I laugh in the face of tonsillitis. Ha!

So, the latest round of Glitch performances went down a storm. Thank you to all of you who made it along and to all who helped out.  Another sell-out!!  I had a great time and managed to get a few photographs taken – a couple of which you can see below.  I look ever so serious…

When I’ve got all of the pictures on my computer I’ll upload ’em properly.  Hopefully there’ll be more dates for Glitch, so watch this space.  Want to start developing a new project too…

I’ve got two Lois of the Lane gigs this week.  The first at Velvet‘s 9th Cabaret and Burlesque meetup at Madame Jojo’s on Thursday the 28th and the second at The Red Velvet Curtain Club‘s Lunacy evening at The Whitechapel Art Gallery on Friday the 29th.  Both should be very different and very entertaining evenings!

Then there’s another happening for the Gawkagogo Freakshow at The Vibe Lounge above the Vibe Bar on Brick Lane on March the 12th.  Here’s the back of the flyer:

So if you missed the Barden’s show, now’s yer chance to see a revamped re-run!

Off to the kitchen now to go douse myself in some more honey and hot water.  I shall be triumphant.

Another year, another dose of Glitch

Happy New Year!

Yup, my one woman dystopian black comedy Glitch is back and this time will feature me as my silent comedy alter ego Lois of the Lane.


It’s playing at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden for 5 nights.  Get yer bottoms down there!

There might even be some more free badges:

(Not that I’m trying to bribe you or anything.)

A little potted history of Glitch can be found on my Projects page and here’s the blurb:

Welcome to Room 8933 and the new ‘Stay Safe!’ Character Vetting Process!

‘Stay Safe!’ marks the dawn of a new era of security at Passport Control.  A few minutes and a short digital questionnaire later: you’re free to continue your onward journey.

Quick, simple efficient and painless: ‘Stay Safe!’ – for you, for us, for everyone.

What could possibly go wrong…?

December was a very Crimbly affair for meself (the usual rushing about the shops, sweating profusely and much merrymaking) but I did manage to appear as the Fairy Godmother in Total Rock‘s Christmas Panto ‘Cinderella Boberella’ for me mate Talita.

‘Twas rhymetastic!

2008 holds good stuff in store methinks…

Bring it all on.

Oh yes indeed.

Ooh, it’s got a bit nippy ain’t it?

Brrr…

Again, lots of stuff since the last post.  The Gawkagogo Freakshow tent went down a storm in the Pleasance Courtyard at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe and subsequently we’ve done a one off, massively extended version of the show, with special guests, at the infamous Barden’s Boudoir

…which also went down mightily well!

There will inevitably be more Freakshow news soon…

November beckons, and with it comes a series of private screenings of ‘Small Talk‘, the multi-award winning short film I starred in last year.  It’s being screened alongside 2 other short films – ‘The Trousseau’ and ‘Crossed Lines’ which feature friends as the lead in each.  Here are the dates, times and places:

Tuesday November 13thRiverside Studios, Hammersmith
1:30pm / 2:30pm / 3:30pm – THE TROUSSEAU
1:45pm / 2:45pm / 3:45pm – SMALL TALK
2:00pm / 3:00pm / 4:00pm – CROSSED LINES

Wednesday November 14thCurzon, Soho
6:00pm – THE TROUSSEAU
6:15pm – SMALL TALK
6:30pm – CROSSED LINES

Thursday November 15thThe Pleasance Theatre, Islington
1:30pm / 2:30pm – THE TROUSSEAU
1:45pm / 2:45pm – SMALL TALK
2:00pm / 3:00pm – CROSSED LINES

and here are the blurbs:

————————————————————
THE TROUSSEAU – 17min – Starring Maria Thomas
When the young British Ama learns of her mother’s death she decides to return to her birthplace in Ghana.  The women of her clan question her suitability in taking her grandmother’s place in the funeral preparations, but Ama breaks with tradition and proves them wrong, finding a means to express her sorrow.

