Blog 71!!! The Worst Week!!!

Hi Everyone,

Happy Thursday. This Blog will not be very long I'm afraid as I have really not been able to do anything this week -  I've been rather hideously unwell, however being a positive person i'm going to try and make it as little doom and gloom as possible and looking at one positive is that I'm feeling a lot better today and I am planning on heading back to WICKED tonight providing nothing goes wrong today.

So I want to thank you all who sent messages, letters and cards to myself and my family in sympathy last week. I have had a really difficult time dealing with it, but we said our last goodbye to my Nanna at her funeral last Thursday and I miss her terribly already and it is a massive blow to the family but she made our lives so much more wonderful by being alive in the first place so I am just grateful to her for everything she ever did. 

It was the day of the funeral that I started to feel run down and under the weather and then it all went down hill from there. I travelled back to London on Friday and I couldn't go back to work because I didn't feel up to it, i was dosed up on cold and flu tablets and sore throat medicines. I got back to my flat and tried to eat the right stuff and got an early night. 

I woke up on Saturday and I felt like I had been hit by a bus I was aching so much. I couldn't breath, I had a dreadful fever, chesty cough, head aches, all over cramping and feeling of sickness. All I could do was lay down and sleep - I was too weak to even count sheep, what kind of a Welsh bloke am I eh?! 

Sunday it was no better, I just couldn't see any improvement and then by Monday I couldn't handle feeling the same with no change so I went to the walk in medical centre and I was told that I had developed a severe chest infection as a result of all my other symptoms. She told me that the main cause was stress and exhaustion. 

She gave me a week's worth of strong antibiotics and an inhaler. I've never had such trouble breathing. My friend who visited me sat next to me on the sofa and the room was silent and we just listened to the noises my chest was wheezing out - it was no word of a lie like a cat was in there purring and actually meowing. I had no control.

I woke Tuesday feeling a little brighter which was such a relief to see a little light and then when I woke up on Wednesday morning feeling much better but still very weak. My sister and her 8 friends had come down from North Wales to see me in the show but I was not able to perform. Going back to do two shows after being so ill would've wiped me out for the rest of the week I'm sure. I was devastated, they had booked their trip ages ago and I felt I'd really let them down. I did go into London to see them though and i think the fresh air really did me good. Oxygen feels good when you go a while with out a fresh batch. ha.

So that's the blog for my week from hell. I didn't wanna harp on about it in great detail cos there's nothing more boring and disgusting than hearing tales from the sick eh?!

Now today marks the beginning of a new chapter for me, and I don't just mean feeling a little more like a human again - something else - I will be telling you all about it in next week's blog I promise you. I have so much to tell you all but you need to wait until next week.

Other news: 

I have unfortunately had to cancel my Christmas concert in North Wales on December 19th (THE JOURNEY HOME - FOR CHRISTMAS) which i'm disappointed about but I just could not fit it in with other work commitments which have come in and had to take priority but for those of you who've booked tickets (thank you, by the way) you will be fully refunded if you visit wegottickets.com 

I promise there will be another similar event organised in the new year.

This Sunday coming (Nov 27th) is the first 'Sunday Funday' with my company West End In Wales. It's basically a 4 hour get together for anyone aged 10-18 who's interested in theatre to come celebrate having the same interests and do some workshops, games and lots of fun stuff. I can't wait. You can just turn up and pay a £10 on the door which includes refreshments - All the info you need is on this page - http://www.westendinwales.co.uk/?p=959

So have a great week folks. I'm excited about my week ahead and to next week's blog. I promise you'll like what I have to tell you :)

Keep positive, I was challenged by negativity over the past week and a half and I admit it has been a really difficult time but as Thursday is the beginning of a new blog week, it's the beginning of a fresh start and I'm dedicating my new chapter to my Nanna. 

Love your lives and everyone in them folks! Big smiles :)

Sh-boom

Mark

BLOG 70!!! Life is for living!!!

Hey Everyone,

How you doing? Happy WEDNESDAY!!! This Blog is being issued a day early this week as I'm writing it on the train home to Wales. I've just left Euston and I'm not performing tonight or tomorrow as I need to be home for family matters.

This week has indeed been a rollercoaster. I was off work from Thursday until last night (Tuesday) in preparation for my TV show which was on Sunday.

So last Thursday I had a vocal massage to release the throat tension before doing  a press interview and then heading for my follow up appointment at the colonic hydrotherapy clinic (if you don't know what that is, read my blog from about 2 months ago and I tell you all about the first time I had it done!) - Then I went to the theatre to watch a matinee performance before heading home to chill out and sort the last few things out for my TV show.

