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.
Had a great chat with two lovely people on Sunday night.
We talked Lockdown, theatre and telly stuff, poetry, and Tenby in Wales!
My guests were both actors, each with over 40 years experience in the business…. CHARLES DALE and KATE RUTTER… [Guest info below video]
GUESTS
CHARLES DALE, he’s done it all, English Shakespeare Company, West End, Broadway. Coronation Street (Dennis Stringer), Casualty (Big Mac) and many other bits of general TV shouting. Several films that have disappeared without trace… He’s now become a Lockdown Poet… Charles Dale Twitter
KATE RUTTER, actor in Theatre, Film, TV and Radio. Films include Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake, Mike Leigh’s Peterloo and The Full Monty. She’s appeared in many television dramas including His Dark Materials, Scott and Bailey, Cold Feet, Affinity, Silent Witness, DCI Banks, Clocking Off, Fat Friends, Queer as Folk and many more. She’s appeared in all the major continuing dramas, most recently as Coronation Street‘s tough cop, D.S Sam Beckett. Kate Rutter Twitter
Coming up this weekend, join me and two special guests as we chat about the world of entertainment during these strange pandemic days…
This week, two actors, each with over 40 years experience in the business….
First up, CHARLES DALE, he’s done it all, English Shakespeare Company, West End, Broadway. Coronation Street (Dennis Stringer), Casualty (Big Mac) and many other bits of general TV shouting. Several films that have disappeared without trace… He’s now become a Lockdown Poet…
And KATE RUTTER, actor in Theatre, Film, TV and Radio. Films include Ken Loach’s I, Daniel Blake, Mike Leigh’s Peterloo and The Full Monty. She’s appeared in many television dramas including His Dark Materials, Scott and Bailey, Cold Feet, Affinity, Silent Witness, DCI Banks, Clocking Off, Fat Friends, Queer as Folk and many more. She’s appeared in all the major continuing dramas, most recently as Coronation Street‘s tough cop, D.S Sam Beckett.
We’ll chat about the impact Lockdown has had on their lives and work, and what they’re up to now.
Had my first special Mockdown Confidential show on Tuesday.
A spinoff from my Mockdown! Show, this is a more intimate one-to-one chat with a special guest…
This week, Canadian Actor, Writer, Theatre Guru, and family guy, Charlie Rhindress joined me to talk about Lockdown, The Canadian Bubble, his books on Canadian Musical Icons, his Lockdown Streaming show (The Charlie & Heather Show), his acting role in an upcoming TV series based on a Stephen King short story, and all the fun acting stuff we did together over many years.
Join me Tuesday Aug 11th at 8pm (UK) for Mockdown Confidential, a spinoff from my Mockdown! Show, this is a more intimate one-to-one chat with a special guest…
This week Canadian Actor, Writer, Theatre Guru, and family guy, Charlie Rhindress joins me to talk about Lockdown, The Canadian Bubble, his books on Canadian Musical Icons, his Lockdown Streaming show, and his latest acting role in an upcoming TV series based on a Stephen King short story.
Jonathan Kydd An actor. But also does voice stuff and makes films and videos and write songs. Written three musicals and a variety of hour long shows featuring comedy bands and a number of video blogs, mostly about football. Also does cartoons. Was a dinosaur in Toy Story that time forgot, and all the voices in Bangers and Mash, and in Mr Bean, and Noddy, and Dennis the menace, and hilltop hospital, etc… He also made two comedy short films and a lot of videos. Podcasts about football as well. His father, great British actor Sam Kydd, made over 280 films and thousands of tellies 1946 to his death in 1982. Sam played cockneys and Irishmen, despite being quite posh having gone to Dunstable Grammar. Jonathan found an unpublished autobiography of his dad’s career 1946 to 1970 in his mum’s loft and is editing it. It’s almost finished. He’s also going to make a documentary about his dad’s career. He has all the home videos, 300 stills, a mass of letters and scripts and diaries. As well as the book. Official Web Site Twitter The Rudy Vees
Andy Whitaker You may know Andy by his professional name, Andy Moore, in his role as PC Mike Swirling in the BAFTA-winning soap Emmerdale… He has a vast musical history and is about to make his own film…
Having started out as a musician in The Sun and the Moon with The Chameleons front-man Mark Burgess and Chameleons Drummer John Lever, went into acting at the age of 35 in the 90’s telling himself it was a less age prejudice profession.After all, they always want granddads in films and TV shows.
