Saturday 4th April 2026

Woke at 0400, and 0600...alarm at 0730. Felt relatively refreshed, though, compared to recent nights. Descended to make tea, and porridged in my room, before driving in to the theatre for a 0930 start. Warmed up, then went through notes, and worked some bits and pieces, before lunch break. Prepared for the second dress run. Tried to hold back a bit, to save some energy for tonight's full house. Went OK...I felt ready! Dinner break, followed by warm up and sound check, then they opened the house and 600 people piled in. Albert Cooper's daughter Jane had managed to find a couple of her deceased father's pipes, and I utilised one of them in my Grandad scenes. The audience were really up for a good time, and I enjoyed extracting the comedy from all my characters...the show went down a storm. Standing ovation at the end...what an amazing night in the theatre! Showered after the show before ascending to the bar. Eddie York was there, as was Sarah Mortimer, Tim Welton and Lynn Whitehead, who had all been in the 1989 production. Got collared by a woman and her daughter...turned out to be Zoe, who had worked behind the bar in 1988/1989! She'd had a bit of a fling with Graham at the time!!! Did the rounds, catching up with various people. Carol Ruggier, who had played Molly in the 1991 production, had made it up from London, in the company of her fella, Bryan. Albert Cooper's daughters, Sarah and Jane, were there too. Had a nice chat with Jenny, Liz Evans' daughter, who plays rugby for the Welsh national team. All in all, a great night. By the time I drove back to Penkhull, Storm Dave was in full swing...bits of tree in the streets! Got to bed around 0030...

Friday 3rd April 2026

Woke at 0200, 0400, and 0800...managed to nod off eventually, finally waking around 1000. Got up and brought tea and porridge back to bed with me. Did some work at the laptop, and made some first night cards. Aki FaceTimed from Tokyo, where she was enjoying dinner with Chiaki and Yoshi. They had been out enjoying the cherry blossom this afternoon. Drove in to Newcastle...parked up at Sainsburys and walked into town. Brunched at the Greek Bakery...very tasty pork gyro. I promised to return. Bought a chicken and cheese pie to take to the theatre tomorrow. Phoned Aki from a bench in the ornamental gardens. She had gone to bed feeling a little tipsy after sitting up drinking with Chiaki. She's off to Osaka tomorrow. Walked back to Sainsburys and did a shop, before driving on to Tesco to buy Ms Molly's strawberry jelly trifles to give to the girls as first night presents tomorrow. Drove back to Bakewell Street. Made some more first night cards, and had a lie down for a bit, listening to music. Ordered a cervical pillow...will hopefully be delivered to the theatre early next week. Lemon chicken risotto microwave meal for dinner, with some greens. Ate in the Morning Room and watched the first episode of series 3 of Trying...it's gone a bit soppy now the children have arrived. Hope it gets better. 

Thursday 2nd April 2026

Woke at about 0400 and don't think I really got back to sleep again. Probably dozed off around 0700, and woke again at 0800. Sat up and listened to Today, swearing every time sound clips of Trump came on! He should be put up against a wall and shot! Showered. Aki FaceTimed from Yokohama, where she is staying with Chiaki and Yoshi. News of Ha-Chan not good...sounds as though her discharge from hospital may not happen when Aki was hoping it might. 

Drove in to the theatre for brunch, prior to an 1130 call. Slow start to the working day. Got into costume for photo calls before breaking for lunch.  I sat on a bench in the car park, dedicated to the memory of big John Humphries...he was the theatre carpenter during my 1990s tenure...a grand bloke...he probably built the bench! Managed to persuade my cast mates to record a rendition of Happy Birthday to Aki, which I sent to her via WhatsApp. Did a run of the play in the late afternoon. Went OK...small invited audience, who were game for getting up and dancing. I missed a couple of entrances...just seemed to run out of oomph. Felt very weary afterward. David organised a large delivery of fish, chips and mushy peas, which we ate in the atrium before dispersing. Drove back to Bakewell Street. Mein hosts away for the night...they are watching Huddersfield v Reading tomorrow. Sat in my room nursing a Guinness before running a bath.