Friday morning I left London to head to Cardiff and arrived there just after lunch time. I was taken straight on the set of my show which really excited me and suddenly made it all seem very real. (There will be a good few pictures from the weekend in the next newsletter) I had been feeling a bit out of the loop with it all whilst in London but then when i arrived the studio I was thrown in at the deep end. We started sound checking with the amazing band and I got a bit panicky because it was so loud and the arrangements were so busy that i really couldn't hear myself at all which made me worried that I was going to lose my voice and not be able to sustain everything over the weekend. I think that was probably just a little insecurity seeping out of me as it was my first ever Mark Evans TV Show. 

I had as early a night as possible on Friday night in the lovely hotel but I woke every hour at least with a different song going round in my head and kept feeling a little anxious.

Saturday morning I decided to stop trying to sleep and woke to clear my head by heading to the pool at about 7.15am. I did 70 lengths and then sat in the Jacuzzi before Dewi (my 12 year old TV show guest) with his little sister and brother came into the pool area and we all swam together before my stomach decided to campaign against the swimming and decided to tell my brain that I should eat a slap up breakfast. The hotel breakfasts were great during my stay there - why is it that although all the food is free, you can't eat anymore than normal? I get really annoyed by that. I want to just keep eating all the time! :)

After breakfast I went to the gym for an hour before starting dance rehearsals with Ashley Wallen the choreographer (who had just landed that morning from NYC and was driven straight from the airport to Cardiff) and the 8 amazing dancers. We finished the rehearsing by 5pm so my manager and I popped to the TV centre to check out the set and my costumes again before driving into Cardiff Bay for some great dim sum and thai food. It was lovely for us to be out together and not be discussing work for a change.

I wanted to get as early a night as possible before the big day on Sunday.

I slept a little better on Saturday night but was still rather tired when I woke up. I had to have a word with myself and work out exactly how I was going to pace myself to get through the day. It actually turned out to be a very chilled out rehearsal day and everything just happened really easily. i felt really confident. I really knew my lyrics and all the choreography and was really enjoying myself.

By the time our dress rehearsal had finished my audience had started to arrive and I got really excited. I was so grateful to people for traveling from all over to be there. I had people there from North Wales, England, London, Northern Ireland and even Germany. I was delighted and they were a lovely audience. I was geared up and raring to go come 7.30pm and I couldn't have been happier with how it all went. I can't wait for you all to see it when it will be on TV in the new year. The whole programme had real variety running through it and the studio audience seemed to really enjoy it.

By the time the show finished I was exhausted. I was overwhelmed too - my first ever TV show! I had 85 people working on it, some of which had been preparing for 5 months for it so I was very honoured to work with the entire crew and was grateful to everyone that there was not one single ego in the studio at all. Everyone was equal and everyone had mutual respect for each other which created a perfect happy working environment and a great atmosphere! 

So after the show I had drinks with friends, family and people who were watching the show then I had a bottle of champers in my hotel room with a mate and my brother and sister. 

I woke up on monday and the four of us who'd had champagne the night before met for breakfast and then got a taxi into central Cardiff to look around some of the shops. My friend and I had one of those Fish Spa things, where you dip your feet in a pool of little fish who nibble the hard and dead skin from your feet which is apparently good to make you have soft skin on your feet. I don't know that I've ever experienced a more weird feeling. It was so tickley and we were sat in the middle of the St David's Shopping Centre in Cardiff squealing like little girls cos it was so weird. I got used to it though and ended up enjoying the last 3/4 of my 20 minute session.

Then my brother and sister got the train home and I went to the St David's Hotel and Spa in the bay in Cardiff! It is a gorgeous hotel and I was upgraded to an executive sweet with complimentary breakfast. I also had an hour's hot stone massage. Wow they're good eh? I'm sure you're agreeing with me if you've ever had one - if you haven't, try it. you'll love it! So relaxing!

Then I had a chill out night with room service food and DVDs. Good end to a busy weekend.

I woke Tuesday morning (yesterday) and after a lovely hotel breakfast I headed on the train back to London to do some recording work for the Welsh Language radio  - Radio Cymru. The show is called 'Cyfle Cothi' (Cothi's Opportunity) hosted by the beautiful Welsh classical soprano Shan Cothi. I was mentoring a 20 year old guy named Luke and it was a recorded singing lesson which involved him singing to me and me giving him critique and at the end the session challenging him with the offer to sing in a huge Welsh concert opposite some of the biggest names in Music and Musical Theatre.

it was a great afternoon and I enjoyed  working on some radio stuff again.

