oscars 22 February 2009
I somehow thought I had the correct Sky Channel for the Oscars (even though I really only got Sky Sports in at Christmas and it does just about that and no more – nor should I expect it to). So, I’ll have to wait till morning to find out who has won what. I love watching the glitz and the frocks and live in hope of someone making a complete eejit of themselves – fingers crossed for a bumper year of all of the above. I am going to try to work out the machinations of the Sky box tomorrow, too, that I may record the edited highlights whenever they are shared with us mortals in the non-correct-Sky-channel-land (I’ll probably be on stage when that’s transmitted). Any tips would be gratefully received and do bear in mind that I am quite useless with technology when you’re making them.
The builders are still here and it feels like taking the piss now. I am SO ANGRY about this ALL OF THE TIME. I am going to get up early and make a list of the burning questions and then I am going the HAUNT the house all day tomorrow checking up on people and progress (I use the term loosely, you understand) I’m also thinking of trying to ostentatiously put things back as they were – though ‘thing’s haven’t been normal since last June (ehm, that would be LAST YEAR) so I can hardly remember what ‘things’ looked like way back then. Whatever happens EVERYONE will feel my presence about MY HOUSE tomorrow…
a detail on the dance 22 February 2009
I notice that this blog is being read by all sorts, some of whom work for various newspapers and are inclined to take stuff I post, gussie it up and present it as ‘an interview’ or ‘news item’ SO, as flattered as I am that you are paying attention, I feel I should save you some embarrassment and tell you the Young Man mentioned in last night’s blog is not George (the fab actor in the show with me). Sorry. I’ll ask him to have an adventure for ye next week some time…that’s if I’m not having one myself, of course.
dance 22 February 2009
I love sharing my life with young men – well known fact = NOT an issue. I love the way the ‘young’ have more adventures (like we used to have Back In The Day, I guess). SO, someone I know decided he’d hop into a casino he’d never even noticed before, close to work, on his way home last night for a few hands of Black Jack (my favourite – it’s basically 21s, isn’t it?). Anyhow, he did well but all along was taken by how many ladies were attracting his attention and seemed interested in him. As he made to leave he was told he’d love ‘a dance’ and when he truthfully said he really didn’t want one it was made clear by 4 very large men (Russians, he felt) that HE SO DID want that dance. He was duly relieved of 50 euro (by debit card – don’t you love the modern way?!) and spent 5 minutes sitting on an ‘actual’ throne while a lovely lady who said ‘no touch’ (‘ah, no, you’re alright love’ my mate wanted to tell her) writhed in front of him while the 4 (Russian?) lads looked on. BRILLIANT for many reasons – 1) he’s 23 and should be having such adventures and 2) it was only 50 euro – at that stage he’d have had to hand over 500 if they’d been ‘persuasive’ and 3) he’d won more at the Blackjack table.
AAAAH. I enjoyed that…
dolores 21 February 2009
Many of you know that a gal called Dolores is my (nasty) alter ego. Tonight I realised she has been following me around longer than anyone can have liked. Basically, an ex fancy of mine was in (with his lovely 2nd wife- it is important you know he has had more than one) and he reminded me of the time in the early 80s when I was of the opinion that I was the woman for him and he was in a long term relationship with a German Lady (who became, subsequently but not BECAUSE, his first wife). He remembers VERY CLEARLY trying to reverse, in his mother’s Hillman Avenger with a good friend ofmine on board in the front passenger seat, as I (HER = Dolores!) knelt in the middle of the road telling him to go home to his slut…lovely…and all this as my, then, longtime and lovely boyfriend tried to figure out what the hell he was missing in that scenario…Dolores, my friends – NOT nice…
invention 20 February 2009
I invented a word tonight while reluctant to do so and horrified that it had happened – I was trying to call Victoria Smurfit’s character slight but instead I accused her of being the THINNIEST – is that not the best word ever? A bit thrilled I must say…into the lexicon right now, m’dears.
Other than that, got SO under the weather/humour that the Builders are still here – I’ll be honest and tell you that I left the house for work tonight crying a little – I SOOOO want them to finish their work AND GO.
