Category Archives: stage

The Boys Were Back in Town!

Hi folks. And Happy New Year…. bit late for that aren’t I? Hope 2025 is treating you well.

But anyway, I’ve been busy with a remount of our show, The Boys are Back In’t Tarn, at the fabulous Lamproom Theatre in Barnsley last Friday night, Feb 7th.

A fabulous evening with an amazing audience and a bloody lovely cast, recreating our aging metal band, Lucifer’s Love Child.

More shows coming up later in the year, Leeds (May 10) and Sheffield (Oct 3). Keep an eye on Coalface Productions for details. And special thanks to our amazing writers/producers, Paul Athorne and Lee Pollard. Very talented chaps.

 

 

Farewell 2024 – Welcome 2025

Hello 2025

Here we are, the final day of 2024, and looking ahead to the new year. 

I’ve had some great times this year, but 2024 leaves me rather sad as some of the fizz and pop have gone flat in these last weeks. 

A nagging pain has caused health concerns recently, though recent tests and scans look hopeful. More investigations to come in the new year. And my relationship has entered a “on a break” phase, just short of two years, which had me feeling quite low over the Christmas period. So there’s been lots of comfort eating. My traditional Christmas tarts disappeared quickly. Diet and steady walking begin next week.

I’ve been lucky to have some travel in 2024. A wonderful short trip to Essaouira in Morocco in April. An amazing place and I hope to return some day. 

And more recently a trip to Canada in October to be part of Esther Fest in Amherst, Nova Scotia, thanks to my wonderful friend Charlie Rhindress. We had a reading of Guilty! The Story of the Great Amherst Mystery, a play I was in over 30 years ago. It was a delight to catch up with so many old friends whilst I was there.

With Charlie at Harvey’s… best burgers
At the Anne Murray Centre
Cast of GUILTY! reading
Charlie on Amherst Ghost Walk

And I had a more local, but equally delightful, trip this past week. Went to visit Jon near Skegness, with Kim and Linda, and we caught up on over 50 years of friendship. 

Work-wise, I finished the year with a nice voice job, reading a smashing story for the GeoStories app, Professor Graveling’s Last lecture. Download the app and see if you can find me within some of the other episodes. 

In the new year I take to the stage again – I was in The Boys are Back In’t Tarn as aging Rock Guitarist Briggsy in March – and we return as part of a double bill evening at The Lamproom Theatre in Barnsley on February 7th. Tickets and details here…

So, it’s almost time to hang the new calendar. With one last look back…
Today marks 14 years since my Dad passed away. A lovely, generous, friendly man who I see every time I look in the mirror. He loved Christmas and New Year celebrations, though his loss leaves an annual sadness over mine. 

So, tonight I will raise a glass to him, something alcoholic – though I mainly drink 0% beers these days.
And I will raise a glass to you too. 

May your New Year be full of joy and goodness, despite all the bad stuff going on in the world. 

And please, let’s have Peace in Palestine.

 

On Stage – The Boys Are Back Int’ Tarn

Greetings!

Just wanted to take a break from learning lines and let you know I’ll be on stage March 15th, in a new play, The Boys Are Back Int’ Tarn, written by local legends Lee Pollard and Paul Athorne.

Lucifer’s Love Child are back!

30 years after they last performed together, Yorkshire based rockers: Jimmy, Malc, Briggsy and Gordon are planning a new album and world tour.

After their 1980 s hit single “You Make it Hard to Love You” was used in a popular Viagra commercial, the band have attracted a new generation of fans. All they must do now to enjoy their second chance at fame is set aside dodgy prostates, chiropodist’s appointments and even an adopted Gorilla and they’re on their way.

Join us as the band return to the recording studio accompanied by their long-time manager Rupert and Thomas, the mysterious new sound engineer. What could
possibly go wrong?

It’s ONE NIGHT ONLY, Friday 15th March. 7.30 pm, at the PENISTONE PARAMOUNT  – Tickets £14.

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

I’m playing Rock God, ace axeman BRIGGSY!

It’s a great cast, and we are having lots of fun bringing these rockers to life, so grab a ticket, get out your old Rock T-Shirts, and come along for the ride.

Fri 4th Feb – Live Comedy On Stage + Streaming!

Ey up Cupcakes!!!!

