortunes - married some obscure Irish banker who was trampled to death by an elephant two years later.

My life seems rather dull in comparison. If only....