Christmas tree decorating should come with a health warning.
It’s all worth it though as after a couple of glasses of mulled wine you can sit back and enjoy the glorious splendour of your tree in lights. It’s like Freaking Krakow at our place and I love it!
But enough of me let’s get back to this week’s blog.
“Form up. And stay alert. We could run out of space real fast”
No I am not running out of Blog space but this is just one of the epic lines recited by our first guest this week from the film, Star Wars: Return of the Jedi, so ‘lock S-foils in attack positions, I'm going in’.
Denis Lawson began his acting career with a small role in a 1969 stage production of The Metamorphosis in London's West End and has since starred in television dramas such as The Merchant of Venice opposite Laurence Olivier as Shylock, Rock Follies and Dead Head. His big Hollywood moment came playing X-wing pilot Wedge Antilles in all three original Star Wars movies, and later reprised the role, in voice-over form, for the Nintendo GameCube game Star Wars: Rogue Squadron 2.
Because his name was misspelled in the Star Wars credits, there was some controversy about if it was the same actor playing Wedge in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back (1980). It is indeed the same actor. ‘Roger that, Rogue Leader’.
Denis was offered the role of Captain Antilles in Star Wars: Episode III - Revenge of the Sith (2005), but turned it down. The part went to Rohan Nichol. According to Star Wars continuity, this Captain Antilles has no relationship to Lawson's other character, Wedge Antilles. Confused much?
Denis appeared with his drama school classmate Ian McDiarmid in Star Wars: Episode VI - Return of the Jedi (1983). His nephew, Ewan McGregor later appeared with McDiarmid in Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (1999), Star Wars II - Attack of the Clones (2002) and Star Wars III - Revenge of the Sith (2005). It seems that the galaxy far far away is strangely interlinked with Mr Lawson.
He has appeared often on the West End stage, most notably during 1983-1984’s run of the musical Mr Cinder's at the Fortune Theatre. In 1999, he directed a production of Little Malcolm & His Struggle Against the Eunuchs - first at the Hampstead Theatre before transferring to the Comedy Theatre in London's West End. The production starred his nephew Ewan McGregor in the lead role of Malcolm Scrawdyke. And who says nepotism is dead!?
He played the leading role of John Jarndyce in the critically acclaimed BBC adaptation of Charles Dickens' Bleak House in 2005, receiving an Emmy for his performance. Denis also appeared alongside Academy Award nominated actress Helena Bonham Carter in the BBC Four movie based on the life of Enid Blyton, playing Kenneth Darrell Waters, a London surgeon who becomes Blyton's second husband.
He also appeared in the West End playing the character of Georges in the revival of the musical hit La Cage Aux Folles, and as no stranger to musical theatre, we must also mention his turn starring in the London revival of Pal Joey opposite Sian Phillips.
He also appeared in the West End playing the character of Georges in the revival of the musical hit La Cage Aux Folles, and as no stranger to musical theatre, we must also mention his turn starring in the London revival of Pal Joey opposite Sian Phillips.
Denis Trivia
The best age to be is...
"The age you are now. It's a bad idea to go through life thinking you'd rather not be the age you are, what's the point in that? The only birthday I didn't like was 30, but since then I couldn't give a toss."
He met his wife, Sheila Gish, on the set of the 1985 movie That Uncertain Feeling until they married in March 2004 in the Caribbean.
He is the Step-father of Kay Curram and Lou Gish.
His role as a pilot in Star Wars appears to have inspired both of his nephews. His younger nephew Ewan McGregor, as mentioned, followed him into the acting business and into the Star Wars films in particular. His older nephew, Colin McGregor, became a pilot in the Royal Air Force. Spooky!
In a nutshell, your philosophy is.......
"Go forward. I live in the present and I go forward into the future with a very optimistic, open mind."
Seems like he has more in common with Wedge Antilles than he realises with that last comment and on that note – the last word has to come from Rogue Squadron fighter Wedge himself:
"Copy, Gold Leader. I'm already on my way out”
Remie Purtill-Clarke came in to see us this week and what a beauty she is! Here is one of her publicity shots.
Remie has recently been seen in BBC2 filmsy fantasy spoof Krod Mandoon and the Flaming Sword of Fire alongside Sean Maguire and Matt Lucas.
Remie is a young versatile actress with a clear, soft and melodious read. She is a Proficient Irish speaker and I think you’ll agree she definitely has that Celtic look down to a tee!
Star of BBC Dead Ringers Mark Perry was next up at The Towers. The programme won Mark a BAFTA as well as five other awards.
Dead Ringers was a UK radio and television comedy impressions broadcast on BBC Radio 4 and later on BBC 2. The programme was devised by producer Bill Dare and developed with Jon Holmes, Andy Hurst and Simon Blackwell. Along with Mark it starred Jon Culshaw, Jan Ravens, Phil Cornwell and Kevin Connelly. It was revealed by star Jan Ravens that the BBC quietly cancelled the television run in 2007 after five years of broadcast.
Mark was also nominated for Best Narration 2005 for his reading of the critically acclaimed audio book 'Finding Hercules'. He has an incredible range of cartoon voices, characterisations & accents, and a great straight voice too!
I thought I would stick with the Star Wars theme and re-live a classic Dead Ringers sketch where Obi-Wan Kinobe is talking to a used car salesman and giving him the low down on the car required:
We need passage to Aldershot.
A fine cargo hold; plenty of room for me, my apprentice, two Druids, and no questions asked.
A long time ago I had a Ford Galaxy, far far away.
A metric speedometer. Metric; no Imperial entanglements!
Could it outrun Imperial vessels?
Could it resist a tractor beam?
The color of my last car was a little on the dark side.
I can give you 2,000 now and 15,000 when we get to Aldershot.
A fine cargo hold; plenty of room for me, my apprentice, two Druids, and no questions asked.
A long time ago I had a Ford Galaxy, far far away.
A metric speedometer. Metric; no Imperial entanglements!
Could it outrun Imperial vessels?
Could it resist a tractor beam?
The color of my last car was a little on the dark side.
I can give you 2,000 now and 15,000 when we get to Aldershot.
[Kenobi to Darth Vader] You cannot win, Darth. If you strike me down, you will lose your No-Claims Bonus!
GENIUS!
LONDON NEWS
LONDON NEWS
So there were more riots in London last week as the students revolted. I must say I am blooming happy that I got my degree at a fraction of the price compared to today’s poor scholars.
In fact it was only a few months ago that I finally paid off my student loan so gawd only knows how long today’s graduates will be in debt. They will still be paying it off as their own children attempt to get a degree at this rate!
Chaos last night surrounded the potential use of water cannon against violent protesters. Home Secretary Theresa May appeared to rule out its use in Britain, yet Scotland Yard insisted it would be ‘foolish’ not to consider deploying the high pressure hoses to control rioting protesters.
Thousands of student protesters are expected to descend on London today (Tuesday 14th December) for a fresh demonstration against higher tuition fees – amid fears of a repeat of last week’s riots Commander Bob Broadhurst, of the Metropolitan Police says:
‘I would emphasise we will not rush in to anything and we are not in the business of knee jerk reactions. Anything we do will be carefully and fully considered to ensure the best outcome for protesters, officers and all Londoners.’
Till next time people,Keep it Mulled , Keep it Chatty.
No comments:
Post a Comment