We’re almost finished January, and about to blast into February with a LIVE show!
That’s real LIVE people performing in front of a real LIVE audience!!!!
But Fear Not! There’s a LIVE STREAMING option those who aren’t yet ready to mingle.

Rachel E Thorn, SKETCH UP writer

The show is SKETCH UP! Written by the FABULOUS Rachel E Thorn, the Queen of Improv, and Witty Skit Writer Extraordinaire.
Playing Friday Feb 4 at the Leicester Comedy Festival.

Rachel’s comedy has been heard on BBC Radio 4 and BBC Radio Scotland and performed by impressionists including Rory Bremner, Alistair McGowan and Christina Bianco. Rachel also performs improvised comedy shows nationwide and is the winner of The Phoenix Remix Act Of The Year 2019.

Rachel has put together a group of fun professional performers for her Sketch Up Crew, and at her cry of “SKETCH UP ASSEMBLE!” we all fall into place. We’ve been recording and performing Rach’s sketches for a few years now (except the last two obvs) and its brilliant fun – mainly because they’re so well written and full of wonderful characters we’d never get asked to play otherwise!

On stage for this performance, besides our Wonder Woman Rachel, we have Melanie Crawley, Gerard Fletcher, and myself.

Melanie Crawley

Melanie Crawley

A fabulous voiceover artist, having narrated over 40 audiobooks including An Unknown Woman by Jane Davis and The River Through Rome by Nicholas Nicastro. She is Joy in The Age of Love, the podcast based on artist Pete McKee’s characters, and starred in the UK tour of Tannie & Tannie.

Gerard Fletcher

Gerard Fletcher

One of the best voiceover actors in the business. My favourite facts are that he presents Screwfix’s YouTube channel and he’s the on-hold voice of DPD, The National Trust and Halfords!

TV includes SherwoodGet Even (BBC/Netflix – 5 EPs), Emmerdale, Happy Valley” and Girlfriends, where he and I first worked together, sharing a scene with Zoë Wanamaker and Miranda Richardson.

He has performed in radio dramas for BBC Radio 3, Radio 4 and Radio 4 Extra. His voice can be heard in ads on TV and most independent commercial radio stations worldwide and he’s narrated audio books and documentaries for BBC, ITV, Channel 5 Paramount and History Channel.


LIVE SHOW / LIVESTREAM • THE DETAILS

Date: Friday 4th Feb
Time:  8pm
Venue: The Big Difference, Leicester
Price: £8
Website: Leicester Comedy Festival
LIVESTREAM DETAILS :

 

Sketch Up at Leicester Comedy Festival is being live-streamed by Next Up on Friday 4th February at 8pm. It should also be available to watch on demand afterwards.
To watch, you’ll need a Next Up account, which is either £7 a month with no long-term commitment or £24 for a whole year’s subscription. This gives you access to a bajillion live comedy shows from the UK’s most famous comedians – and us too!
As the artist, we take 50% of the revenue generated by people watching our show.

Anyone who signs up for Sketch Up can watch Rachel’s dark comedy Sex, Lies & Improvisation on Friday 18th February at 9pm for no extra cost! Here’s the Link to sign-up!


IN OTHER NEWS….

I loved my couple of Corrie episodes, Jan 12 & 14, what a treat to work on those famous cobbles. Here’s a clip of my scenes – NOTE ***SPOILER ALERT***

Here’s hoping Corrie ask Gordon back for more! Maybe send them a tweet if you want to see him return?

AND FINALLY….

I’ve walked a lot throughout January – as part of the RUN THE MONTH Fundraiser for PROSTATE CANCER UK.

I covered 52.67 extra miles of brisk walking for the challenge, a double marathon.
My knees didn’t enjoy running, so I walked as fast as my legs would carry me.
And the good news? I raised £300 for Prostate Cancer UK.
My Fundraiser Page is still live, so please take a look if you would like to add a donation. And special thanks to all who have already given.

Right, this blog update, like the month of January, is almost done – Stay safe, stay warm, and hope to see you LIVE in Leicester, or streaming the show online!

D x

On stage this Friday night! (Oct 22)

Happy Wednesday m’dears!

An upcoming event to plug to you! I’m on stage this Friday evening (Oct 22nd/2021) in two pieces of new writing for Next Left.

Next Left is a political theatre project based in Sheffield, assembling immediate responses to current events.

