Struggling with unemployment and a lack of purpose in life, Ryan impulsively buys a Japanese ‘luck’ doll at a local emporium and takes it home to his girlfriend, hoping his fortunes might change. Reluctant to entertain his wishful thinking and annoying pranks with the Doll, Louise finally persuades Ryan to throw the Doll away. But somehow the Doll reappears and tension in the house grows as circumstances for Ryan go from bad to worse.
It’s late in the evening, the last day of August, the last day of meteorological summer.
September 1st tomorrow.
Time to start thinking about putting the shorts away, and wearing jeans and long trousers again. Argh!
But I have good reason to dress up a bit! I have two movie premieres coming up in September. And tickets go on sale Sept 1st!
Hope to see you in a cinema soon!
Dx
CHANGING TIDES
From Writer / Director / Producer Kathryn Georghiou, and based on a true story, Changing Tides is a film about end-of-life alcoholism and finding hope in unexpected places.
Bea, a broke 22-year-old domestic carer has a new patient, an old, angry, alcoholic at the end of his life. After a turbulent start the two form an unlikely bond that changes both their lives forever.
Writer / Director / Producer Kathryn Georghiou says:
CHANGING TIDES is loosely based on my dad and I during the latter part of his life. He was an alcoholic, and that’s what killed him at the young age of 58.
The female character, Bea, a young, cocky domestic carer who has better things to do with her time.
Aiden is bloated and yellowing, looking older than his age because he’s been lost at the end of a bottle for many years.
First they fight. Control is power.
But when the realities of alcoholism force Bea to be the care giver, Aiden is forced to accept. This shifts their roles and instead of spoiling for war, they gradually bond over chips and sarcasm, and fall into parent and child friendship.
Aiden vows to change, but it’s not that easy when you’ve been living drink to drink for so long. Stopping altogether in an uncontrolled environment can only make things worse. And it does.
First the psychosis. Then the fatal discovery when Bea arrives the next day.
When Aiden is finally freed from his self-imposed prison, Bea is on a rollercoaster of emotions. Leaving his house for the last time, she realises there is hope.
He’s at peace. And she’s glad she knew him.
Changing Tides will have a limited cinema release before an exclusive run at film festivals for approximately one year. After that it will be made available on streaming platforms.
The cinema screenings are part of a four film ‘Made in Blackpool’ event, an evening celebrating four short films made in Blackpool by House of Tales and Out of the Ark Productions.
Saturday 23 September – 19.30 screening (doors at 19.00) at The Regent Cinema, Blackpool – the *premiere* screening of Changing Tides
Sunday 8 October – 12.00 at Cultplex, Manchester
Thursday 19 October – 20.00 at ArtHouse Cinema, London
If you have been affected by a parents drinking or you’re worried about someone who is, get in touch with Nacoa (National Association of Children of Alcoholics – https://nacoa.org.uk/), who are an excellent UK charity that provide help and support for everyone affected by a parent’s drinking, young and old.
BLACK DARUMA
Not just one premiere in September – there’s another!
Struggling with unemployment and a lack of purpose in life, Ryan impulsively buys a Japanese ‘luck’ doll at a local emporium and takes it home to his girlfriend, hoping his fortunes might change. Reluctant to entertain his wishful thinking and annoying pranks with the Doll, Louise finally persuades Ryan to throw the Doll away. But somehow the Doll reappears and tension in the house grows as circumstances for Ryan go from bad to worse.
Crikey, it’s March and my last update was back in August last year.
My apologies dear reader. It’s sort of a mix of there being no news, and too much news, so I will try and update a bit. So – Work first – then my life….
WORK
The Ratcatcher
Winter is generally a quiet time in my line of work, as TV and Film tends to wind down a bit.
I did some theatre in September, with Dead Earnest Theatre, in a production of The Ratcatcher, part of the Festival Of The Mind in the Spiegeltent in the centre of Sheffield.
I’ve done some voice work too, on a wonderful series for VanitasArts, a new jazz based audio drama series titled Persons of Interest– four audio drama podcasts based on the lives of prominent jazz artists who are Black and Queer: Gladys Bentley, Josephine Baker, Ken Snakehips Johnson and Ada Bricktop Smith. You can listen to these as they’re released here, or through your favourite Podcast sources.
Reading my script
My voice has also featured on a new story on the Geostories App: Freyda Skald of Jorvik.
The Jorvik GeoStory is about magic, myth and mystery as a young woman’s life is transformed after an encounter with a legendary Viking Seeress, Gudrun. Developed in partnership with The Jorvik Viking Centre and supported by Arts Council England, the story begins in Coppergate, York.
