BLOG 114!!! Penultimate Ghostly Week!

Hey Everyone,

Happy Thursday.

I hope you're all doing well! Thanks to all of you who tweeted me your favourite Blog posts last week, it was a great trip down memory lane and also a shocking reminder of just extremely random I can be!

So we have just 13 shows of Ghost left (including 2 today). It's very much bitter sweet as I see it at the moment. It's always a relief to finish any long contract, just so your body and mind can recover, but this show is so special and unique that it's also extremely upsetting that we won't be telling this story anymore. It's difficult to find a musical which has as much truth and heart as Ghost with a script which, as an actor, makes you feel you could be doing a film it's so natural in its style - I know what you're all thinking 'well it was a film originally duh!' - but, screen to stage musicals do not always work but this one really does.

That's all I'm really gonna write about Ghost this week as next week's blog will be all about Ghost including some stories that you may not have been told and it will certainly be dedicated to Siobhan for being a wonderful leading lady to work opposite for 10 months!

I have started a new thing on twitter for these two weeks where I will be posting lots of pictures of various ghost related things which are in my photo library from throughout the contract and it's called #MyGhostJourney so keep an eye on those pictures! LOTS of photos I will not have posted on Twitter before!

It's been a good week since last Thursday. Lots of fun in the show and a pretty busy life outside of it too. My brother in law and his Dad arrived after the show on Thursday night to unload their tools into my flat and prepare for the big ass bathroom renovation I'm having done! The skip arrived in the morning and within 2 hours, what used to be my bathroom was in the skip on the roadside and I was left with a shell of mashed up bricks and nothing else!

They've worked really hard on it all week though and it's looking amazing and I can't wait to shower in there for the first time. It will be finished on Saturday! ......don't worry, I have been showering at the gym and at the theatre and in my neighbour's flat downstairs, so no, you judgmental people, I have not been smelly for a week!

This week has kind of been all about sleeping on my lounge floor and doing what I can to help the guys in the bathroom.

Other than that, I went to watch Taboo the musical on Sunday night which was great. Some wonderful performances and the songs (as ever) are brilliant! I've loved that show since it was first in London 10 years ago!
I was feeling a little tired that night though as the night before it was boys poker night with the Ghosties and my bedtime ended up being 4.30am! Worth it though as it was a really fun night!

Siobhan and I spent the day together yesterday, buying a few farewell gifts for the company and then lunch before watching a few of our friends in We Will Rock You. The singing in that show is always phenomenal. I can't wait to watch one of  my good mates Oliver Tompsett sing the wotsits off of those songs! He opens on October 8th! They are so lucky to have him going into it! He's one of my favourite vocalists ever!

Other than that folks there's nothing really to report. I am trying to work out exactly when I will have time to sort my flat, my dressing room, my packing and song learning and life out before Shanghai all whilst doing the next 13 shows but I have decided to just ignore it all and it will all happen when needed! Needless to say, this next week is gonna be MANIC!!!

Right then, I'm off to see my physio! Have a great week peeps!

Keep believing!

Sh-Boom!

Mark

Blog 113! TWO YEARS OF BLOGGING!!!

Hey Everyone,

Happy Thursday. Hope you're all doing well. I've been up for hours already preparing my flat for utter mayhem which begins tomorrow morning. My brother in law and his dad arrive tonight to start work on ripping out my bathroom and completely replacing it and revamping it which is gonna be a nightmare (for them not me) but it also means that I am homeless for a week.

I can't wait for it to be finished and I'm thrilled I have two perfectionists working on it for me because it's gonna look a treat. So long bath, hello MASSIVE shower!

Anyway, I'm gonna head in to do two shows in a little while. There's not much to say about what I've been up to this week as I was signed off from Thursday through to Saturday and so all I did was rest and that is dull for me let alone for you if I were to write about it.

So…… I have decided to write about some suggestions that people tweeted me last night.