The show: TEST•TRACK•TRACE – Brave New World? is on Friday 22nd October 2021 at Theatre Deli in Sheffield. You can get your tickets here.

The evening features new work from writers Bryony Lavery, Ella Hardy, Melanie Hopkins, Paul Kenny, Rachel E. Thorn, Ray Castleton, and John Hunter.
Performed by Ali Mylon, Beatrice Comins, Claire Dean, Connor Gale, Maria Sims, Eleanor May Blackburn, Ashleigh Cordery, Lisa Armytage, Ray Castleton, Ross Cawton, Kate Rutter, Sean Corey, Melanie Crawley, and myself.
Directed by Olwen May, Kate Rutter, James Stone and Neil Sissons.

I’m in – “Back to the New Normal‘ – Written by Rachel E Thorn, performed by Rowe David McClelland, Ali Mylon and Melanie Crawley, directed by James Stone.

And – “Variety Shitshow” – Written by Ella Hardy, performed by Eleanor May Blackburn, Sean Corey and Rowe David McClelland, directed by Hassun El-Zafar.

And coming up….

I’m going to be on your telly box!
Not once, not twice, but THRICE!!! Just got a smasher of a new gig today….
Details to come soon.

Stay safe
Dave x

Lockdown Log, Tiers, and Christmas…

Ey up!

I hope you’re all keeping well during these strange continuing times.

Last year I was in a play called The Sylvia Swing, a touching piece about loss and loneliness. Playwright Melanie Hopkins has adapted the stage version to be performed online, and it went live Friday night.

Take a look at the results below. A lovely piece – and feels apt for these times.

https://youtu.be/HglunlbH-4A

The Lockdown Log…

So, Lockdown 2 is over and we are now in Tier 3 (again) – or T3.2 as I think of it.

I spent Lockdown 1 doing a streaming chat show, Mockdown. The link takes you to a playlist of Mockdown episodes.

I passed the days of Lockdown 2 doing a daily log update with a max running time 2:20, so I could post to Twitter.

I’m keeping up with the Log now we’re in T3.2, hopefully through to Christmas at least. Link below is for the YouTube Playlist for the Nov/Dec videos… Take a look, I walk the dogs, eat breakfast, drink coffee and spend time at the computer…. Exciting times.

Stay safe – and call back again soon!

Dave X

 

Watch MOCKDOWN! for Sun Aug 30th…

Hi there fellow detainees!

Catch up on MOCKDOWN! for Sunday Aug 30th, as I chat with my guests about lockdown life – and coping with the new normal.

This week… Film Director Jack Spring, and Star Trek Yorkshire’s Joshua Note!!

JOSHUA NOTE – Actor, writer, presenter – formed a Star Trek Yorkshire fan group that’s now helping people struggling during this global pandemic through the Sick Bay…

JACK SPRING – Film director, former hot-tub salesman and part time international warlord. Made his directional debut aged just 19 with ‘Destination: Dewsbury (I was in it) – we’ll find out what he’s up to now…

[If above link not working, view video on my Actor Facebook Page]

GUEST INFO

JOSHUA NOTE

Actor, Extra, Model, Influencer, Writer / Director, Other Film & Stage Crew, TV Presenter, Radio Presenter.
Joshua Note has written children’s fiction since he was a child, and has finally decided to send his work out into the world with the help of his editor.
He used to work in tech, and still designs apps and new concepts for fun things.
He’s working on a video game design with his colleagues from Australia and The United States.
He also used to interview people across the whole spectrum of the arts on his podcast The Note Show, and has just relaunched it.
He is a mental health advocate, and supports Bipolar UK by fundraising and raising awareness of the condition.
He’s deeply interested in Psychology, Music and Games.
Formed Star Trek Yorkshire – an online fan group that is already helping people struggling through pandemic through the Sick Bay.

GUEST LINKS
Star Trek Yorkshire – https://www.facebook.com/StarTrekYorkshire
Star Trek Yorkshire Twitter – https://twitter.com/YorkshireTREK
Joshua Twitter – https://twitter.com/NoteBloom

JACK SPRING
Film director, former hot-tub salesman and part time international warlord.
Jack is one of the World’s most exciting feature emerging film directors. Having made his directional debut aged just 19 with ‘Destination: Dewsbury‘. After becoming one of WME’s youngest ever directorial signings, Spring is currently working on his second feature film; ‘Three Day Millionaire’, which is due to shoot in late 2020. He is also due to shoot his debut two TV projects throughout 2020. Spring is based in London, UK but is regularly floating in foreign bars.
An eccentric director known for his ‘big, hyper-real characters’ and ‘fast paced, all you can eat’ style, Spring’s work stands out as some of the most amusing in British Cinema.