Launched at the 2023 JORVIK VIKING FESTIVAL in February, it features Augmented Reality images that come to life as you are transported back to Jorvik in the Year 960 and into magical Viking Realms.
Freyda Skald of Jorvik is free to listen to and can be accessed in the GeoStories Library by downloading the GeoStories app on the App Store and Google Play or by scanning the QR Code on the flyer below.
LIFE & LOVE
2022 ended wonderfully. I met an amazing woman.
Just when you feel like there is no one out there for you, that you should just maybe give up on the idea of romance. That a hand blindly fishing around in the Quality Street tin for a wrapped chocolate may be the most exciting thing to happen over Christmas.
Beverley is much nicer than a Quality Street Strawberry Cream or a Purple One.
She’s an author, writer, coach, entrepreneur, single mum, and much, much more – and things are quite lovely. We laugh, sing, cuddle, and kiss a lot.
You can find her here or at The Writers Workshop.
Or read her latest Grief blog update here – Swimming Through Clouds: A journey of love and loss. I am mentioned in the latest update.
The Writers Workshop is an amazing resource for you writers out there, with workshops, motivation sessions, mentoring, live events, retreats, masterclasses, and much more.
It’s very affordable, and the sessions are either in person or online. Take a look
New Year’s Eve at Dorothy Pax with BeverleyBridlington with Beverley
Inspired by being with this amazing Writer Woman, I have started writing more myself, and I’ve even dug out some older pieces to tinker with. I will share some of my new stuff at the end of this update.
BIRTHDAY
My birthday arrived in January. It wasn’t unexpected of course.
I decided on a trip to Edinburgh for my birthday treat, as I’d never visited before.
Edinburgh Castle
So it was the Castle, Royal Mile, Haggis Neeps and Tatties, Deep Fried Mars Bars, and a walk up Arthur’s Seat.
And I slipped walking back down from Arthur’s seat, hurting my own seat, a bang on the Coccyx. It’s still painful now.
Arthur’s Seat
VISITORS
My Brother John and his daughter Modena visited from Canada in January. Our birthday’s are 4 years and a day apart. So it was lovely to catch up, have family time, and a drink or two with old friends.
Modena, Mum, John and myself.With JohnMe, Linda, Simon, John and Kim. The Lord Nelson, Arundel St, Sheffield.A pint in the Lord Nelson
COVID HITS Damn! After avoiding the lurgy since the very beginning, Covid hit the house at the end of January.
Mum and I are both fully vaccinated, so it could have been worse.
I was pretty miserable with it for a few days, but bounced back.
Mum is 90, so it has hit her harder. Though now testing negative, she has ended up in hospital, but we hope she will be home again soon. Keep everything crossed.
WRITING
As I mentioned, Beverley has inspired me to write more. And to be public about it.
So here’s a couple of recent pieces.
BIN DAY
Bins
It’s bin day
Wind day
Bins blown over everywhere
Regardless of colour Black, brown, blue
On it’s side, lid flapping like a puppet mouth
Spewing garbage like a politician Pizza crusts
Used wipes
Eeeeuw I don’t even know what that is
But it’s not nice Dogs try to sniff. No!
Home we rush with chilled ears through streets awash with flotsam and jetsam Bin day
Wind day
It’s Bin Day again
Wind day again Blue Bins put out to stand street-side
Like Bobbies in a row
Guarding our road like sentry’s on duty
But blue bins are slender
Thinner than Grey and Brown
And with contents of cardboard and paper
There’s no weight to hold it down So blue bins blow, off they go
Like drunken revellers
Until they trip off the kerb
And they’re down, rolling around, regurgitating contents Prescription copies, old bills, egg boxes, dozens of Amazon cardboard envelopes, pizza boxes, cardboard sleeves off yogurt containers, magazines, newspapers Almost no bins left to empty now
Contents blow freely
Twisting and turning Escaping down the road
Hiding in gardens and under cars Bin lorry comes, empties the few still standing, then blue bins left on the pavement Empty now, lighter and giddy, they wheel around
Throwing themselves down once more
They roll around like pigs in muck
It’s bin day again Wind day again
A man down the road has a DeLorean.
DeLorean
A man down the road has a DeLorean.
Yes, that sporty stainless steel car made famous in the Back to the Future franchise. On our road. Just parked there on the street. Under a tree. Hardly ever moves it, it sits there, falling blossoms gathering at the base of the windscreen. Which must block his air intakes because he often puts a sheet of plastic over the air vents in autumn. That fancy rear cover over the engine compartment. Tied down with a length of tatty rope. And what of the owner? No Marty McFly or Doc Brown here.
