Travel, Theatre, Music, Cricket, Tennis, Writing, Life
On the Wednesday evening I went to the Charity Finance Directors Group (CFDG) 20th anniversary reception at St Paul’s Cathedral. Quite grand it was, but I cannot find the details of the event other than those stated. I think Phil Hope MP might have said some well-chosen words at that event and no doubt wine … Continue reading “CFDG And Ivan Shakespeare Evenings, 27 & 28 February 2008”
My diary suggests that I at least planned to go to an Ivan Shakespeare memorial dinner on 13 September 2007. In truth, I don’t recall this particular one. It was just a few weeks after my dad died, so I might have skipped it, but I have a feeling I was there. In those days … Continue reading “Ivan Shakespeare Memorial Dinner, Café Rouge Maida Vale, 13 September 2007”
I am writing this 20 years to the day since the sudden and tragic death of Ivan Shakespeare, who collapsed and died of a heart attack while jogging. Ivan was a friend through and fellow writer for NewsRevue. His career as a comedy writer was well documented some years ago on the comedy collective writers … Continue reading “The Passing Of Ivan Shakespeare, 3 February 2000”
Noddyland…latterly Very soon after Janie and I returned from India and Sri Lanka, Janie said that she wanted to start looking for a house. Kim was a very helpful friend in the early stages of that process, spending time going around with Janie looking at quite a lot of unsuitable properties which helped also to … Continue reading “Shakespeare & Noddyland, April To Mid May 2011”
Mike Hodd – photo by John Burns (Random), taken in 2010 at an Ivan Shakespeare Dinner at Cafe Rouge, Maida Vale Since 1992, NewsRevue has been part of my life. For the first several years, in the 1990s, as a writer for (and regular attender at) the show. Latterly, through the enduring friendships and sense … Continue reading “A Tribute To Mike Hodd, Founder Of NewsRevue, September 2022”
I reported on Gerry’s passing in a short obituary piece a couple of months ago: Since then, friends of Gerry, not least NewsRevue alums John Random & Caroline Am Bergris, put in an enormous effort to ensure that we found out as much as possible about Gerry, who had no next of kin and had … Continue reading “Gerry Goddin’s Funeral, Hoop Lane Crematorium, 15 October 2020”
Gerry Goddin At Cafe Rouge Clifton Gardens, February 2010. Photograph courtesy of John Random 2020 has been a truly rotten year, existentially, for the community of NewsRevue comedy writers, performers and directors that I befriended nearly 30 years ago when I started writing for that show in 1992. In January, we lost Nick R Thomas… … Continue reading “Remembering Gerry Goddin, Comedy Writer & Man Of Mystery, Who Died 10 August 2020”
With thanks to John Random for the 1992 pictures, such as the one above. It was with great sadness, although not surprise, that I learnt, on 11 March, that Chris Stanton has died. He had been battling and eventually reconciling himself with terminal cancer for a couple of years. It was a fitting coincidence that … Continue reading “Chris Stanton: Absurdist & Realist, A Personal Tribute, 9 March 2020”
This piece is a response to the news that Nick R Thomas has died. It culminates with two personal memories, including a sound file of one of my favourite Nick R Thomas comedy pieces. The above photo is borrowed from Nick R Thomas’s Facebook account; his own choice of signature image. I met Nick in … Continue reading “A Brief & Personal Tribute To Nick R Thomas, Who Died On 10 January 2020”
NewsRevue is the world’s longest running live comedy show. It has been running since 18 August 1979. That is a Guinness World Record. If you don’t believe me, click here and read it on the official Guinness World Records site. I have been involved with the show since 1992, as reported on Ogblog in many … Continue reading “NewsRevue 40th Anniversary Party, Show & Smoker, Canal Cafe Theatre, 18 August 2019”
