The Extreme Staycation

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown I think we Brits don't really like to be told what to do.  However, we get quite annoyed when everyone else doesn't do what they've been told to do either.  I mean, just try to jump a queue at a bus stop and you'll find British people very much adhere to this socially embedded rule. I've seen many examples of people in groups which I am sure are not family groups - people flouting the goverment guidelines.   Why do these people think they are unaffected by the rules?  And the number of times I've walked in the road because of a walking couple who just take up the entire footpath is a huge number.  Why do these people not think about their actions when I am capapable of thinking outside my space and keep my distance? This is the kind of thing that can lead to one getting angry, twitching curtains and considering calling 101 and reporting behaviour.  I've not gone down that route ...

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Easter Sunday 🥚 Thanks to Andrew Lloyd Webber's generosity, today I watched Jesus Christ Superstar  - the 2012 arena tour.  I was really excited to see this as I didn't get to at the time and I've never seen the musical - ever! And what a cast - a Spice Girl (Mel C) a radio legend (Chris Moyles who was HUGE at the time) and Tim Minchin as Judas who blew me away.  I also loved  Alexander Hanson as Pontius Pilate It definitely felt like a good choice for Easter Sunday! I'm sure they made some updates to it, but considering this musical is now 50 years old, it felt fresh and modern in it's telling of a story from 2000 years ago.  It didn't have good reviews at the time, but I enjoyed it - maybe weirdly it works better on screen?

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown Motivation I think everyone struggles to be motivated on occasion. During this weird time we now find ourselves in, I think that people will be experiencing conflicting feelings. Firstly, a feeling of abundance.  As a creative, you've almost been gifted time.  Time is the thing we all wish we had more of.  Time to write, time to work on those monologues, practice tap, perfect your guitar chords.  And now it's all we have. Secondly, pressure.  I've got time, I have to use it.  Why aren't I using this time better?  What else can I do? Thirdly, being overwhelmed.  There are almost too many options.  I have a calendar full of activities - calls, quizzes, writing and acting groups.  And what am I missing out on?  So many things to watch on tv, theatre being streamed, free books to read or listen to, free exercise classes... And then it becomes too much an...

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown I am a Londoner born and raised.  As an actor, I have travelled to pretty much every corner of the city for auditions, rehearsals, performances etc so I feel I know this sprawling metropolis pretty well.   One of my favourite things to do, is to walk through London with no particular place to be.  It's the best way to explore any city.  I love all the sights and sounds and smells you get to experience when wandering along. And London is so immense that there is never going to be a shortage of places to explore, of new discoveries to be made, new views to be seen. One of my favourite quotes is this well known one:  'Sir,  when  a man is  tired  of  London , he is  tired  of  life ; for there is in  London  all that  life can  afford.' ... Samuel Johnson, to which I totally agree. And right now, I miss my city.  It's b...

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown April Fools Day! Yeah, maybe not so much this year. Sad but inevitable news today was that the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2020 has been cancelled. Having been up as a performer and as a producer/performer I know that even at this point, 4 months before the fringe starts, that a huge amount of work, time and money would have already gone into preparing for the adventure. But it was the sensible thing to do. Even if the festival went ahead, what would it be like?  Shows wouldn't be able to rehearse (unless it was a solo show) and any fundraising, from a now even more cash-strapped society, could be potentially impossible. What will the Edinburgh Fringe 2021 be like I wonder?  Would C be the biggest section in the EdFringe guide as a multitude of productions' titles feature Coronavirus in the title? Who knows, time will tell. Free Theatre online: https://www.timeout.com/london/news/the-national-...

Location: London, UK COVID-19 / Coronavirus Outbreak Lockdown As of Monday night we, the UK, are on lockdown. Like a lot of people, I was relieved that this was finally being enforced.  It seems that this is the only way to beat this thing, so let's start now so we can get past it. I've been heartened by many people's responses - Adam Garcia giving beginners tap classes on Instagram , Davina McCall making her website free for 30 days, Audible giving 30 days free access to children's books and many more. I have three predictions: 1. There will be a baby boom in December 2. There will be a large number of divorce petitions by June 3. Home burglary rates will dramatically decrease (probably the opposite for businesses sadly) For my part, I'm going to follow the government's advise, I think it is the socially responsible thing to do.