A mild mannered chap, dresses conservatively, slacks and sweaters. Silver framed glasses, greying blonde hair parted to one side. His other car, his daily drive, parked behind the DMC – a silver Ford Focus. Seen him in the paper shop. Buys two loaves. Appears to be single. And heard Linda in the shop ask about his mother. So why? Why a DeLorean? The dream car of the 80’s, sitting outside a Sheffield semi? He hardly ever moves it. If he does then it’s MOT time, though he did park it around the corner for a few days when they repaved the street. I often stand beside it when I’m walking the dogs. They seem to have a fascination with it, they sniff the alloy rims and custom rubber tyres. Where has it been to gather smells so interesting to canine olfactory organs?
Then, this morning, walking back from the paper shop, the rumble of an engine. Not a normal rumble. He’s sat in the drivers seat – on the left of course, it’s American – giving it an occasional monthly turnover to keep it running, circulate the juices that keep the beast alive. Or is he? Is there more to Mr Normal. Is he actually from the future? Holding out on Holdings Rd, keeping watch over the steel city, his DeLorean the Time Machine that brought him here, and his lifeboat to return him home. Are those “sitting there running the engine” times really to keep it roadworthy? Or perhaps he’s generating some time clock energy, rewinding us all to correct something that shouldn’t have happened. But I still remember you. And what we said last night. That can’t be rewound by Mr Future. So, we are good. No objection raised by the Time Panel, no temporal anomaly created, we can go on. And how can we say no to the future?
So, I think that’s just about all the interesting stuff.
There’s more of course, but my instagram and Twitter Feeds may fill in the gaps for you.
Wishing you all love, prosperity, and the fall of this evil Tory government.
So, here we are, it’s almost New Year’s Eve as I write this on Thursday evening.
It’s been another odd year hasn’t it? Lockdowns, loss of people, loss of work.
Dad and Benjamin in Canada
New Year is always a time for reflection time for me anyway, my Dad died Dec 31, 2010, and I always feel his loss. This year it feels even more reflective.
So it’s back to New Year traditions to say farewell to the old and welcome the new. I’ve baked lots of tarts, jam and lemon curd. My Gran always cooked them for Christmas and New Year, and as a youngster I helped, cutting out the tarts, scooping the jam fillings. And making a jam turnover with the remaining pastry.
Tomorrow will be an evening at home with my Mum, a beer or two, nibbles…. some Pork Pie, Scotch Egg, Sausage Rolls, vol-au-vents… And this evening I’ve made Egg Nog for the first time, it’s now chilling ready to add to traditions tomorrow. I admit, my Brandy pouring hand may have been over zealous.
At midnight I’ll sing Auld Lang Syne, I’ll go out and come in again to First Foot, I’ll phone and message friends near and far, then to bed and 2022.
I’m hoping work continues next year as it ended in 2021. I ended up quite busy over the last couple of months. An episode of Doctors for BBC1, two episodes of an upcoming series, Compulsion, for Channel 5. And most recently I shot two episodes of Coronation St, airing mid-January on ITV.
To end the year tomorrow, you can hear me doing some radio. As I’ve mentioned before, I co-host the monthly Comedy Show on Write Radio on Sheffield Live. Tomorrow’s show is a year-end special, a murder mystery featuring all the hosts of Write Radio, put together by our amazing producer Andrew Tildesley. It’s fun, so listen in, either live, or catch up on the link later. Write Radio airs Friday afternoons, 1-3pm.
So my dears, I bid you all the very best for the coming year.
Be kind to yourself, spread the love, and stay safe and healthy during these dark days and testing times.
If you can find a test.
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.
Just a quick update… Over the last couple of weeks, I’ve been working with Flippin’Mental Theatre to provide the final video element to an online Drama Project, Drama For The Mind 2021.
The participants have developed their own work, and have then performed their monologues to camera. There’s 8 lovely pieces, funny, moving, emotional… a fantastic job by all involved.
I’ve assembled it all to in to a video to Premiere online this Saturday evening at 7pm (UK). Please drop by if you can. https://youtu.be/t72A6-RtVeo
Meanwhile Lockdown continues.
As does my Lockdown log. We’re now at Lockdown 3, Day 74 – can you believe it?
And still the bnuch of lying con artists we have in government continue. And now they are trying to stop us protesting. I see trouble ahead….
You can see my latest updates below….
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My Day. Sun 28 Mar. Lockdown 3/Day 83. L03D83.
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My Day. Thurs 25 Mar. Lockdown 3/Day 80. L03D80
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As you can see from the updates, I’m building a garden bar, assembled from old pallets, in preparation for the March 29 Roadmap date for meeting another person in your garden – and the April 12 date for up to 6 people meeting in a garden.
Better stock up on the booze 🙂
Ey up from the Steel City!!! Hope you’re all doing okay, staying warm and staying safe.
