July 2009 Archives

Michael Ball has ditched Edna Turnblad's high heels and pendulous breasts and is coming back to the Echo arena in September as part of a 25th anniversary tour.
That's 25 years in showbizz for the 47-year-old who shows no sign of flagging.
I caught up with him on the phone and you can read all about life after Hairspray, plus an admission about his karaoke favourite (although I have it on good authority he can also do a mean Life On Mars) and sone news about an exciting future project in today's 24/7 in the Echo.....

Apparently the Echo arena box office has been fielding calls today from ladies who are keen to go to the Summer Pops concert tonight - but aren't sure they'll get in.
It appears some people have read the wording "Only Men Aloud" as a badly-spelled discriminatory instruction as opposed to being the name of one of the acts.
The all-male singing troupe, who won the BBC's Last Choir Standing contest, are sharing the bill with X -Factor runner-up Rhydian.
And Pops promoters tell me that everyone is welcome, whatever their sex!

Good on the men of the Ellesmere Port Musical Theatre Company who are getting ready to entertain audiences at the Floral Pavilion next week.
The amateur performers will bare all for their art in a stage version of The Full Monty from August 5-8. The story of the jobless Sheffield strippers, which was a hit film a decade ago starring Liverpool's Paul Barber, is transposed to upstage New York.
But the show is just the same.
Read more about it in my arts pages in tomorrow's Echo......

In case there's anyone out there who still doesn't know, Jonathan Pryce - one of the Everyman Theatre's greatest "exports" is coming home this autumn.
The award-winning star of stage, screen and some of the world's biggest musicals, will play Davies the tramp in the late Harold Pinter's The Caretaker.

I spent yesterday afternoon at the Lipa graduation ceremony - the sixth I've been to.
More than 300 excited students were receiving their graduation badges and congratulations from Macca - Sir Paul McCartney.

We're into the final few days of the Summer Pops and open air music also comes to the Pier Head next week.
The Music of the Waterfront event is free and runs from Friday to Sunday next weekend with the RLPO being joined by the "rightful owners of the song" who were such a success during Capital of Culture year.

Arts Council England has pledged a whopping £12.8m towards the redevelopment of the Everyman Theatre.
That's a substantial chunk of the £28m needed to knock down and rebuild the famous theatrical lady of Hope Street.

Has anyone gone for a look on Keith Carter's new Echo blog yet? The alter ego of Nige (I like to think of them that way round!!) has started writing about life, comedy and preparing for marriage on our website.
I love the way he says he gets told off for referring to his wedding reception as a "gig". Although apparently some poor misguided Liverpool groom did book "Nige" for his own wedding reception once. By all accounts the bride didn't appear to be over the moon.
Can't imagine why.

I spent last night at the RLPO's Last Night of the Summer Pops with Carl Davis, that most Scouse of New Yorkers, at the helm.
He promised me it would be a "three coat" affair and he was as good as his word, dressing in gold lame, peacock blue and finally in John Bull Union Jack tails.

As if threatening to cut off Wirral from Liverpool by bricking up the Kingsway and Queensway tunnels wasn't enough, those japesters at the Royal Court have got into hot water with one of Wirral's MPs.
As you'll see from today's Echo, Ben Chapman, MP for Wirral South, took exception to a gag at his expense (all puns intended) in the latest version of Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels currently running at the Roe Street theatre.