Jack Spring represents the next generation of superstar British directors.
DEADLINE HOLLYWOOD
The humour is crass and the jokes come faster than a pubescent teens first hand job.”
ALEX CLEMENT, CRITIC

 

Live long and prosper shipmates!
D x


SUPPORT ARTISTS:
Equity Benevolent Fund
Equity Benevolent Fund YouTube Channel
My Ko-Fi link

MOCKDOWN! streams live on Sunday evenings at 8pm (UK) on my Actor Facebook Page and on my YouTube Channel. There are also occasional Mockdown Confidential shows on Tuesday evenings.
Previous shows are on my Actor page, and are also available as a Playlist on YouTube

SUPPORT MOCKDOWN:
My Ko-Fi Link –
Ko-fi.com/davemcclelland
PayPal – paypal.me/DaveyMcC


MOCKDOWN! sometimes features video clips which are not owned by myself, they are found on YouTube, etc, and are used during the show to demonstrate my guest’s work. No infringement is intended.

Watch MOCKDOWN! for Sun Aug 23

Greetings fellow earthlings!

Had a great MOCKDOWN show Sunday night, with three fantastic guests…

Emmerdale actor TONY AUDENSHAW, was here to chat about how his shed kept him busy during lockdown…

Actor, writer, singer, social media star, and Lockdown SitCom creator FANNI COMPTON

And we travelled to France to chat to my friend DOMINIC RAINFORD – he’s done panto, opera, Scooby-Doo and Shakespeare – now he’s entertaining the crowds at Disneyland Paris.

[Guest info below video]

IF THE VIDEO ABOVE IS NOT AVAILABLE – PLEASE WATCH ON FACEBOOK LINK BELOW…

Back next Sunday for more! Stay safe me hearties!
D x


GUEST INFO:

Tony Audenshaw attended Guildford School of Acting, Tony enjoyed a few years acting and directing T.I.E. and filling multiple roles at Thorpe Park, theme park in the summers.
A few pantos at Oldham Coliseum and a load of commercials for the likes of Barclays Bank, Quorn and Tetleys Beer led to bits on Brookside and parts in other popular telly and the films Going Off Big Time and Ken Loach’s Raining Stones. And he’s played Bob Hope in Emmerdale since 2000.
A lover of variety and light entertainment he was thrilled to do Stars in Their Eyes twice (Kenny Rogers and Roy Wood) and appear on the likes of Blankety Blank, Family Fortunes, Harry Hills TV Burp, The Chase and Celebrity Mastermind.
He’s been singing with the covers band White Van Man since 2001, contributing regularly as ‘Tony’s Trials’ to the Running Podcast Marathon Talk, is a keen birdwatcher and helps run a weekly community quiz in his hometown New Mills, Derbyshire.
Guest Links:
Tony Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonysTrials
Tony In The Shed YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTzmZ05_P-3yK6PGUbR-Lyg

Fanni Compton is an Actress, Writer, Social Media Creator & Recording Artist based in the North West.
Her dreams of becoming a prima ballerina were dashed when she was told that her ankles were too weak.
She then tried her hand at varying jobs, but it didn’t take long for her to realise that she was on the wrong path  – graduated Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in 2010.
Since then he’s done hundreds of sketches and monologues for Social Media, started her music career and  has a Television Comedy Pilot in post production entitled Nowhere Close. And she’s made full use of the 2020 Pandemic to develop an Online Sitcom called Lockdown Lifeline.
Guest Links:
Fanni Music website: www.fannicomptonmusic.com
Fanni YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCJU6ZsSSC22CyM2hQ43B7Dw

Dominic Rainford – Raised in Blackpool, Dominic trained in Musical Theatre at LSMT (London School of Musical Theatre). Since then he’s had a varied career going from Panto to the English National Opera. Scooby-Doo to Shakespeare. Dungeon creature to Drag Queen and has now swapped one tower for another as he’s living and working in France at Disneyland Paris.
Guest Link:
Dominic Twitter: @DommyPoppins