After doing the rounds in rep and theatre in education, he got my first telly part as an Amnesiac who thinks that he is Kevin Keegan in the BBCs The Cops in 1998, was a series regular in Dream Team for Sky One, played the obligatory red herring in The Bill and the role of Sean Wakefield in Coronation Street under Alan Wareing’s direction – that lead to his current role as PC Mike Swirling under Alan Wareing’s direction. Andy Moore Facebook Page Twitter More about Andy’s Music –
MOCKDOWN! streams live Sunday evenings at 8pm (UK) on my Actor Facebook Page.
Past shows are on my Actor page, and are also available as a Playlist on YouTube
I hope you’re all staying safe and well, despite the best efforts of our government…
Had another fun MOCKDOWN! show last night.
This week’s guests…. Brothers from Other Mothers – and a Sister-in-Law too….
The wonderful trio, STEVE GARTI, JOHN & MARIA ATHERLEY… [Guest details below the video…]
We chat about how Lockdown has impacted on them, and what they’re up to now.
MY GUESTS
STEVE GARTI, actor, musician – Acting Credits include The full monty, The Cops, Ashes to Ashes, all the soaps, Brassic. And Broken with me and Sean Bean! Did years on the club circuit with various bands and was Billy Pierce’s drummer during the late 80’s. A professional cook. Proud dad to his son James who with his partner has recently gifted him a grandson. https://twitter.com/SteveGarti • http://limemanagement.tv/talent/steve-garti/
And John’s partner, MARIA ATHERLEY, an Army brat apparently, studied hospitality management and worked in hospitality and HR, but in recent years has embraced her spiritual side and co-founded The Karma Hub, offering a variety of Yoga, meditation and sound therapies…. http://www.karmahub.co.uk/ • https://www.facebook.com/thekarmahub/
MOCKDOWN! streams live Sunday evenings at 8pm (UK) on my Actor Facebook Page.
Past show are on my Actor page, and are also available as a Playlist on YouTube
I really enjoyed Episode 5 of MOCKDOWN! last night… This week – A Comedy Special!
I was joined by three special guests to chat about the world of live comedy during these strange times… Will we still be laughing after the Covid Crisis?
PAUL BALLO BALLINGTON – “The singing plumber” from Dinnington, Sheffield. Specialising in Comedy songwriting. The two things I love the most in life (apart from family, Football & beer) are music and making people laugh. So, I thought, why not try and combine the two – so I did!! It all began in 2012 when I wrote a song called “Ten Pints of Carling” which took off way more than I expected. Since then I have written many more similar songs that many people can relate to. Numerous national and local TV & Radio performances – invited to perform Yorkshire themed “Tour de Yorkshire” song “Get on yer bike” at the opening ceremony in York. Written songs for charity – including raising over £800 for PACT & Bluebell Wood with a Christmas song, which also featured on local and national radio. Also write and record songs for special occasions – resulted in writing bespoke birthday songs – and also writing and performing a best man speech, bride speech and Father of the bride speech!! Ballo Facebook Page
SHAUN DAVID DOANE – BIG SHAUN has been singing in Sheffield bands for 30 years, including Ravager, 2 til 10, Sharp Cuts, Sikorski, The Koenig, Go Galleon, Tiny Barbara’s Surf Club and of course the Everly Pregnant Brothers. A funny man whose talent also embraces DJing, compering and comedy, Shaun is very Yorkshire, very Sheffield, and very gobshite!