Nominated for ‘Best Actress’ and ‘Best Short Film’ at the BFM 8th International Film Festival 2006.

Screened as part of Africa in the Picture season at the Amsterdam Film Festival 2007.
————————————————————
SMALL TALK – 13min – Starring me
A short Black Comedy.  Madeline is an introverted telephone operator who amuses herself by making prank calls to unsuspecting Londoners passing by the phone box outside her flat.  One day she’s caught off guard when someone she calls decides to make small talk back…

1st Prize for the ‘Best Digital Film’ at the 13th International Short Film Festival in Drama (Greece) 2007.

‘Best Non-Italian Short Film’ at Kaleidoshorts 2007, organised by the Italian Embassy.

‘Best Student Drama’ at the Southern Royal Television Society Awards 2006/2007.

Digital Video Practice Award for ‘Best Student Short’ at the End of the Pier Film Festival 2007.
————————————————————
CROSSED LINES – 14min – starring Keith Eyles
Do actions really equal consequences or is life just a lottery and can something as random as a number actually change everything?  In just a few hours Jonathan Shepherd’s life is about to change drastically in this dark tale about infidelity, hypocrisy, mixed communication, bad timing and how far someone will go to protect what they have…

Premier screening of this new film, written, directed and produced by Keith Eyles.
————————————————————

You can find my finely crafted e-flyer for the screenings here. If you’re interested in attending one of them, please let me know. Tickets are limited.

Before November we have ourselves Halloween.  This year I’m going to be working with Gawkagogo on their Voodoo Witchdoctor Automaton installation.  We’ll be at Torture Garden‘s Halloween Ball on the 27th and Opal Nera’s Halloween Ball at T Bar on the 31st.  Come get your diagnosis!

Lastly, but certainly not least, I’ve had several Lois of the Lane gigs and have another coming up at ‘You Little Minx’ at Tiger Tiger in Croydon on the 2nd of November.  I’ve had some wonderful promotional pictures taken of her which I’ll be uploading soon, along with lots of other information, so watch this space.

Off now to go and dig out me thermals…

Lois of the Lane, Pig in the Mud, Firey Clowning and More!

Good grief, a whole heap of a lot of stuff has happened since I last posted on here.  Wearisome wi-fi woe has been holding me back on the update front, but now I am victorious (haha wireless router – I have tamed you!  Feel my power!) and ready to spill all sorts of beans and the like.

So, first up – Lois of the Lane, my cabaret creation.  She’s a smiley silent comedy girl with a penchant for a bit of ridiculousness.  The blurb so far:

Lois of the Lane – Nerd of few words.  Snazzy dresser.  Sharp mover.  Lover of fine music and fine unexpectedness.  Eater of cheese.  Wearer of eyebrow.  Purveyor of the most delicious bite-sized chunks of silent comedy this side of Vaudeville.  You have been warned!

Each of my acts, otherwise known as ‘Random Acts of Ridiculousness‘ are around 4-5 minutes long and comprise of much stupidity 🙂  I currently have 3, (very nearly 4) ready and raring to go, entitled ‘Opus One’, ‘The Box of 1,000 Dances’ and ‘Showdown’.

My first gig at the opening night of Red Dress‘ Supper Club: ‘You Little Minx’ on the 29th of June was a storming success.  This is me, mid ‘Box of 1,000 Dances’, photographed by Moira Lovell:

My next gigs will be at The Vaudeville Cabaret Club during the last 10 days of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.  When I have exact dates, I’ll post ’em.

I’m getting some ‘Lois of the Lane‘ promotional photos done, then there’ll be a whole re-vamp of my website to accommodate my new alter ego.  Lots and lots to do…

Next – The Gawkagogo Freakshow!

We had a fantastic time at the Glastonbury and Latitude festivals.  A constant stream of people, endless queues to get in and a bit of coverage on Channel 4 in the form of Carling’s Festival Postcards.   You can watch our bit in the show here:

Now it’s off to the Pleasance at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe with us and the micro carny tent.  Information and stuff here.  We’re on from the 18th – 27th of August, playing every 15 minutes from 7pm – 9pm and we are one of the 20 must-see acts at the Edinburgh Fringe.  You definitely must see us then.

