Hey Everyone,
Happy Thursday.
Hope you've had a cracking day. I feel like having champagne with my breakfast today to celebrate the fact that I have three days off work which means I don't have to sing or shout or even move if I don't want to. BRILLIANT!!! Don't get me wrong, as regular readers of my blog you will all know how much I love my job and am full of gratitude but there is only one word to describe how I have felt recently and that's exhausted! It's always the same when you get closer and closer to some time off you want it to come even sooner! So I am heading for a men's express facial and massage just after lunch and then I'm meeting a friend for cocktails all afternoon before heading to watch another friend in Matilda because she took over the role of the teacher Miss Honey on Tuesday night! So I can already tell you that this day is gonna be a great one!
So this week has been an interesting one. Last Thursday matinee I had 48 people in from North Wales watching the show and so I went to meet them afterwards in the auditorium and it was great to see them all and have them all enjoy the show so much. They are so supportive in everything I do!
Friday I had a great day. I met my friend Caroline in the morning to go and watch The Hunger Games in the cinema which we loved. It obviously didn't have the same amount of amazing detail as the book and I actually much preferred the book, but a film can never be as good in my opinion because there's nothing like using your own imagination to create a world that you can believe in and invest in as much as you do when you read a story. But I felt that the film was a very good adaptation and it kept true to the characters' personalities and all the key parts of the story.
After that we went for lunch and then coffee before I headed into work for a guitar lesson. My teacher and I have been working all the different bar chords - it's killing my brain trying to remember them all and it's also killing my fingers trying to play them all, but I'm past just working on Unchained Melody now - I could probably do it in my sleep without even realising it! Ha.
Saturday I headed into town to meet my ex flatmate Liz and her sister for a quick catch up before the matinee and then had dinner with a friend of mine who works on the bar at our theatre. After the evening show I had a quick drink at the pub with some people from the show before heading back to Callum's house for a pizza. Callum is one of our swings (A swing is a cast member who knows all of the ensemble members' show tracks for when they are sick, injured or on holiday) and he's recently moved to live around the corner from me. We watched The Voice on T.V and then just chatted and laughed a lot! I can tell you, I don't think I've laughed that hard for quite some time. We were just being really stupid and it's one of those things that is only funny if you were there and in on the joke, but I was literally on the floor with stomach cramps from laughing so much. It was good to get it out of my system!
Sunday morning i woke and ran a few errands in my car before having a late lunch and then getting suited and booted to head on down to the Olivier Awards. It was an amazing night. I thought they were organised so well and Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton as the two hosts were fantastic. Really led the show in a laid back, fun, entertaining way and the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden is certainly a perfect venue to host the awards. It's stunning and I had the perfect seat. 5 rows back in the centre of the stalls with the producers and creative team of Ghost! It was a really great night followed by an excellent party (which must have cost an absolute fortune - thank you very much Master Card!)
It didn't end up being too late a night for me, but I went to bed feeling inspired by all the amazing talent that was present at the awards and also incredibly proud and privileged to be a part of British Theatre and to be working on one of the most exciting new musicals in the West End. Moments like that are very important in an actors life because they reming you of why we are in this tough industry!!!
Monday morning I worked a little on some Hen party preparations for my friends Hen this coming Sunday and then headed into town because I was suppose to record in the recording studio, but Ben who I've been working with had to prioritise something else for the next day so I let him carry on and I went to the gym before spending a really enjoyable afternoon hanging out with a friend around London. Monday night's show was great I had some friends and some family watching and it was lovely to know that it was the first show of a mere 3 show week for me so I really enjoyed it. Afterwards I caught up with my friend Pete who was watching who I have not seen since we both finished working on Oklahoma 18 months ago. We had a good laugh and it was really great to see him again and then I headed home to start reading the second book in the Hunger Games trilogy 'Catching Fire' - of which I have so far read 4 chapters and it is yet to grab me like the first one did but I am going to be patient, seen as though everyone has told me they think it's even better than the first!
Tuesday was a really cool day. I was picked up in the morning and driven to a nice studio in east London to meet Siobhan from the show and a small film crew and a couple of the Ghost management to work on a little project which will all be revealed very soon. It's a cool idea and I think you're all gonna love it!
After that I just grabbed some food before heading to work to do the show.
Yesterday (Wednesday) I woke nice and early, determined to get most of the preparations for my friend's Hen do sorted so I don't have to worry about it on my time off, which I did, then I headed to the cinema to watch 'The Cabin In The Woods' which was weird but clever and I suppose it was a bit jumpy but not too scary! It's worth a watch if you're interested!
After that I had a couple more errands to run before filming for the BBC in my dressing room for a short piece about people being scammed and ripped off when it comes to trusting agents and producers/casting directors within the entertainment industry. After the show last night I met a friend for a good few drinks and had a good laugh which was the perfect way to start my time off from the show.
Which brings me to today! Happily ready to enjoy some London city life and let my short hair down a little!
Have a great week folks! Keep smiling and keep believing!
Sh-Boom!!!
Mark