It was lovely to get back to Wicked last night. By the end of this week there will only be 3 weeks left which is crazy. I am ready for new challenges but have loved playing this roll and being a part of such a great company.

After the show I headed home to unpack my stuff and sort my flat / life out a little before trying to get a good night's sleep. 

I had a bit of a lay in this morning before packing a few clothes for Wales and heading in to do the matinee. 

I am feeling very tired on this train home now, but I think a lot of it is just exhaustion after the weekend and feeling quite emotionally drained.

That's all I'm going to write for this week folks. I would like to remind you that having the opportunity to live a life on this earth is incredible - I mean think about it. Can you imagine if we never had this chance - so think of it as exactly that, a chance, and you only get one! 

If you don't live it, you'll regret it. Please treasure everyone and every moment because when you lose someone close to you it hits you really hard. Life is for living and love is for giving - if you live and give you'll reap the rewards by enjoying an incredible life! 

Keep smiling folks. Thanks for all your support as always

SH-BOOM!!!

Mark 

Blog 69!!! Drunk, tiredness & water!!! (Random!)

Hi Everyone,

Happy Thursday.

Hope you're all doing well. I am posting this early as I have a busy day today. A few appointments this morning to sort out, including a voice massage with the physio before my vocal acrobatic weekend that's coming up. Then I'm going to the theatre this afternoon before a quick meeting this evening and then an early night.

I am not at Wicked from today for a few days. I am back in the show next Tuesday. 

Tomorrow I head to Cardiff to crack on with the major rehearsals for my TV show, singing with my band, dance rehearsals with the Choreographer Ashley and lots of scripting meetings and costume sessions etc. Brain is going to be well and truly frazzled - but hey you'll hear all about next week in my blog next Thursday.

So what's been going on this week? It's been pretty crazy to be honest. Last Thursday I posted my blog and then went to meet my friend Amy for lunch from her rehearsals for White Christmas. We had a great catch up - never long enough when you meet someone on a lunch hour though eh?! Could've chatted for days. She's a great friend who I don't see enough of.

I then had a phone interview for some album promotion. After that I decided I would run through my entire TV show in my dressing room at Wicked. I ran the songs, the dancing, all the links and bits to camera - all by myself in my room like a teenager who's pretending to be a singing and dancing version of Ant or Dec. "Good evening and welcome to the show….." Geek!!!

I was pleased with how well my private rehearsal went though. I remembered a lot more lyrics than I anticipated and I felt very confident after doing it so it was definitely worth doing. After that I met my agent to discuss a new project I'm going to be working on after Wicked which I will announce soon. I'm looking forward to you all knowing what I'll be up to. As soon as I can, I'll tell you I promise!

Thursday night I was a little tired after a busy day so I had a quick drink with a few guys from the show then I went home to get a good sleep. Friday morning I  woke and did a lot of work before meeting my mate Haley to catch up over lunch in a cute little cafe where they give you blankets if you're sitting outside. Felt nice and cosy in the wintery weather. I then went to do a good 100 lengths of the swimming pool. Swimming is so easy when you have a lot on your mind. I had the entire pool to myself and I felt like a fish - I love water. Weather is be drinking it, swimming in it, the shower, the sea or even watching a river - I find all water really therapeutic and fascinating. 

I then met a couple of my mates who were up for the weekend from Cardiff. We went for some food and then they watched the evening show. They really enjoyed it and I was glad they had a good time. Love having Welsh people in the audience. After a quick beverage with them I said farewell and told them I'd see them the next day for breakfast in my favourite cafe. I met them on the Saturday at Le Pain Quotidien in Victoria for some great food, then I went in to do the matinee. I was really tired after the matinee but knew that I needed to perk up somehow because I had another performance to do and then had plans to go out for drinks with my Welsh pals.

I simply had some food and then put on some good motivational tunes in my dressing room, had a Lucozade and then hyperactively got through the evening show before heading out for food and cocktails - although I had 3 cocktails (which were REALLY strong) before my food had even arrived so as I'm sure you can imagine, between the alcohol and the tiredness, Mevans here was a little on the merry side. It was good because we had a few things to celebrate so the pear vodka mixed with champagne worked a treat - until the next morning of course. Once we had got in after our night out, we ended chatting until about 5am and then the Welshies woke me at 9.30am on Sunday -  I was not in a good way - more out of tiredness than being hung over, but my goodness it really did effect me for the rest of the day.

