Hi Everyone,
How are you all? Well and happy I hope!!!
Where has this week gone eh? It only seems like two minutes since I was typing last weeks blog in my flat with my Mum and Sister!
Last night I lay in bed and suddenly realised, oh wow it's blog day tomorrow! So this week's edition is coming to you from my dressing room at the Apollo Victoria theatre having just finished what I do in the first act of the matinee and now I have a bit of time to chill before act 2!
So this time last week was all about the few hours leading up to our media night! I had a great time! My mum, sis and I got a car to the theatre in plenty of time to grab some food before the show and so that they could have a couple of glasses of wine to make them feel more confident among the 'celebs' haha! My mum only needs to sniff a glass of wine and she starts acting a bit looney - she doesn't drink much at all! Ha.
When the car pulled up outside the theatre my mum got the camera out straight away to do the typical mum thing of "Mark stand there so I can get a picture of you standing next to the picture of you outside the theatre" - There's a big Fiyero shot of me outside the front and of course they loved it and couldn't get enough - it then evolved into tourists who didn't have a bloody clue who I was stopping to take pictures too - just because that's what tourists do I suppose!
So there were more cards and gifts and flowers and champagne bottles in my dressing room when i arrived for which I am very grateful to the people who bought them for me.
Before the show I had to have a quick 10 minutes by myself to just focus on what the night was about and remind myself not to be nervous but to see it as a celebration of the hard work that's gone into developing my career so far…which ended up making me nice and calm for the show and it was definitely one of the highlights of my performing career so far.
The audience were great and although we had to wait a few minutes for Vanilla Ice to finish his drink and get himself into the auditorium before BOTH acts it was a very successful show! :-)
Then came the party!!! I was, if I'm honest expecting to not really enjoy the party as these showbiz gatherings after a performance can sometimes be too overcrowded and very impersonal and you end up getting stuck talking to someone you really don't want to talk to - however, that party that the Wicked management provided that night was incredible! A great atmosphere and I hadn't realised that there were quite a few friends of mine in watching so it was lovely to chat with old pals!
Nearly the entire gang from Dancing On Ice were there who seemed to really enjoy the show, and it was great to see my friend Laura Hamilton who's in the competition - (please keep voting her in cos she so deserves to be in the final!!!) - My mum has since said that she has a picture of me with Denise Welsh and I am holding a battered prawn in my hand! I distinctly remember chatting to her for a good 5 minutes holding that prawn the entire time!
So anyway, after a very good night, my Mum, Sis and one of my best friends Wayne headed back to my flat for tea, toast and pasta (random but I was trying to sober them up with stodgy foods!) Then I ended up sleeping on the sofa and I think i must have had a maximum of 3 and a half hours sleep because sofas are not good for men who are 6ft 2, so Friday seemed a long day!
I took a very hung over mum and sis to Euston by 11am and bid them farewell - my mum cried but i think it was more because her head was feeling a little delicate than feeling sad saying goodbye to me! Hate saying goodbye to them though! Rubbish! But I was thrilled they had been able to make it here to share the night with me and in return it made it even more special for me!
So then I chilled out with a friend before meeting my agent (who had also been at the media night) for a lovely late lunch and we had a good old catch up and put the world to rights and basically planned a lot of what i'm going to be doing this year - it's going to be busy!!!
Then it was nice to get to the show on Friday and feel "now this is our show and it's settled in and I am excited looking onwards to the next 10 months"!
Slept well Friday night before waking for 2 shows Saturday - I was heading to the theatre and missed my connecting train (yet again) because i was so into reading my book. What a plonka!
Saturday night came and we were all planning on heading out to a nice bar in west London for one of the guys birthdays, and I was up for it all day until it got to the interval of the second show and I decided I was way too tired so went home to bed instead! Grandad!!!
Sunday I met my gorgeous friend Haley (my Janet from the Rocky Horror Show), who happened to look even more gorgeous than usual on Sunday because we were both spruced up for the 'What's On Stage.Com awards' at the prince of wales theatre! These awards are very important to theatre professionals as they are the only ones that are voted for online purely by the viewing public who support so much theatre! I was very proud to take to the stage with Rachel Tucker (Elphaba in the show) to accept the award for Best West End Show on behalf of every single person who works so hard on Wicked (It's the second year running that Wicked has won this award!) So thanks very much to every one who voted - we're always so grateful for the support which floods in to this theatre and to the show and are sincerely grateful to you for taking the time to vote! Rachel also won the award for 'Best Take Over In A Roll' which she so unbelievably deserves! Incredible talent and she made a lovely speech too!
Then there were drinks provided and it was again nice to see to some familiar faces who I'd not seen for a while since being on tour.
I headed home and thought "I'm not used to the showbiz parties!" and headed straight to bed!
Monday I had my second date with the bank manager (haha- not really a date, but she was offering me relationship advice last week so I talk about her as if she's my new love interest) - I'm seeing her again next Tuesday, How exciting - it could be love!
Tuesday I had a rehearsal for the gig i'm doing this Sunday at the New Player's Theatre in London - which will be showcasing the music of Bobby Cronin who is an incredible composer from New York! There are 19 west end performers lined up to perform and judging from the rehearsal - it's going to be incredible! So if you haven't booked your tickets yet - get onto it as there's not many left!
I'll post the link to my Facebook fan page!
Yesterday I met with a friend before the matinee for brunch! It's soooooo good to be able to see friends when ever I want now that I'm around all the time! Good times!
So that brings us to today I believe! As it is half term for the schools everywhere we have an extra midweek matinee which is why I am typing this from work! It's so mind-boggling where all the people come from to fill this theatre nightly - this auditorium holds nearly 2500 and it's so busy all the time! Amazing!
Anyway, I'm off on stage again in a few minutes so I hope you enjoyed this edition of my blog and I shall indeed be writing as always in a weeks time!
Again thanks to all of you who send messages, cards, gifts to the theatre and messages online! You're all amazing! I popped into a photographic reproduction centre today to order some photos to sign and send as replies to anyone who writes to me! So if you want a signed picture make sure you include a stamped address envelope and I'll send you one as soon as I can!
Keep loving life everyone - cos it's all good!
Til next time….Sh-boom!!!
Mark
PS No time to proof read this today as I'm heading on stage so I hope it makes sense and there are not too many spelling and grammar mistakes - I am getting really quick with my typing now! Hurrah!!!