Wednesday 1st April 2026

Woke at 0330, and again at 0600...as per usual! Back giving me some gip, so sat up in bed for a while. Alarm at 0730. Rose slowly and descended to make tea. Lindsey was in the kitchen in her cycling lycra...she and Aidan had sold on their business yesterday, and she was now looking forward to some me time. Porridged in my room. Drove in to Basford for a 0915 start...yet another 11 hour day in prospect! Ran Act II in the pre-lunch session. Lunched on Staffordshire oatcakes in the restaurant. FaceTimed Aki as she was about to bed down for the night at Izumi's in Tokyo...they had experienced a 10 second, minor earthquake today! Ran Act I in the afternoon/evening session. All went reasonably well...broke around 2000. Repaired to the Hop Inn with some of the cast, for a half of Guinness before driving back to Bakewell Street. Got in around 2115. Took a mug of tea up to my room. 

Tuesday 31st March 2026

Woke at 0330, and again around 0600. Alarm at 0730. Got up and showered before descending to make tea. Porridged in my room. Drove to Basford for a 0915 start. Continued working through Act II. Broke for lunch at 1400. Aki sent some photos of cherry blossom in full bloom...I sent her a photo of me in my college lecturer wig beneath the magnolia tree in the theatre garden. Another long afternoon/evening session. Did Hit The Road Jack three or four times...my bad hernia repair giving me gip by the end of rehearsals. Broke at 2000 and ate my prawn salad, before driving back to Bakewell Street. No sign of mein hosts. Repaired to my room, exhausted!

Monday 30th March 2026

Woke at 0300, and at 0600. Alarm at 0800. Got up and descended to make tea. Porridged in my room. Grey, damp day. Drove to Tesco and did a little shopping...filled up with petrol...and picked up a coffee. Got to the theatre around 1000. Morning sound checking the songs in Act II, then we started Act II technical rehearsals. Tea break was marked by cake to celebrate Georgie's birthday. Broke for lunch at 1400. FaceTimed Aki, who was at Izumi's. Long afternoon session, but made good progress toward the end of the show. Broke at 2000. Feet ache. Feel very weary indeed. Ate my pre-prepared prawn salad then drove back to Bakewell Street. Lindsey was sat at the kitchen table on a zoom meeting. She said she had had a tough day...the deal to sell the business almost fell through! Retired upstairs to my room. 

Sunday 29th March 2026

Woke at 0430...my usual 0330, but the clocks had gone forward an hour! Managed to nod back off after half-an-hour, waking again at 0945. FaceTimed Aki from her hotel room in Nagano. The Buddhist ceremony had gone well, though she hadn't expected to have to pick up one of her deceased brother-in-law's bones, and drop it into the family vault! I descended to the kitchen to make tea...ate my porridge in my room. Lindsey doing a big wash, so I took up her offer to wash me smalls. Drove into Newcastle. Parked up at Morrisons and walked into town in the drizzle for a coffee, only to discover Piccoloco was closed on Sundays...had a cappuccino at Bread & Bake next door, then drove to The Secret Garden in Clayton for Sunday lunch with Sam, David, and Georgie. Very odd venue...a small 60s era unit in a little parade of shops, that has been done out in garish neon...a floor singer serenaded us through our two courses. There was half a flamingo in a feather boa in the Gents! Food was OK...the prawn cocktail didn't have any prawns in it, though...shrimp! The pork belly was OK, with roast potatoes, cauliflower cheese, and a Yorkshire pudding! Dropped David off at Morrisons on my way back to Penkhull. My washing had been done, so I re-made my bed. Had a lie down for half-an-hour then got up and dined on a chocolate pudding, before driving to Hartshill to meet up with James and Anne for Vinyl Destination at The Sanctuary. Had a Guinness and listened to some Cat Power, Comsat Angels, and The Count Five. Got back to the digs around 2045. Made tomorrow's prawn salad. Listened to some music and watched some TV in my room before collapsing into bed...