First topic:

TELL US ABOUT YOUR SHANGHAI TRIP AFTER GHOST!?

Okay, so it's called Ultimate Broadway. I'm one of the four principals, the others being Ria Jones, Kerry Ellis and Josh Young. There is a British ensemble of 10 singer/dancers, a Chinese ensemble of 25 and a 45 piece orchestra.

It's at the amazing Shanghai Culture Square Theatre which is one of the most stunning theatres on the planet. The principals are there for a week and a half of rehearsals before doing 13 performances.

I've been given my song list and I can't wait to perform such a variety of songs. One of which might just be a duet from Ghost!

So I finish Ghost on October 6th, I head to Cardiff on october 7th for a big concert titled 'A Night At The Musicals' and then fly to Shanghai first thing on Monday the 8th of October for three weeks.

While I'm on the subject, Facebook & Twitter are not permitted in Shanghai therefore I probably won't be writing my blog weekly while I'm there but will certainly write one when I'm back on October 30th

Right next topic:

SHARE SOME OF YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORIES OF MATT BEADLE WHO PASSED AWAY LAST WEEK.

Matt was an incredible guy who I trained with at college about 8 years ago. He sadly died just over a week ago aged 32, whilst on a stag holiday with his friends in Las Vegas. It's such a tragic loss to the world, he was one of the most genuinely down to earth, kind and fun guys I had the pleasure of knowing. A wise, mature soul with the biggest smile I've ever seen.

I have many fond memories of him from our college days, the most prominent was that we were in the same singing lessons in our first ever term in college. Three of us, every Thursday morning - I remember him having such a loud voice that the windows would almost shake. He was singing the song 'Alive' in our very first lesson and I thought 'shit, this college has good singers, I need to up my game'. He inspired me, encouraged me and we just enjoyed each other's company. I don't profess to have been one of his closest friends but I am so very sad to hear the news of his death and my deepest sympathy goes to his family and friends. I hope they find the strength to deal with the shock and their grief. 

It certainly proved to me and other people who knew Matt just how precious life is. Take each day and cherish it folks as we only have one chance at this life!

Last topic:

TWO YEARS OF BLOGGING!!!

Ok so this topic wasn't tweeted to me, I just remembered that it has been two years this week since my first ever blog, which I posted from my digs in Cheltenham whilst touring with Oklahoma. So much has changed since that job and that part of my life - So…

I thought I would suggest that if any of you, my wonderful loyal readers, remember a specific blog post that you enjoyed reading about then please tweet/Facebook me the link to it once you've found it amongst my previous posts and tell me why you enjoyed it - it'll be a different way of me having a trip down memory lane! 

The reason I started my blog was to give people an insight into the every day life of a leading actor in theatre and TV. The response I get from all of you who read it is amazing and I'm glad so many of you enjoy reading them, (I'm not far off 100,000 blog views!) feel inspired by them and can a lot of the time relate to them and hopefully feel uplifted by my positivity. I don't profess to be the happiest person on earth, and there have been plenty of times were I too have been in a dark place and found certain things in life to be very difficult but to dwell on those moments and not celebrate life is just a waste and I have the memory of Matt Beadle, a wonderful man to remind me to do what I want in life and enjoy every minute.

This Blog is dedicated to the memory of Matt Beadle!

Keep Believing, Thanks for reading (that rhymes) and above all……

SH-BOOM!!!

Mark

PS Two weeks Saturday is the last ever show of Ghost in the West End (October 6th), if you've not seen it, I urge you to buy tickets asap and come over the next fortnight! 

Blog 112! A Royal Visit!

Yo yo yo,

Wassup my readers?! Just thought I'd start this weeks blog a little differently.
How you all doing?......... I'm waiting for an answer- How are you? Come on now, I want you to say how you are feeling out loud- Ok so if you're moaning or complaining just start thinking genuinely about any and all the good things in your life! Do it now! 3 good things in your life! Right, now you're feeling good, let's continue!