I write this on the 39th day of Lockdown 3. It just goes on and on doesn’t it?
But, thankfully, I have something to tickle your funny bones on these cold nights.
I’m a member of Sketch Up! – a group of Actor’s, Writers and Voice Artists, that got together to record comedy sketches, directly from the mind and nimble fingers of Rachel E. Thorn
We were due to perform these LIVE!!! Yes, LIVE!!! with an audience, at the renowned Leicester Comedy Festival. But, alas, a Global Pandemic thwarted our bid for Global Sketch Comedy Stardom.
Live comedy’s loss is, however, your gain…
Thanks to the power of T’interwebs, you can enjoy our sketches in the comfort of your very own home/car/van/tent/workplace/ears… via the Leicester Comedy Festival – until Feb 21.
We’ve already had a 4-STAR REVIEW (“a delight…with a bit of bite!”) and lots of lovely feedback which is great. Its free to listen (you bloody old misers) online – 45 comedy sketches – listen all in one go or individually.
They range from the surreal to the domestic and sometimes incorporate a bit of both but nowhere will you find even the vaguest reference to the dreaded pandemic!
Last weekend was a happy/sad one… My eldest son Benjamin turned 19. He lives just outside Blackpool, and with Lockdowns and Tiers, etc, we haven’t seen each other in person since last August.
Sadly Benjamin, my daughter Sophie and my youngest son, Joseph, lost their mum, my ex-wife Jane, to Covid just before Christmas. It’s such a difficult time for everyone. And it’s really hard not seeing my children, when all I want to do is hug them.
I posted a link to my Ko-Fi account in case anyone wanted to send Benjamin a bit of birthday love. And many of you did, thank you so very much! It made his day!
Benjamin has now created his own Ko-Fi Page, so if you’d like to check it out and send him the price of a a coffee, cake, or even more, the link is here….
A reminder, I post daily Twitter and YouTube Lockdown Log updates, featuring 2 Minute 20 Second updates on the boring minutiae of my Lockdown life. Really selling that, aren’t I?
Here’s the YouTube Playlist…
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My Day. Sun 28 Mar. Lockdown 3/Day 83. L03D83.
My Day. Sat 27 Mar. Lockdown 3/Day 82. L03D82.
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My Day. Thurs 25 Mar. Lockdown 3/Day 80. L03D80
My Day. Weds 24 Mar. Lockdown 3/Day 79. L03D79
My Day. Tues 23 Mar. Lockdown 3/Day 78. L03D78
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My first update of 2021, and we find ourselves in a situation even more dire than December.
New strains, more cases, sadly many more deaths,. No going out, no physical contact, no idea when any degree of normality will return. Not this year I fear.
On today’s No 10 Briefing, featuring the very evil, and the letter G incapable, Home Secretary, Priti Patel, a reporter asked the question – as people must be desperate for a holiday after all we’ve been through, can they think about booking a summer holiday?
BOOK A F**KING SUMMER HOLIDAY!!!! Are you mad?
Be grateful to still be breathing.
It will end when it ends, it will be safe when it is safe.
Remember that DISASTROUS “Eat Out To Help Out” cheap meal/mass-killing scheme.
Too early Rishi!
One good thing in the world is that that Orange Trump Stain has been removed! I watched the Biden/Harris Inauguration yesterday, hated much of the schmaltz and flag adoration, but loved Amanda Gorman and her wonderful poem – here’s Barack Obama’s link to it
One can only imagine the Big Orange Baby sulking in Florida.
Obviously life is quiet here. Good news is my Mum has had both Vaccine injections, so let’s hope she is safe(r). I await my turn.
Just before Christmas, I was lucky enough to have a small role in a TV ad, which is apparently airing so often that people keep telling me they saw me on the telly!
Here it is….
I’m happy to be working on an Audiobook narration at the moment, and loving the book. It’s called CRONIES, by Robert Craft. I’ll let you know when the audiobook version is finished and available.
If you fancy a bit of Audio Fun, I am co-host of Write Radio (Comedy edition) on Sheffield Live. The Christmas Day show was a special one, where yer old pal Dave goes full on Scrooge, so take a listen – Go to the SHEFFIELD LIVE site, and click on Dec 25, Hour 1 and Hour 2.
And that’s about it. I carry on with my Daily Lockdown logs, recording the dull monotony of Lockdown 3. Posted on my Twitter and Playlisted on YouTube (and below).
Stay safe you Beauties, I look forward to lifting a glass with you some time in the future! Contact me via form below if you fancy a video catchup!
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 Hopkinshas 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.
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 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.
Sketch Up! Comedy sketches written by 
Benjamin has now created 
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