I plonked my mates on a train back to the valleys and then met a couple of other mates for a cuppa and a catch up and then headed to my friend Dom's house (i just read that last line back and I realise I talk about so many friends in these blogs - it makes me look ever so popular doesn't it. haha) - I did the Rocky Horror Show on tour with Dom two years ago and his family are mostly Italian so every time I go to his flat he cooks me a huge pile of homemade pasta and it's AMAZING - So I was the worst possible guest, I turned up, chatted a bit, ate his food, fell asleep on his sofa and then left! Haha. No it wasn't quite that bad. We had a good catch up and a bit of a sing song around his piano. My voice hated me on Sunday though - if my voice had a voice it would've been saying "shut the hell up, give me a break and get some sleep you lanky singing twirp" - I'm not cut out for burning the candle at both ends - I struggle with just one end!!!

I headed home, started watching the X-Factor, got bored of it so had a long shower (loving the water) and then had a steam of the voice and an early night. Needed it!

Oh and I'm gonna say this while it's on my mind - I cannot tell you how frustrating it is when people suggest that rejects from the X-Factor should maybe "just do musical theatre"!!!!!…….. Our business is for working professionals who have trained for years learning their craft and developing a reputation within a competitive industry to carve out a decent career. So for the likes of Johnny Robinson or whatever his name is from the X-Factor, who i'm sure is a lovely guy, to be told that he should "just go into Chicago" or "just do some west end" - I find highly disrespectful. 

Performing 8 shows a week requires strength, stamina, discipline, experience and hard work and to simply assume that it's all tits and teeth showbiz glamour is far from the truth! …… So put that in your pipe and smoke it X-Factor people. There I've said it, rant over!  haha

Monday I had a lot of work to do on the TV show and then met my agent to give him some thank you gifts for being an amazing agent and friend and then I had another phone interview about my album before heading to my personal trainer to work me really hard. Finished my gym session with a good 50 lengths of the pool. Good times! Had a quick haircut at work afterwards and Louise (Glinda) and I were laughing because for some reason although my hair had been cut it looked higher during the show, so we were calling me Bart Simpson all night cos of my high quiff!

After monday night's show I headed home as soon as I possibly could to sleep! Boring granddad! 

I woke Tuesday and worked on the TV show before heading over to Chiswick in West London to meet Ben from the show for a coffee before we both went along to the musical theatre school Arts Ed to watch a production of 'Sweet Smell Of Success' which was performed by their 3rd years. I really rate Arts Ed as a very good college for all round musical theatre training. I'm friends with the principal and he has transformed that place into what is possibly London's leading theatre school. Andrew Lloyd Webber has a close connection to the college, every year he gives out a scholarship and it was just announced this week that Lloyd Webber is giving the college 3.5 million pounds to completely refurbish their theatre complex there. What an incredibly generous investment that is in the future of young talent! Good man!!! 

The show was good. There are some talented students there. The production values were far superior to what you'd expect of a college show. It was very enjoyable. I will be honest though. When I go to events like that it does remind me just how many people want to work in this industry and how there just aren't enough jobs for everyone and breaking into the business as a graduate is the hardest thing to do of all…….so don't even think about it Jonny big balls or whatever your name is from the X-Factor - leave it to the trained pro's (drop it already Mark! haha - i'm just kidding!)

After Tuesday night's show I was suppose to go along to West End Bowling but I opted out as I have too much to focus on for the end of the week and sleep is not as easy as usual with so much ticking around my brain so the sooner I get to bed to lay and rest the better. Instead, of bowling I went home, ran a bath, cooked a bolognese, soaked in the bath whilst listening to my TV show songs and then hit the hay! It did me the world of good!

Wednesday I woke up and felt very energised I packed ready for the weekend so I didn't have to do it today then I headed in to the pool to fit in 60 lengths before the matinee. I really enjoyed the two shows and after the evening performance one of my agents was in with a couple of guests so I had a quick drink with them last night before heading home. 

Which brings me to this morning. I have never typed a blog as fast as I have this one. My fingers are getting quicker.

There will be a news letter going out next week all being well so if you ain't signed up then head to my website to sign up! lots of exclusive news will be sent there!

I also realise that it's been a while since i've done a video blog (VLOG) so I am going to try my very best to film anything I can of my TV show process this weekend so you can see it - I'm gonna be super busy but i'll keep my camera with me to try and film things.

