Sunday 19th April 2026

Managed to get a reasonable night's sleep, though woke with back ache again. Got up about 1000 and descended to the kitchen...brought tea and porridge back to the room. No sign of mein hosts, but Lindsay had evidently done the washing and pegged out my socks and smalls...no mean feat! Drove down to the Spode Museum for coffee...got mobbed by fans! 

Very amusing...though it meant I had to talk rather more than I'd anticipated...I needed to rest my voice after yesterday's double-header. But they were very nice. Drove up the road to pick up Sean and Jenny, then drove to Wrinehill for Sunday lunch at the Hand & Trumpet, which one of the cast members had recommended. Lovely pub, and the food was very good...Aki's lamb was particularly good. Drove back to Sean and Jenny's to watch the Man City v Arsenal game. It was a cracking game...the atmosphere was electric. Man City came out victorious, and can now catch the Gooners! Drove back to Bakewell Street for some soup and a roll, then drove to Hartshill to join James and Anne at Vinyl Night in The Sanctuary. Enjoyed a beer and a chat before the pub closed at 2100, and we drove back to Bakewell Street. Had a bath and fell into bed, exhausted!

Saturday 18th April 2026

Woke around 0800, and got up to make tea. Brought tea back to bed. Drove into the theatre for brunch. Popped back to Bakewell Street to put a packed lunch together for later in the day, and drove back to the theatre for a matinee. Lovely sunny day...but we are condemned to remain inside in the dark...took a photo of the tree-lined car park from my dressing room window. About 300 in this afternoon...great audience...they were well up for dancing on the stage when required. Another standing ovation! Bob and Sayan were in and came to say their farewells back stage afterward...Bob heading out to Crete on Monday, and won't see the show again. Aki turned up at the front of the theatre by taxi from Stoke station. We sat in the bar, and I ordered her some dinner before I ventured back downstairs to warm up for the evening show. About 270 in this evening. They were quieter than this afternoon's lot, but the show went well. Not much of a standing ovation, though Aki got to her feet! We had a quick drink in the bar afterward, and I introduced Aki to the cast, before we headed back to Bakewell Street...

Friday 17th April 2026

Woke at 0200, 0500, and 0800, but managed to nod back off fairly readily. My feet seemed better...hopefully I can build on that with a mix of ibuprofen, and alterations to my footwork on stage. Made tea, and brought porridge up to my room. Languished in bed until 1130. Got up and showered. FaceTimed Aki, who was at the cafe next door to the Rowing Club, having partaken in a coaching session all morning. I drove down to the Spode factory for coffee. Bumped into mein hosts coming in as I was leaving. They'd never been there before! Drove in to Newcastle for lunch at the Greek Bakery. Enjoyed a huge pork wrap with mustard mayo. Did a shop in Sainsburys. Bumped into one of Albert Cooper's daughters, and her fella, as I was leaving. Arranged to return her dad's pipes to her house, which is literally just across the road from the theatre, when the show ends in a couple of weeks time. Drove back to Bakewell Street and stocked up the fridge. Drove in to the theatre for 1630. Did some Alexander Technique before warm up. Felt very weary this evening. About 270 in for the show. I struggled to get much energy into my performance...felt more like pacing myself. But show went well, though I noticed a woman sat behind the keyboard looking very stony faced at the end...she got up and left before the encore. She apparently complained to front of house about the disgusting language in the show! Blimey...some people need to grow up...nothing you won't hear on the bus, for fuck's sake!

Thursday 16th April 2026

Woke around 0430. Failed to properly get back to sleep. Back ache, and aching feet kept me awake. Got up eventually, and brought tea and porridge back to bed with me. Drove down to Stoke for coffee at the Spode tea room. Alerted Anne Kinnaird of my being there...she has her artist studio nearby, and I've been keen to stick my nose in to take a look. She walked down to Spode, though, with one of her colleagues, and had a pot of tea and a chat...will have to visit her studio at a later date. Drove back to Bakewell Street and cooked a ready meal in the oven...lasagne. Eaten with plenty of greens. FaceTimed Aki. She'd cycled down to Sainsburys at The Angel this morning to stock up on supplies. Drove in to the theatre for around 1630. Did some Alexander technique before warm up. Just over 300 in tonight...silver surfers, mostly...there was a bus load or three of 'em. They were great...especially in the first half, but seemed to tire toward the end of the show. I walked through the bar afterward, and was collared by a tall white haired gentleman with a handlebar moustache...he shook my hand and said, "That was the best drunk acting I've ever seen...you were hilarious! Like Norman Wisdom". Praise indeed!!!