SUPPORT ARTISTS:
Equity Benevolent Fund  
Equity Benevolent Fund YouTube Channel
My Ko-Fi link

MOCKDOWN! streams live on Sunday evenings at 8pm (UK) on my Actor Facebook Page and on my YouTube Channel. There are also occasional Mockdown Confidential shows on Tuesday evenings.
Previous shows are on my Actor page, and are also available as a Playlist on YouTube

SUPPORT MOCKDOWN:
My Ko-Fi Link –
Ko-fi.com/davemcclelland
PayPal – paypal.me/DaveyMcC


MOCKDOWN contains video clips which are not owned by myself, they are found on YouTube, and used during the show to demonstrate my guest’s work.
No infringement is intended.

Coming up on MOCKDOWN! Sun Aug 23 @ 8PM

Coming up Sunday Aug 23 on Mockdown!

You need HOPE in this time of global pandemic – and this week I have Bob Hope, Emmerdale actor TONY AUDENSHAW, here to chat about how his shed kept him busy during lockdown…

I have actor, writer, singer, social media star, and Lockdown SitCom creator FANNI COMPTON

And we’ll travel to France to chat to my friend DOMINIC RAINFORD – he’s done panto, opera, Scooby-Doo and Shakespeare – now he’s entertaining the crowds at Disneyland Paris.

They’ll be here to chat about their lockdown experience – and what they have coming up next…

Join us on Sunday night at 8pm.

WATCH HERE – LINKS TO LIVE STREAM ON SUNDAY 8pm:
Facebookhttps://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2696242707145898&extid=eEoemMEnPp4Ky5nH
YouTube  https://youtu.be/XwM7XDIsGHs

MOCKDOWN AUG 23 TRAILER:

GUEST LINKS:
Tony Twitter: https://twitter.com/TonysTrials
Tony In The Shed YouTube Channel – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTzmZ05_P-3yK6PGUbR-Lyg
Fanni Music website: www.fannicomptonmusic.com
Fanni YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCJU6ZsSSC22CyM2hQ43B7Dw
Dominic Twitter: @DommyPoppins

SUPPORT ARTISTS:
Equity Benevolent Fund  
Equity Benevolent Fund YouTube Channel
My Ko-Fi link

MOCKDOWN! streams live on Sunday evenings at 8pm (UK) on my Actor Facebook Page and on my YouTube Channel. There are also occasional Mockdown Confidential shows on Tuesday evenings.
Previous shows are on my Actor page, and are also available as a Playlist on YouTube

SUPPORT MOCKDOWN:
My Ko-Fi Link –
Ko-fi.com/davemcclelland
PayPal – paypal.me/DaveyMcC


MOCKDOWN contains video clips which are not owned by myself, they are found from YouTube and used during the show to demonstrate my guest’s work. No infringement is intended.

Watch Mockdown Confidential! from Aug 18, 2020

Hello lovelies!

Had a lovely chat last night with my Mockdown Confidential guest, Andria Hill-Lehr.

Actor, Writer, Educator, Traveller, I met Andria in Nova Scotia – now she’s in Old Scotia – Edinburgh, Scotland.

Our chat covered, theatre, the arts, a WW2 hero, Andria’s books, future projects, Canada, mice, and living through Lockdown in Edinburgh.

Andria Hill-Lehr is a freelance writer and author of two non-fiction books: Mona Parsons: From Privilege to Prison, from Nova Scotia to Nazi Europe (Nimbus Publishing, 2017) and A Mother’s Road to Kandahar (Pottersfield Press, 2008).
She is also a Registered Counselling Therapist and entertaining public speaker offering informative workshops on a variety of topics, including mental wellness in the workplace, pre-retirement preparation (not a finance workshop), humour, conflict, change, and stress.

GUEST WEB – http://andriahill-lehr.ca

SUPPORT ARTISTS
Equity Benevolent Fund
Equity Benevolent Fund YouTube Channel
My Ko-Fi link

MOCKDOWN! streams live on Sunday evenings at 8pm (UK) on my Actor Facebook Page and on my YouTube Channel. Mockdown Confidential is an occasional one-to-one show.
Previous shows are on my Actor page, and are also available as a Playlist on YouTube

Stay safe shipmates!
D x