2011

It doesn’t feel like it could get any better with our three shows this Christmas. Staging BAGPUSS was fraught with our fear about touching a national icon, but the show produced with Soho is quite faultless and has an extraordinary effect on its audience. I sat next to a 2 year old on Sunday who didn’t take her eyes off the stage for 45 mins. I sat there wondering what was going through her head: she was utterly captivated by the actors and the puppets and seemed in a heavenly dream world. Quite a wonderful experience. THE FIREWORK-MAKER continues to blaze in Birmingham. I cry everytime I see it – it’s such a good story which ends with the lesson that suffering can bring wisdom. How many children’s shows deal with such important themes? I’ve invited the cast over for food and fireworks on Friday – they’ve been fantastic! And GEORGE continues to mix his MARVELLOUS MEDICINE at the Bloomsbury, where we’ve added new shows to cope with demand. Another superb cast who quite unbelievably have been performing this show twice a day since October 2009! My old teacher Rudi Shelly said acting is not about whether you can do it, but whether you can do it again – and again – and again – and again – and still make yourself and the audience believe it is happening for the first time. The cast of GEORGE could give a masterclass in the art of acting. We are very lucky to have such fine teams front and back stage who have acquited themselves so beautifully over these frosty weeks.