Easter 🐣 birthday 🎂 family time in Portugal 🇵🇹. Both sisters, and brother in laws and all five nephews. Why can I still only upload 10 to a carousel?? Great workouts @the_pymmes_brook_unicorn great wilderness walks @samtobyandjoshsmum ❤️🤍
When in Rome. Cacio e pepe has got to be one of the greatest dishes ever created 🇮🇹 #cacioepepe (the most extraordinary at Checco Er Carettiere in the Trastevere district) 🍝♥️
THROWBACK: This year I am celebrating 18 years of producing professional theatre. This post is all about Ray Cooney OBE!
Back in 2017 I had the honour of producing with Debbie Hicks and Laurence Myers the epic 70th anniversary of Ray Cooney’s time in showbiz with a new production of his Olivier Award Winning comedy, OUT OF ORDER directed by the master of farce himself. Set & Costume design by Rebecca Brower, Lighting by Jack Weir, Sound by James Nicholson and casting by Marc Frankum CDG.
Out of Order was about Tory junior minister Richard Willey who tries to spend an evening with one of the opposition’s secretaries in a Westminster hotel, but things don’t go to plan (sounds familiar and timely this week).
Cast included comedy legends Shaun Williamson, Sue Holderness, Andrew Hall, Arthur Bostrom, James Holmes, Susie Amy with Elizabeth Elvin, Jules Brown, David Warwick, Raphael Bar, Simon Murray, and Kate Sawyer. Jeffrey Harmer took over from the late (great) Mr Hall part way through the tour due to illness and another great we’ve now lost was company manager Antony Bishop.
Ray Cooney has been one of my biggest supporters alongside wife Linda, his right hand man Michael Barfoot and his many industry friends.
Not only is he the nicest man in theatre land but aside from nowadays being known for his writing and direction he was a prolific Producer/investor and Theatre owner including the Playhouse Theatre and was artistic director of The Comedy Company at the Shaftesbury Theatre.
It was truly an honour to produce Out of Order to celebrate his 70 years in showbiz, and I can honestly say I made friends for life on this production.
THROWBACK: This year I am celebrating 18 years of producing professional theatre. This post is all about Joe Orton!
Back in 2017 I had the honour of producing with co-producer James Seabright the iconic 50th anniversary production of Joe Orton’s LOOT directed by Michael Fentiman.
From getting the rights to then the genius of Fentiman working closely with the late Orton’s wonderful sister Leonie and Orton’s archives (and the archives from the stage censor) to piece together for the first time ever the full play Orton wanted to be heard and seen my audiences before the stage censor/Lord Chamberlain controlled what could/couldn’t be performed. As a team we then assembled the best creative team and cast to bring to life a classic restored to its original glory.
The plot hinges on the use of a dead woman’s coffin by her amoral son Hal and his bank-robbing chum (and lover?) Dennis as a hiding-place for stolen ‘loot’. The censor previously demanded that “the corpse is inanimate and not played by an actress”, and the first [of many] shocks comes from now seeing a live actor (the admirably selfless Anah Ruddin) being stashed upside down in a cupboard and eventually stripped stark naked…
A stellar cast led by Sinead Matthews, Sam Frenchum, Calvin Demba, Ian Redford, Christopher Fulford, Anah Ruddin and Raphael Bar. Ran at the Park Theatre London and Watermill Theatre Newbury for limited runs.
A financial and critical success, dark and funny, hard work went into this by every single person involved. Proud to have made it happen.
★★★★★ “Joe Orton’s savage farce now even funnier and filthier” - The Guardian
Garden party 🎉🌷🤍
@raycooneyplaywright & Linda no one does it like you. To the many friends and Raph starting rehearsals in ‘It’s Her Turn Now’ at @millatsonning tomorrow ENJOY 😘
I sometimes wonder if @raph.bar ‘s garden projects are strictly necessary - I suggested that he replace one plank after my friend’s heel went through it last year the next minute he’d ripped the whole thing up with Spring just beginning. Beautiful work Raph thank you for my birthday present😁🪴❤️ #gardeninspiration #compositedecking #gardenimprovements
Massive @carfestevent weekend. Well done to all of the team @chrisevanstfi - raised some serious money for amazing charities. Loved doing our Footballers Wives event - and seeing everyone. Great vibes. ❤️
At @royalnottingham with Fatal Attraction @fatalonstage this week, so lucky to find a beautiful place to bring the family, so we’re all together. #farmstays #theatreroyalnottingham #notmydog 🐕🚜
1.26am 17/01/19
Her moment.
I was so extremely happy in this 3.30am snap - and have stayed looking this exhausted (if not more so) ever since. Goodness we love her so much. Our 3 year old birthday girl Noa ❤️❤️❤️ #biz
A little icy cold Christmas escape… @raph.bar and the best nights sleep I’ve had in FOREVER 🎄🎄🎄🎄
I did go outside but did not plunge. He didn’t advertise it very well.
And the last episode of Succession. What on earth can replace that now it’s finished???! Please tell me!
![THROWBACK: This year I am celebrating 18 years of producing professional theatre. This post is all about Joe Orton!Back in 2017 I had the honour of producing with co-producer James Seabright the iconic 50th anniversary production of Joe Orton’s LOOT directed by Michael Fentiman.From getting the rights to then the genius of Fentiman working closely with the late Orton’s wonderful sister Leonie and Orton’s archives (and the archives from the stage censor) to piece together for the first time ever the full play Orton wanted to be heard and seen my audiences before the stage censor/Lord Chamberlain controlled what could/couldn’t be performed. As a team we then assembled the best creative team and cast to bring to life a classic restored to its original glory.The plot hinges on the use of a dead woman’s coffin by her amoral son Hal and his bank-robbing chum (and lover?) Dennis as a hiding-place for stolen ‘loot’. The censor previously demanded that “the corpse is inanimate and not played by an actress”, and the first [of many] shocks comes from now seeing a live actor (the admirably selfless Anah Ruddin) being stashed upside down in a cupboard and eventually stripped stark naked…A stellar cast led by Sinead Matthews, Sam Frenchum, Calvin Demba, Ian Redford, Christopher Fulford, Anah Ruddin and Raphael Bar. Ran at the Park Theatre London and Watermill Theatre Newbury for limited runs.A financial and critical success, dark and funny, hard work went into this by every single person involved. Proud to have made it happen. “Joe Orton’s savage farce now even funnier and filthier” - The Guardian](https://sp1.picnob.com/p/pt_25117171711225264011254025112611402640656511_0_4b5cd477b1fc5c5653607ff0d26d3ff7.jpg?o=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&h=9e0afae1fb042a44263f37961c8d8477)
