WC February 10.
I am about to start work on two special John Hannam Meets programmes to celebrate the first 25 years of the show. Spread over two Sundays, I am hoping to play a clip from an interview from every single year – some will be local people and others very famous. It will take a few hours but I hope it will be worth it.
Went to the Apollo on Thursday to see A Streetcar Names Desire and it was the biggest crowd I had seen there for some time – and they loved it. It proves that well known and loved plays will still bring in the punters. There was such a great buzz before the show and during the interval. I will be surprised if there are not several nominations for the IW Amateur Theatre Awards from this production. There were several outstanding performances.
We had a great Friday evening. The Newport Quay Street Methodist Church group decided to have their first fish and chip supper and speaker night. I was rather flattered to be the guinea pig chosen by Graham Fowler. It all seemed to work well and my talk was well received. I’ve even been asked back. Nice to meet a few old friends like country singer Ian Attrill and his lovely wife Pat.
Saw Aladdin at the Medina Theatre on Saturday night, presented by the Wight Strollers. I wish I had taken sandwiches, as it was not far off 3 hours. I did feel sorry for some of the young cast as it was their second performance of the day – and a few of the more senior ones, too. It was a good show and much better than some I have seen locally in recent weeks. It was a pity that some of the clever one-liners were almost thrown away as people left the stage – and it meant they could not be heard all around the Medina Theatre. Lover the topicality including a mention of the Island’s famous wedding just a few hours earlier. Well done Sarah Scotcher.