2008 Royal Variety Show

For me, the 2008 Royal Variety Show was yet again well below par!

I was impressed by Duffy whose change of wardrobe was perfection for the event, she looked superb, that added to her very commercial voice and her current success was indeed a very good choice. The Jersey Boys except was also very classy and ideal for the occasion, tremendous vocals and superb choreography and production – another excellent performance.

There were of course disaster areas, the most notable being the charade of a sketch performed by Armstrong & Miller (whoever they may be). I have never seen or heard a sketch performed so badly and so badly written, it must rank as the worst item ever included on a Royal Variety Show bill!

The La Cage excerpt was another item on the bill that sadly fell on its face. The choreography and costumes looked below average and he playing Albin was to me the wrong choice, nothing even remotely glamorous, and La Cage was the item I’d watched the whole show to see!

The standard of live performers has dwindled considerably. In my opinion, if an act or artiste is incapable or unwilling to perform live they should not be included on such a prestigious show. I remember when there was a call for mime artistes….but I refer to the days of variety theatre which, sadly, are no more!

I Salute The Ladies!

Having given the matter considerable thought, I have decided to nominate British ladies who in my opinion have done and are still winning much credit for this country.

Dame Judy Dench: a lady who apart from being a superb actress, also seems to have an amazing sense of humour.

Darcy Bussell: pure dedication and talent in abundance has resulted in worldwide recognition of her expertise as prima ballerina with the Royal Ballet. Her explanatory TV programmes are quite superb.

Catherine Jenkins: a voice of pure clarity and quality, with a physical beauty that simply enhances the on-stage performance.

Zara Phillips: European Champion and World Champion, a most talented horsewoman with a common-touch so rare amongst those who have had a somewhat privileged upbringing. Who would bet against her winning at the Beijing Olympics?

Kirsty Allsopp: Elequent and courteous, an intelligent lady whose diction should be bottled and sold to schools, her mention of the Winter (minuet pause) Gardens emphasised the fact that the Margate building was a winter retreat. Her knowledge of property I imagine to be unequalled!

 

 

 

Same Idea, Different People!

It’s quite amazing how different people can have virtually the same idea at different times, or so it seems!

Some years ago, around 1980-81, a friend and I were interested in script writing. Thinking of a storyline, I suggested writing a sit-com for Bernie Winters who, following the departure of his brother Mike, had been using a St Bernard dog called Schnorbitz as his partner.

I decided Bernie and his older sister Marge would live in a high-rise block of flats in the East End of London. He would win the football pools, eight hundred and fifty grand, which shows how long ago the idea came about.

Bernie and his sister would move from the East End to live in a large old country manor house, previously owned by the local squire of the small Norfolk market town, Dufton. There’d be stabling for 20 ‘unters and he would look forward to blending in with local country life. He would acquire the ongoing assistance of the local poacher-odd-jobman called Warris, rather Warris would acquire him.

Warris would teach Bernie to ride using a saddle thrown over a 5-bar gate, as well as show him how to chop logs using a golf stance and swing etc. The idea was sent to the BBC but rejected. You can imagine my surprise when Green Green Grass of Home appeared on our TV screens twenty odd years later!

Another idea sent to the BBC was for a documentary series titled Six of the Best, which outlined the WWII exploits, daring and courage of six people who were relatively unknown to the general public. Again I received a rejection slip, advising that if anything of a similar nature appeared it had nothing to do with my suggestion.

Not only did a ’similar nature’ documentary appear but a book also accompanied the series. One of the characters featured was Lt Colonel Paddy Blair Mayne DSO & 3 Bars which I must admit amazed me, as very very few people had even heard of Paddy Mayne let alone knew of his wartime exploits as second in command to David Stirling, the leader of the SAS.