It's been a good week more or less including a visitation from none other than my amazing mum! Good times!

Last Friday I spent the morning researching properties (dull for you) whilst having a nice breakfast in the sun then I headed to meet my pal Haley for a good catch up over an iced lemonade drink that Cafe Nero have started doing recently! It is so sugary but really nice to drink in the sun!  I'm in such a random waffling mood today.... I mean, why the hell do you wanna know what I drank from Cafe Nero?!

Anyhoooo- I left Haley to have a meeting with my agent and I then went to work to do the show.

When I got home, my mate who has been staying with me a few times recently (cos he is homeless until he moves into his new flat on Sunday) had made me food. He asked during the day what I fancied to eat that night and I said "Spanish Tapas" as a joke cos that would be a lot of effort!
Low and behold, I get home that night and there's a big paella, prawns with chilli dip, cheesy bites, olives, chicken skewers, stewed red peppers, nice breads and dips and the list goes on! He was so proud of himself for taking on my challenge and I was thrilled he did too cos it was delicious!

HOWEVER.......that night I didn't get ANY sleep because I must have eaten something dodgy! I blame Sainsburys! But I was literally ill all night which resulted in me calling my company manager on Saturday explaining the situation and how there was no way possible I could do the show that day having been so violently I'll and had no sleep at all.

So Saturday consisted of laying down, resting and replenishing my body with water & nutrients!
I felt much better by the evening, just tired (not much new there then).

After a really good nights sleep I woke feeling great and decided to randomly drive down to Dover with a mate to have a chill all day and to have a BBQ on the beach, swim in the sea, drive up the white cliffs and just enjoy the sunshine! It definitely proved to me that you don't always need to leave the UK to feel like you're on holiday! It was a great day which ended in a chilled night watching the Paralympic closing ceremony in my lounge and feeling really rested!

Monday I got up early to go to the gym to fit in a work out before Mother Evans arrived London Euston. Once she got in on the train, we walked down to Trafalgar Square to watch the parade of all the 2012 athletes. The atmosphere was amazing and it was a great way to finish what has been an incredible summer for British sport and for London and the UK in general. Mum loved it too which was the most important thing!

After that I took her for dinner to one of my favourite restaurants and then for some frozen yoghurt before she watched the show that night.
She met lots of my friends on the train home which she enjoyed and after a good sleep we woke Tuesday morning to go and view some properties together. The first place sent us into a delirious state for the rest of the day because the owner was an old lady who liked to collect things! LOTS  of things and it was so funny hearing her tell us all the reasons why she wanted to collect each different item, I kept catching my mum's eye and we were trying desperately not to laugh! Sweet lady though. After a busy morning driving around viewing different paces we had a nice chilled afternoon (we both had a nap) before I headed to work and she watched the show again! She loves it so much! She will have seen it 6 times by the time she and my sister come again for our last show on October 6th!

We headed home for nice nibbles and a good laugh before bed!

Yesterday (Wednesday) we just spent the day wandering round London and eating in some of my favourite places etc before I bid her a miserable farewell in Euston - hate saying goodbye to Mum every time! She's a legend!

Last night the show was tough vocally which is why I'm heading to see my physio now to see if he gives me the ok to do two shows today, but a great distraction from being concerned about my voice was the fact that the second understudy for Molly was on - Amy Webb and she was wonderful. It was lovely to act opposite a different portrayal of the role and she has a killer voice! What a talented gal!

Anyway I need to post this so I can head to hopefully get healed!!!

Thanks for reading as ever! Next week marks two whole years of blogging! That is dedication!

Have a great week and remember if you feel a bit rubbish, think of three things to be grateful for and which make you happy and it'll really help!

Keep Believing

Sh-boom!

Mark

BLOG 111! Tits and Ass!!!

Hi Everyone,

How you all doing? Hope you've had a good week.

Isn't it nice to have this sunshine. It's gonna be a good September I can tell!