While we’re up there, Paul‘s got another exhibition going at the Hula Juice Bar, Grassmarket.  Details here.

Lastly, Gawkagogo joined the Fire Tusk Pain Proof Circus at their spectacular gig at The Roundhouse on the 27th of July, as part of the ‘Circus Front’ season.  I had much fun clowning around as Hooters 🙂  Here be gallery:

 

(Actually, this is lastly – pictures from Glastonbury and Latitude:)

(Image above: courtesy of Sonny Malhotra – Reportage Photography.)


Muuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuud!!

Glitch in London! + Monsters!

*Stop Press!*  My Edinburgh Festival creation ‘Glitch‘ is going to be doing the business in London on the 11th and 12th of January 2007.

I’m on at 9:30pm at the Etcetera Theatre in Camden.

The ticket price of £6.50 includes a £1.50 membership fee (valid for a year) so you can go see the shows on before me at 7:30pm then just pay a £5er to enjoy the Glitch experience.

2 shows for £11.50/£12.50.  Barginous!

All the booking details are here, should you wish to book 🙂

Off tonight to be Hooters the Clown at the Press Launch of Paul Garner‘s Monster Art Exhibition.  Here’s the spiel:

—————————————————

HERE BE MONSTERS!!!

We dare you to pay a visit to
PAUL GARNER’s MONSTER ART EXHIBITION
December 15th – February 15th
TUSK TATTOO, 1 Stukeley Street (off Drury Lane), Covent Garden, London WC2

Paul Garner’s art peers behind the curtain of a sinister sideshow underworld where cartoon geeks, zombie kids and unspeakable things from the slab mingle menacingly with the ones that the Scooby Doo gang let get away.

Spawned by a lifelong obsession with all things dark, Paul’s canvases conjure up the cast of a demonic Disneyland in which only Pugsley and Wednesday Addams’ dreams could come true; there are portraits of classic Universal horror film icons, grotesques who seem to have leapt from the pages of Famous Monsters magazine, sketchbook renderings of random monsters from Paul’s id… and more!

Paul Garner’s work has been used on poster, t-shirt and CD cover art, tattoo design, as well as appearing in movie & music magazines, as film concept art, giant murals and toy design.  Now this twisted gallery of oddities has found it’s natural home on the carnival midway walls of London’s Tusk Tattoo.  The exhibition also features photographs of Gawkagogo, Paul and partner Sarah Nield’s groundbreaking half-cartoon, half-freakshow theatre & cabaret troupe, previously described by the press as “Toys ‘r’ Us meets Jerry Springer” and “Spitting Image meets Blue Velvet”.

ORIGINAL ARTWORK AND PRINTS FOR SALE!!!

Open 11:30 to 7:00 Monday to Saturday and 12:30 to 6:00 on Sundays.

PAUL GARNER ART
Original artwork / Tattoo Design / Custom Monsters / T-Shirt Design / Limited Edition Prints

—————————————

Must go and polish me nose…

Back in business

Radio silence – bad…

You can now see me in my half a second, painful, bookish glory in Filament Pictures‘ ‘Figure of Speech’, filmed for the Cobra Vision competition, here (click on ‘September’ on that page if you can’t see it straight away…)  Blink and you may miss me, but the whole thing’s worth a look.

If you think it’s the bees knees, then vote for it as your favourite of the month here (I’m guessing there’s not much time left on that one…)

Aaand – the London run of VEGA$M draws ever closer.  Expect a full on revamp!

Missing, presumed dead, for the month of August

Great news of the day: looks like I’m set to hit the Edinburgh Festival in a few months time with Brand X’s new show ‘VEGA$M‘!!

From past experience with Brand X I know for a fact that it’s going to be one helluva Summer in every way you can think of!

I’ll post updates as I get them, but for now – check out what you’re in store for here…