ADAM RUSHTON is a promoter and comedy agent. Having previously spent five years in the Royal Navy, Adam started his journey in comedy on the stage before hanging up his mic four years ago and forming A Rush Of Laughter Management. His roster boast acts such as Tanyalee Davis, Gareth Richards, Njambi McGrath & Ignacio Lopez Web Site • Twitter
I hope you’re all keeping well, wearing masks, and working to overthrow the Tories.
Been a busy week here… I was in a live streaming show in Canada Friday night – an online show for Live Bait Theatre, a company I had the privilege of working with for 20 years, as part of Live Bait’s 3rd Annual New Works Festival.
Here’s the show… Grandma’s Bubble Trouble, written and directed by the wonderful Charlie Rhindress. I played an ageing Punk Rocker by the name of Max Libido! And I play my Uke!
And coming up on Sunday 19th July at 8pm, it’s the latest episode of my online chat show, MOCKDOWN! I have three guests from the world of Comedy, to discuss if we’ll still be laughing once the pandemic is over.
Here’s a preview…
So, I may still be isolating at home, but I’m getting out there online!
Enjoy your weekend, and please wear a mask!
Stay safe, D x
I’m currently enjoying a post-show Brewdog beer after another thoroughly enjoyable episode of Mockdown!
Lovely guests this week…
Fiona Egan and Scott Worsfold Fiona is an actress and presenter, mum of two, and co founder of the PantoEverAfter panto company. Professional actress for 25 years and been doing panto for 22 years, with the exception of one year when I had a baby. First was Marley’s Ghost a musical adaptation of Scrooge, that’s where she met Scott at Cragrats Theatre Holmfirth, which sadly no longer exists.
20 years later they decided to create their own pantomime, and hence the company was born. Workwise, it’s theatre, TV, film, corporate, touring, outdoor, voice over, like most actors you name it, they’ve done it.
They have two venues where they produce pantomime. The Viaduct theatre Halifax, home of Northern Broadsides and The Marsden Mechanics Hall, Huddersfield. www.pantoeverafter.co.uk • Twitter
Liam Gerrard
Liam is a BAFTA nominated actor who’s work includes Peterloo with Mike Leigh, Death defying Acts, Coronation St, Hollyoaks, and more. His theatre work includes a lot of Shakespeare, from Midsummer Night’s Dream at work at Sheffield Crucible to Northern Broadsides and international tours for the BSC. He appeared in the 4-hander Miss-Julie alongside Maxine Peake at the Manchester Royal Exchange. Other theatre work includes SJT, New Vic, Hull Truck, Oldham Coliseum, Soho Theatre, Edinburgh Lyceum, Traverse, Theatre by the Lake, the Dukes, Salisbury Playhouse, Nottingham Playhouse, The Lowry, Derby Playhouse and many more.
He is also a voiceover actor and has narrated over 100 audiobooks, and can be heard daily on radio / television commercials. Earlier this year he won an Earphones award for his narration of H.G. Wells anthology of short stories (volume 1) and is a 4x One Voice Award nominee, as well as an Audio and Sovas nominee.
When not performing he is a magician and magic / illusion consultant to theatre companies.
In 2018 he established the Sheffield equity branch and he is the secretary of the branch www.liamgerrard.co.uk • Twitter
Melanie Hopkins
Melanie is a Sheffield born and based professional actress, writer and theatre maker/event organiser. Described as a “one woman army”, Melanie has single-handedly set up her own event; “Sheffield Monologue Showcase (SMS),” that premiered last March, with lots of feedback of it’s success. Melanie is also known for writing for the stage with her most note-worthy piece “The Sylvia Swing” performed at the York Theatre Royal’s Take Over Festival. Two pieces of her comedy writing have since also appeared on BBC Radio’s Upload Festival during lockdown. www.melaniejhopkins.com • Twitter