The G spent the whole day crying and complaining too – NOT good…
THEN after the show (and there were various lovely types in that we had a chat and laugh with) we all went out and had a few jars…and are all now looking forward to staring at cold morning shoulders anon – oh dear – ah well! Didn’t MEAN to be home an hour late but the fact is that an hour to me at this stage looks like a fortnight to everyone else who works during the day but it ain’t so…try telling that to the …ehm whatever…
Thinniest – I rest my case!
finishing 19 February 2009
We got to the end of the play tonight and either 1) people didn’t want it to finish or 2) didn’t know we had ‘stopped’ because there was a long and loud pause before the applause started – ah, not that long at all and it was a total compliment that people wanted more BUT WOW what to do? We took our bow is what, and there were cheers and all. But strange…or maybe not. Lorcan Cranitch (who plays me Hub in it) thought maybe there was A Reason, so I have taken responsibility and said it was something open-ended I did – actually , I don’t think the audience wanted Miss Fiona Looney’s play to be at an end is my tuppence worth (for the tuppence it’s worth – or should that be 2 cent these days???)
A thing that may never end is this friggin building work – NO, they won’t be gone by Friday (which is a good month after they came back post Xmas and when they are to leave – again) and let’s not forget the work should have been done by the end of November. I AM GOING MAD. Worst of all though is that my sinuses are fecked and I can’t get a system going where I can identify what exactly is causing that – sometimes I am streaming, sometimes bunged up… happily Doctor Theatre takes care of it all the moment I walk through the Olympia stagedoor. PHEW!
tuesday 18 February 2009
We all wonder, from time to time, why Tuesday exists at all…and who wouldn’t, frankly – on PAPER. But Tuesday is a great day and night IN FACT. It’s a consolidator. It doesn’t have the weight of a Monday on it. It doesn’t have to start anything. It doesn’t have to help the rest of the week along like a Wednesday might have to. It just has to BE. And it does this really well. Tuesday is Anything Can Happen Day and all the better for it. EXAMPLE – we had a really good show tonight because a few hundred (really good) people decided that’s how they’d like to spend it and they came and joined us and lifted us up to where we’d like to be always AND everyone had a good time and it’s still gonna be Wednesday tomorrow but a few hundred people will be happier as a result of Tuesday – me amongst them.
Not to diss Wednesday – I was born on one and, apparently, a child of woe as a result – ehm, NO, je reject that – I might consider a ‘child of having been delighted by Tuesday’ thanks very much.
Tuesday RULES…so far…
jack 17 February 2009
I went to the funeral send-off of the playwright Hugh Leonard today and like all of those occasions the Star was missing. Such a great man and tricky and brilliant and fabulous. Anyhow, he was the Master of the Bon Mot, in his time with us, and the line was told that when he realised he was in trouble with the old aging and perhaps dying he said ‘if I had known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself’ . Brilliant. Great thought. Have to say, though, that I don’t think he’d have had any less glasses of lovely wine (and he did like a good wine) nor laughs nor experiences (for the most part) in spite of that great pronouncement – you know, any of us have that number 10 bus running us over written all across us – I, for one, don’t want to die wondering if I should have had that extra glass of Fleurie (thanks again, Joyce)…SO…
BRING IT ON!
kitchen 15 February 2009
I tried to wrest a kitchen back today. It was a lot harder than I thought. The Dust is a big issue still. Every time I clear it it reappears IMMEDIATELY. How is that done??? What evil genius is at work? To make matters more complicated, the washroom now houses the new cooker and other relocated utilities, and this was a surprise ‘addition’ to the building work. So, in a way, it was never ‘thought through’. Anyhow, I put a few jars onto shelves, unhappy in the knowledge that although that’s all very pretty to look at, the room is too bright to be keeping spices in on shelves, however appealing that is to look at…does anyone know what kind of containers should I be using to keep things out of the taint of sunlight?
There’s a mountain of damp washing queuing to go onto clothes driers and radiators.
The Dust is back.
The builders arrive again tomorrow at 9. Yup, they’re still here…should have been done at the end of November, then last friday, and now? who knows…
I am fed up.
I’m off to the funeral of a great man and pal tomorrow morning – Hugh Leonard (aka Jack to them as knew him beyond work). Sad to see another great mind lost to us. He was a wonderful wit and writer and, as a cat lover as well as many other attributes, also a gentleman. We had lost touch in his later years but, my oh my, we had some fun when we used to step out to lunch and dinner together.
vally's day 15 February 2009
here’s how romantic things were – i presented Himself with a chocolate heart this morning (before i went off to do 2 shows) and he said ‘oh is that today or tomorrow?’ Thank the good lord that i am not stretched over the board of romanticism for this one! in the theatre, however, we all tried to say the happy day to one another and share chocolate and champagne (left over from opening night). i’m not taken in by all the hype but i do like people having an excuse to spoil one another. and i LOVE a chance to kiss interesting men! (actually let’s add interesting women to that too)