I hope you have a great week folks. Thanks again to those of you who've been messaging saying you've nominated me for 'Best Take Over In A Role' in the What's On Stage awards and for supporting Wicked as much as you do. I have 4 weeks left and I have adored playing this role!

Love your lives, love each other but most importantly, love yourselves - not in an arrogant way, just accept that you are wonderful because that's life!

Sh-boom!

Mark

Blog 68!!! WICKED DAY!!!

Hi Everyone,

Happy Thursday.

How are you all? I'm good. A little anxious that it's only a week and a half until November 13th which is the day of my T.V show. I can't quite believe it. It's come around so quickly. Just two blog posts away it will have happened and I'll  be back in London writing about how it went. Hopefully writing about what a success it was.

I will be honest, because I think people consider me to be a work-a-holic, invincible bloke that nothing fazes, but on the night of the T.V show, I reckon I will be pretty nervous. I'm so glad I have an audience of 200 family, friends and supportive fans watching. It'll make it a lot easier. If you have reserved your free ticket then I'll see you there for lots of song, dance, and good times.

So it's been a busy week. Last Thursday I wrote my blog early because we had the extra matinee because of the half term school break. It was a bizarre feeling being in the building warming up on stage so early the day after our usual matinee day. Thursday is usually a recovery day in some way so it was definitely a bit more like hard work but enjoyable non the less. 

After the evening show on Thursday I headed over to my friend Craig's house to work on things for my Christmas show as he's my musical director and arranger. He is incredible (can we please just take a moment to appreciate the fact that Winter Wonderland opens in Hyde Park in just over two weeks - Mevans is excited by this!!! Mevans likes Christmas…….a lot!!!) So Craig and I worked on all the song ideas for the set list for 'The Journey Home - For Christmas' (Tickets available below)…..

http://www.wegottickets.com/event/137318

……and then we just chilled out with cheese & red wine which was a lovely way to relax after performing 4 shows of Wicked in 2 days.

I woke the next morning and we both worked on some more song ideas before I got the train back into London to meet a friend for a quick lunch, then headed to Dress Circle (The Showbiz Shop in Covent Garden) to sign another massive batch of my album, as they had completely sold out of their first pile the record label sent them. Thank you to all of you who have bought my album! I am very grateful and also for all your sweet and thoughtful messages that you've sent me about it! You're all legends to me!

I then had to head to the theatre to do a live English Radio Wales telephone interview to promote the album and Christmas show and then I hit the gym and the pool before work.

Saturday morning I woke and did a lot of work on my T.V show, scripting and learning song lyrics because I've said I don't want to use an autocue so that it will be more spontaneous and natural! I now have a lot to work to do because of that though.

After the matinee show I met my friend who works in Billy Elliot. The two of us have been working in theatres more or less across the road from each other for 8 months and have vowed to keep meeting for dinner but it never happened - until Saturday. We had a lovely catch up over a Wagamama's meal and put the world to right! 

The evening show on Saturday was AMAZING! I think the whole cast was pumping with adrenaline because of the 9 show week exhaustion, and with it being halloween weekend and eating lots of sweets it was such an incredibly energised show and I got a real buzz! The audience were great too! 

I then went to stay with a friend for a night of halloween treats, (way too much chocolate) a few G&T's and some scary movies! It was a fab night and we got the extra hours sleep which was a huge bonus.

So Sunday was WICKED DAY!!! I'm sure many of you reading this were there. Wasn't it a great day!?! For those of you who don't know what I'm talking about, basically Wicked The Musical, for one day every year, each of it's 13 productions world wide host a charity event called Wicked Day. Now the London production always pick the Sunday closest to Halloween, which makes sense as it's a show about two witches. They seriously go to extreme efforts to put on a great day. Between face painting, Karaoke, Book readings, cast signings, competitions, free goody bags, cast performances, to name but a few, it really is a fun family day out and it's all for free - where else does that happen?! Myself, Rachel (Elphaba) and Chloe (Stand-by Glinda) were asked to judge an X-Factor type competition where dozens of applicants had sent in a YouTube video of themselves singing a song from Wicked and the management had picked three to perform live on Sunday for us judges and the Wicked Day crowds (there were a couple of thousand there during the day!) and we had to decide who the over-all winner was who received a family day out to Wicked and the chance to meet the cast and have a back stage tour. We found it really hard to pick a winner. All three were very good in their own way and deserved to win. The guy who won sang Dancing Through Life and I think he has his eyes on my job. Haha. It was a great competition.

