IT'S BEEN TOO (FUR) LONG !

 

Oil on canvas-Helen

Happy post Easter to all – sorry for lengthy layoff from blogging. But now I’m back ! Hope you all had a fantastic Easter and approach the world with extreme optimism and desire to try your best which is all one can ask. I read a quote recently which said “no one has the right to give you a hard time, not even yourself.” Therefore, if things didn’t go as you envisaged don’t beat yourself up and feel that you’re not good enough. Believe it you are! So what has dark horse been doing, I hear you ask? Well, I was cast in a play recently. A joy from start to finish. I was playing the Yorkshire formidable parent in  ‘The Happiest Days Of Your Life’ and they were ! A pleasure to be with such dedicated and lovely people. This opportunity came at a crucial time for me as I was on the point of giving up. So I am extremely grateful to have been back in harness  and thank those eternally who kept the faith with me. Hopefully more plays will follow, but I must continue to do my homework and try not to become discouraged by anything. Watch this space to see how I’m getting on.

**** NEWSFLASH !!!

At the time of writing I have just been cast as HELGA in 'Allo Allo' more info in later blogs. Delighted to be about to tread the boards again...Watch this space !!

 'Sowter selfie !' In the Dressing room mirror after ageing makeup !

Horrified at the 'Book of misconduct !'

"LUGGAGE !!"

All of the lovely dedicated people involved with 'The Happiest Days Of Your Life' xxx (I am fifth from the right !!)

* Production photographs taken by Sally Evans-reproduced here with her kind permission

Writing News 

My short story is ready to send into the literary maelstrom. I have not written any poetry for ages, despite appearing in three published anthologies.. but there are ideas aplenty. I have written letters and obviously Christmas cards, but perhaps these don’t count. But they do help the  flow however as they keep you connected via the pen to the brain. As Virginia Woolf might say, “ the stream of consciousness”. Apparently I’m a Panster. This means that I prefer to just write away and don’t like to plan my work. In fact at school I hated doing any sort of editing or structure! More news on this soon but I’m working on a new poem and an e-book of poetry so keep tuned to this page!

  SOAPBOX. 

(OUR REGULAR WHINGE COLUMN…

(Equivalent to Room 101.)

. At Cinemas now a recorded message states “ to help us to recycle please leave your litter by your seats…” That does NOTmean empty the contents of  food containers and cups including Popcorn all over the floor !! It looks like flytipping !!

·  Following on from this, bravo to Imelda Staunton for speaking out about many theatre distractions like mobile phones, eating noisy items of food and speaking loudly. Respect  the actors/directors and fellow audience members. If people cannot last for a couple of hours without these things then they should remain at home and give us all an even break as someone once said !!

·  People who have a cold/cough should try not to pass it to others as it literally could mean death to some vulnerable persons and I’m not being overdramatic ! Catch it-bag it-bin it as the slogan said.

·  Why do people drive so fast and  close behind all of the time ?! Putting themselves and others at risk when a little thought might help !?

·  What’s with the new trend of queue-jumping ? Is it a sign of the times-impatience ? Or due to thinking they can get away with it-banking on others not saying anything ? Just because there’s a gap next to the tills doesn’t mean it’s ok ! I wouldn’t mind if someone said “Do you mind if I go ahead ?” but they don’t.  Expect me to pull bad manners up !

·  The sheep-mentality…..why park right next to someone when there’s an empty car park, masses of other spaces and then struggle to get out of the car ??

·  Windows 10 updates…….why do they take forever to upload-often when it’s late and one wishes to get  to bed ??! (I think it’s called ‘Sod’s Law..’)

·  Parents’ Evening…..allocation of THREE mins with each teacher . I mean seriously. Really ??

·  Postmen/women please stop folding single letters in half-just because of double-glazed doors-I can put mail through without folding  so you can too.

·  Undertaking on roundabouts very dangerous and annoying !

·  That’s all……for now !!

BOOK REVIEW. THE YEAR OF THE FAT KNIGHT by Sir Anthony Sher.

(Published by Nick Hern Books aka NHB.)

Anyone who has read any of Tony Sher’s other diaries such as ‘The Year of The King’ in which he played Richard III, will be familiar with his format. For those new to it-I’ll explain. It consists of Sher’s diaries of playing, initially reluctantly, Falstaff interspersed with his own paintings and drawings of the process, himself, current company and famous other Falstaffs of the past. some sketches he did on his actual script along the way. I found it a very entertaining read and a fascinating insight of an actor’s workings and the trials and tribulations of putting on a play. Or in this case Two plays in one. It’s an incredibly honest account as is all of his work and pulls no punches.  He said he blamed the whole idea of playing Falstaff on Sir Ian McKellen who suggested him to Gregory Dornan the director and who happens to be his ‘other half’ too. Sher himself very much doubted that this was ideal casting due to his size and demeanor and the popular conception of what  this most renowned Shakespearian character should look and sound like. This humility is  engaging and we are immediately on his side in his endeavors.  It’s  very funny, touching and inspiring-hard to put down at times as it flows like the river Avon to the RSC ! If you love theatre or arts in general  you will enjoy this but beware the scatological remarks (naughty words…)if you are sensitive to such things. Overall a cracking read.


BOOK REVIEW: OLD DOG by Barney Bardsley (Simon and Shuster.)

They say you should never judge a book by its cover and this is true for `Old Dog'. Although its central character and raison d'etre is Muffin, a mongrel Barney and her family lovingly rehomed from the RSPCA rescue centre, it's about so much more than that. It deals with the perennial questions of life, death, love and unstinting loyalty in the face of developing tragedy. As Muffin accompanies the family throughout her beloved master's terminal illness, the author has been deeply helped and inspired by her nature and compassionate steadfastness. She was there at her master's side along the difficult road of gruelling treatment. She helped Barney and her daughter through their subsequent grief by simply being herself and loving life and the universe, having a blast, showing that she cared and was protecting them. Some lyrics kept springing to mind from a certain song when I thought of Muffin. `I'll protect you from the Hooded Claw, keep the Vampires from your door, when the chips are down, I'll be around with my undying, death defying, love for you........' Muffin is ordinary but has an extraordinary effect upon those in her immediate circle. The book which is written in an easy style shows that dogs-especially Muffin are very sensitive creatures who are intuitive, sniff danger and pick up sorrow. They will do all they can to assuage it, giving comfort even just by being omnipresent. There are also wider examples of how famous dogs in history have shown such devotion and unselfish valour. It is a touching, thought-provoking book which you may need a tissue for at times, but it is in my view ultimately an optimistic read which answers far more questions than it poses, stays with you and is so much more than just a book about a dog. She is now immortalised in print and running on in the Gipton bluebell wood in the sky with coquettish red bandana about her neck and watching over her family as ever. Muffin -`second star to the right'.

So thank you for reading this and I’ll try to post more often than I have ! Off to find my nosebag and have a lie down on some hay. See you soon-unless you stay to read on. (Where have you been ?)    All comments, followers, suggestions for future posts , or subjects I can talk about welcome. However they will be read for prior approval by myself  before making it on to here. 

Au revoir for now-be kind-

Dark Horse x