So last Thursday was a struggle to get through two shows but seeing my physio  helped- he actually signed me off both shows saying I should rest my voice but I decided to not do what I was told and pushed through. I had 70 people in that I knew from Wales so I felt the need to be there!

By Thursday night I really needed my bed!
Friday I had a quiet day by myself and decided to have a relaxing massage at my favourite place, Thai Square Spa in Covent Garden! I opted for a different treatment to my usual which ended up being the most painful massage I have ever had without a doubt. When a physio treats you they might cause pain for a couple of minutes then move onto a different area for a while, but no, Demon Bitch (which is what I decided her name should be) got her elbow in every single muscle on my back and shoulders and neck and wouldn't let up until it was practically rolled out like pastry! I had silent tears it was so bad. She was literally crawling over me, using her feet, stretching me, cracking me and basically making me ridiculously close to demanding a refund. When she was finished she let me have 10 minutes to recover and stretch out which I requested and I suddenly realised that it was the most effective treatment I have ever had.

I got to work that night and my whole body felt so easy and relaxed and my voice could sing easily because all the tension had been forced out of my upper body! I decided Demon Bitch was nasty but she needed a medal for what she had done for me! I am now terrified to go back to her, but I know that I will on many occasions because it is certainly worth it!

So Saturday I woke feeling really motivated and revitalised and ready for the last couple of shows of the week. I headed in early for my guitar lesson which was hard work. I'm learning a really tricky piece at the  moment and my fingers nearly dropped off by the end! I enjoy it though.

I was absolutely delirious by the last show of the week on Saturday night and just found everything hilarious! We have a lot of banter back stage at Ghost which is surprising considering I'm rarely off the stage! It was a good show and a good way to end the week- and what was better was heading home to have a few glasses of well earned red wine!

Sunday I woke and had a chilled day at home before heading to the gym for a good work out (I know, on a day off- nutter!) then went to meet Louise Dearman for our West End Bares sound check. We ran through the song a couple of times and then headed for some food and a cheeky glass of wine!

We went back to get ready for the two shows and we walked back stage into a haze of glitter, naked bodies and more make up than the cast of Priscilla x 100!!!!!

There was no where to turn without getting practically poked in the eye by a painted nipple or accidentally getting a face full of rear end- it was an experience like not many others! "Hi, I'm Mark, nice to meet you, nice ass by the way" (that ass being covered in bronze body paint of course!)

The show itself was pretty darn amazing- what everyone did on a stage the size of a couple of place mats was incredible! There are some fiercely talented dancers in the West End and get them dancing with no clothes on and they're suddenly even more talented! It was a great night, fun, sexy, classy and all in aid of a fantastic charity,Theatre MAD! It's not yet been confirmed what has been raised in total but if you were in the audience, thanks so much for coming and being such a great crowd. I hope you had as much fun as we did!

I was shattered by the end of the night! There was A LOT of waiting around without really being able to relax because you'd get an "excuse me, I think your sitting on my bra" or a "do you mind going in my handbag and passing me that bottle of Vodka"- also, Louise and I were there literally to sing the finale song (no stripping involved) but when you have people running around getting sprayed and oiled and seeing them limbering up you kind of feel you should be doing something other than just sitting and chatting! So we stood and chatted instead- which is simply exhausting of course!

I woke on Monday and headed to have a second viewing of a property I was interested in which I have decided not to buy, then I headed to work!

The rest of this week has been pretty uneventful really I've spent most of this blog writing about nude hotties but hey, why not! I'm off to do two shows now! I read a book yesterday- literally the whole thing, I urge you to read it if you're an actor or in training- its called:
The Golden Rules Of Acting That Nobody Ever Tells You - by Andy Nyman
It's a witty, easy read book which is very informative and it's actually good to read if you are a friend of an actor so you know how to handle them during the 'out of work' times etc. It's all so true and very motivating and reassuring!

If you read it, let me know what you think!

Have a great week folks! Keep believing!

Sh-Boom!

Mark