Wednesday 15th April 2026

Woke around 0530...got back to sleep eventually. Languished in bed all morning, hoping the rest will benefit my cruelly aching feet. Brought tea and porridge back to bed with me. Eventually rose, and drove down to the Spode Museum in Stoke for a coffee in the Little Vintage Tea Room...best coffee I've enjoyed since arriving in the Potteries. 

Returned my coffee cup to the counter and found myself standing behind Debbie McAndrew...was going to say hello, but a senior moment overtook me and I couldn't remember her name. I think I met her about 30 years ago in the company of Oliver Beamish, with whom I was working at the Vic...she was the barmaid in Coronation Street at the time. She now runs Claybody Theatre Company, which is housed in one of the decrepit buildings on the Spode works estate. Drove on to Middleport Pottery and enjoyed a lunch of Staffordshire lobby in the Packing House Cafe...a local beef and potato stew, served with a bap and butter, and beloved of the pottery workers of yore. Very nice! Drove back down the D Road to Trentham and stocked up on ready meals from the cooknet range at the Blue Diamond outlet. Drove back to Bakewell Street...Aki texted me to say she had landed at Heathrow. It sounds like she had a bumpy landing...a bit windy out there today! She FaceTimed me when she'd gotten back home, struggling through the crowds heading for the Arsenal v Sporting game. She looked fresh despite her long journey and 14 hour flight...she'll sleep well tonight. I drove into Hartshill for dinner at Kismet...got a table this time. Enjoyed a chicken and paneer dish, with bindi bhaji, and roti on the side. Drove back to Bakewell Street and sat in the car listening to the final twenty minutes of the Arsenal match...a gruelling 0-0 draw that takes them into a semi-final with Atletico Madrid...

Tuesday 14th April 2026

Woke at 0530...back felt much better, but having a bit of trouble with my neck. Managed to nod back off after about 30 minutes or so. Woke again at 0800 and dozed for a while. Brought tea and porridge back to bed with me. Aki FaceTimed from Tokyo...she was meeting old colleagues for dinner. She flies back to London tomorrow. Found Aidan in the kitchen...but he made no mention whatever of having seen the show last night...strange chap. Drove down to Stoke...picked up a parcel from Londis at the bottom of the road, then drove on to the Spode Museum, intending to sample the coffee in the cafe...but it was all shut on Mondays and Tuesdays. Walked round the corner to take a look at the Dipping House, the HQ for Claybody Theatre. Nothing on at the moment. Most of the buildings on the Spode site look in imminent danger of collapse! But Claybody have won £150,000 arts funding to undertake improvements. Walked on to the Bluebird Cafe and had a decent latte in there, then drove back to Bakewell Street. Lyndsey was in the kitchen having her lunch...she said they had enjoyed the show last night, especially the This Old House sequence, and drunken Wilf. I stuck a fish pie in the oven for luncheon. Eaten in my room with microwaved greens. Drove in to the theatre. We had a cast meeting with the Midlands Equity representative before warm up for an evening show. About 250 in this evening. Struggling with my feet and general fatigue, but show went well and we were afforded another standing ovation. Had a beer in the bar afterward in the company of Sam and his mum, and her partner. Nice couple. Drove back to Bakewell Street, getting in around 2300...

Monday 13th April 2026

Woke around 0630, and again at 0830. Dozed for a bit. Brought porridge and tea back to bed. Eventually rose, and drove in to the theatre. Booked some tickets for Andy Smith and Stuart Hewlett for next week, and for mein hosts this evening. Walked down into town on my arthritic feet, and enjoyed a coffee in Piccoloco...bumped into Polly and her fella, Perry, and was introduced to Howard Chadwick, a local actor who looks like a Hairy Biker...had worked with Eddie York at Harrogate many moons ago. Walked back up to the theatre, and drove back to Bakewell Street for my lunch...chicken tikka masala and saffron rice, via the microwave. It was a week past it's use by date...but tasted great! Drove back in to the theatre, then walked across to Osteopathic for another session with Sharon...got her to focus on my knotted shoulder blades, and on my mid back...she massaged me into next week...brought my fatigue to the surface. Spent the rest of the day wishing I was in bed asleep! But had a show to do. Only 200 in tonight...so the show felt a bit under energised...in my case, because I felt under energised! My arthritic feet mean I've had to work a limp into my characterisations!!! Was greatly relieved when we finally got to the end. I stuck my head in at the bar, but no sign of mein hosts. They'd gone to bed by the time I got back in...