After that I was invited onto the stage to perform three songs from my new album and I have to say, if you're reading this and were in that audience, I cannot tell you how great you were as a crowd. I sang Reach The Sky, Brand New You and then loved the fact that so many people in the crowd knew the words and were singing along to the album title track 'The Journey Home' - it was like having 100 backing vocalists. Ha. You guys are the best! Thanks.

We then did a little fashion parade to finish the event. We were each given the task, as cast members to customise a mortar board - you know, those flat graduation cap things with the tassel. The reason for this was because the whole of Wicked day this year was Shiz University themed. We've all made them and they're all now up on ebay for auction and all the money goes to charity. Here's the link below, but if you're gonna bid, then please bid for mine. There was lots of hard work went into it and I signed it! ;)

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wicked-Day-2011-Mortar-Board-Mark-Evans-/280765396229?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item415eebf505#ht_500wt_1178

After the event finished I met a wonderful friend of mine who was over visiting from New York. He'd never heard me sing and caught the tail end of the day where I was performing my set of three songs which was nice. We went for a lovely dinner and a few cocktails before heading on down to The Alley Cat Bar where our Glinda, Louise Dearman was doing her first of three one woman gigs. I tell you now, if you haven't booked a ticket for one of her remaining 2 nights then get onto it. There really aren't many tickets left and the girl is sensational. We had a really great night.

However I do need to get her back for severely embarrassing me! ………..So, here's the story -  on Saturday night I was in the wings at the side of the stage and said to Louise, "What song are you finishing with at your gig tomorrow?" and she said 'Moves Like Jagger' so i said "These are my moves like jagger" and proceeded to perform the stupidest and possibly fastest dance you've ever seen. She said "I'll get you to do that tomorrow night" and we both laughed.

Well long story short - she blooming well did. She got the whole crowd to chant practically so I had no choice but to get up there and groove to the drum beat! Very funny and I really will get her back for that one day! Louise Dearman…be warned!!!

I was really tired by the time I got home that night. Long day! Monday morning I woke and literally worked on the TV show stuff until 2pm when I had to head into town for a meeting over afternoon tea which was lovely and lasted 3 hours! Many a carbohydrate was devoured. Monday night's show was good although I was still feeling rather tired. My friend from New York was watching though which was lovely. He'd seen Wicked on broadway and he actually said our show was, and i quote "far superior" - that's nice isn't it!??!  We had a quick drink afterwards before heading our separate ways. The next time we catch up will probably be if I go to NYC in the new year which is quite likely because my friend Becca who I went to see play Sherrie in Rock Of Ages has just left the show as she opens in Spiderman next week playing the lead girl! Good times!!!

Tuesday I woke up and headed into town to buy some birthday gifts for my friend Haley as 4 of us were meeting for birthday lunch with her that day. It was really nice and we laughed a lot.

Then I headed for a session with my personal trainer who killed me, before a swim then a sun bed (getting brown for the TV show!) and then the show! 

I woke yesterday (Wednesday) early to head in to meet a friend of mine, Laura, and her mum for brunch before the matinee. Laura was our wardrobe mistress on Oklahoma which I did before Wicked and she was also given the relentless task of curling my hair before every single show! She'd never worked with hair in her life. I hadn't seen her since the end of the tour which is a year ago. Can't believe how the time has flown. We were laughing at the memories of just how bad my hair looked in that show on too many occasions. haha. 

Laura and her mum watched the matinee and in-between shows I had some physio and then did more rehearsing of the TV show. We all survived on Lucozade last night during the show. Needed a little help from some sugar to get through! 

I am about to go and meet my friend on her lunch break as she is rehearsing for White Christmas, in which she's playing the leading lady. We've not had a chance to catch up properly in a long time so I can't wait to see her!

Can I please take this moment to thank each and everyone of you who has tweeted or messaged me saying you have nominated me for 'Best Take Over In A Role' for the What's On Stage Awards. I am very flattered. These awards are fast becoming as big as the Olivier's in London so to be nominated by you guys is very touching. Let's see if there was enough of you for me to actually get  abomination. I did try and reply to each of you who said you'd submitted a nomination form. If not well please know that I am very grateful!  

http://awards.whatsonstage.com/index.php?pg=125

I hope you are having a great day so far! Here's to a good week until my next blog. Also - apparently the Starbucks red cups are out, which only means one thing…..it's nearly Chriiiiiiiiiiistmas!!!!!!!

Love your lives folks. All is good, even when it's bad, it's good (cos you're alive)!!!

SH-BOOM!!!

Mark