Another weekend in London

As seems to have become the tradition recently, my week was spent clearing up in studios, whilst my weekend was in London (that’s about it really if you don’t want to read on).

Despite having been to Chiswick most Saturday’s this year so far, this week was my first Chiswick signing of the year. As has become something of a tradition we, Martin, Gary and Ian went for breakfast beforehand. Martin surprised me with a rather unique gift, a puzzle, with the three of us on from the Christmas party (I’ve made it!). After this unexpected surprise, we headed over to the signing, for what would be a busy day as ever. I had the great pleasure to sit with Michal Cochrane. He was as you’d expect a true gentleman and very funny. I also sat with Margot Hayhow who I’d not seen for what seems like ages, so it was nice to be able to catch-up with her. Again, as ever we went around to the local after for a catch-up with everyone.

Not quite in keeping with my usual routine for a signing, I wandered across to see

Martin and Joaquin after sand stopped with them for the rest of the weekend. My impetus for stopping with them (asides from it is always great to see them) was that Martin had a researched reading of ‘Under Milk Wood’. This is a play he often does, with a very strong company, but I never am able to see it as the shows are often mid-week, as was the case with this. However, he invited me to sit in on the rehearsal, which whilst he wasn’t happy with some of it, I very much enjoyed. As ever, Martin assembled a wonderful cast, amongst who was Doretha Phillips so it was a delight to see her once again and t be able to enjoy a drink with the company all afterwards (the advantages of rehearsing in the upstairs of a pub). With the rehearsal taking most of the day we head back to the flat for a late lunch, which was beautifully done as ever my Joaquin before I headed back to Cardiff after a weekend that felt far longer than it was (always the way with those two).