SO MUCH TO TELL AND I NEVER THOUGHT OF TELLING!

Having almost forgotten that I HAD a blog I have been suddenly reminded by a couple of recent events.

The first event - which took place during most of 2015 - was the writing and directing of a COMMISSIONED piece of theatre: a cabaret for the local hotel. After a passing conversation in the local Post Office in December, 2014 suggesting that I might write something for Madden's Commercial Hotel, Camperdown, many deep discussions about what I could offer followed. The final result was an interactive show involving songs, audience involvement and lots of laughs for four performers. It was called:

HOW ARE YA? - A Camperdown Cabaret.

The show opened in September, 2016 and ran on irregular Saturdays until December. As a totally unknown venture in the town we had no idea whether audiences would come or not. But come they did! From an originally planned full house of 70, we ended up for the final few nights playing to a very squashed-in 90 happy people. They were seated at tables of 8 to 10 and enjoyed a three course meal. The performers worked around and through the tables constantly. Here's the poster:

The Website and Facebook page are still live and lots of pics are available as well as some very complimentary audience reactions! https://www.facebook.com/acamperdowncabaret/

The second event  to report was a very pleasant phone call from my agent in Sydney telling me that there had been a season of Silly Old Buggers in New Zealand during September, 2015! I had known nothing about it because his earlier email had gone to an out-dated address.

I made contact with the theatre company, and the director and I exchanged a number of emails. Here's an excerpt from one of hers: 

   I directed 'Silly Old Buggers' which was a howling success and we regretted not putting it on in the larger theatre. We put it on in our dinner theatre room with a capacity of 90 and it was sold out from the second night of six performances, with a waiting list for the final three. I shall be peddling it on your behalf at the MTNZ Conference in March. The cast had so much fun with it and the audience responded accordingly. It has been nominated for a couple of awards at the Zone 1 Napta awards. 

Eilean Rawson ( President Whangarei Theatre Company)

All in all a pretty satisfactory twelve months - although I have to confess to finding the How Are Ya? experience rather exhausting. The worry about whether it would work, the money put into it by the hotel ownership and the rehearsing of a cast that had never worked in cabaret ..... it's no wonder I forgot to write about it online! 

However, with all the discussion in the media and politics about the Right to Die and Dying with Dignity, etc. I did find time to put a video of the Silly Old Buggers song "Pull the Plug" up on my Facebook page. It seemed appropriate and timely and says lots of the things people are talking about.

Now it's May, 2016 and so far there are no plans for more creative activity. But who knows what may be around the corner.....?

BACK TO THE BLOGOSPHERE AT LAST!

I don't expect that I've been missed over the past 18 months - and, yes, that's how long it's been since the last entry here.

The Website: http://www.gillianmwadds.com.au/ was originally set up as a reference for people wanting to find out what I do in the writing world; a place to read about my books or my ventures in the world of theatre - a sort of CV with pictures. Well - there hasn't been much to talk about for some time, which is why I haven't been doing any blogging.

I became totally ocupied (obsessed?) with the work of producing and promoting my musical, "Silly Old Buggers" for most of 2009 and 2010 - which resulted in total frustration and exhaustion with very little gain. Have a look at http://www.sillyoldbuggers.com.au/ to find out what I'm talking about. It shone brilliantly for a short while at the Melbourne International Comedy Festival and cast and crew - as well as audience - all had a ball. We believed it was destined for a great future.

During 2010 there was great interest in it commercially - but no concrete proposals; and for the first half of 2011 there was still some hope that one of the three 'interested' Production Companies just might take up my offer of a wonderful - and very topical - new musical which would make them (and me) lots of money! However, it was not to be and I now have to accept the fact that the wider world might forever miss out on this fabulous opportunity! Ah, well ... that's theatre.

My writing endeavours have recently been directed towards the local historical society where I'm now editing their newsletter and finding the experience very enjoyable. I've also been keeping a monthly gardening blog - more as a record for myself than anything else - and that seems to be enough to keep me well occupied.

You can check out the gardening blog at: http://treechange-australiannativegarden.blogspot.com/  - it's linked to a Picasa album showing monthly developments in the garden. All of which reminds me that it's now 1st March and time for my new entry!

I still receive the occasional request through the gmwadds website for books or information and will probably add to this blog every now and then.Will I ever decide I want (need?) to write again for publishing or for the theatre? Who knows? Meanwhile, the family, the garden, the local community and the time to sit around and read books is making for a very relaxed and comfortable life, so "I no complain".

I've enjoyed every moment of the journey over the last many years and look forward to whatever fate sends for the next lot. It's always interesting to find out what's around the next corner. So  .....  watch this space!

Back online after SIX MONTHS!

Not one blog update since 26th December 2009 – that’s almost six months!!
What’s the reason? Probably because I was totally exhausted from all the work of getting Silly Old Buggers into the Comedy Festival, then into Chapel Off Chapel followed by striving to get it picked up by production companies. We had a recording session as well in December which also took a bit of organising and then it all had to be edited which went into the start of 2010. So, after all that, I was pretty well sick to death of Silly Old Buggers! I’m currently ‘in discussions’ with two production companies and two agents about the future of the show but am not holding my breath for any quick developments.

As I’m a very keen gardener and the weather turned on the best summer and autumn we’ve had for years, I’ve turned my back on my office and computer and been happily enjoying the outdoors. So much so that I have been making a photo record of my Australian garden so that I can check back on what was flowering and when. I’ve put the last couple of months of these records up on Picasa so some of my keen gardening friends – and any other garden nuts who are interested – can share it with me.
http://picasaweb.google.com/118417605757520707585#


On the family front there’s been a VERY happy event – a new granddaughter, born 17th February; 2010. Her name is Harper Lee Grace Simmons and she and proud Mum, Monique, spent 4 days at Camperdown with her very proud grandparents, where we all had a lovely time getting to know each other.


As for writing? Well, there’s been a small amount of poetry (not for sharing!) and very little else. Now that the winter is upon us I’ve been enjoying catching up with some reading and relaxing. In the back of my mind are a couple of ideas which might get me started on a novel soon. We’ll see.

In the meantime, any further news updates of Silly Old Buggers will be on the SOBs Blog attached to http://www.sillyoldbuggers.com.au/

Return to: http://www.gillianmwadds.com.au/
or go to: http://www.sillyoldbuggers.com.au/

SOBs UP ON YOUTUBE

It's time to report on the results of the BIG VIDEO RECORDING DAY at the Williamstown Little Theatre.
It was ALL GOOD! Everything worked like a dream: the set for the WLT's next show was absolutely perfect for shooting our songs and the cast, pianist and crew all performed quite brilliantly!
And now we have three of the songs up on YouTube ready for the public to have a look at. So far we have: "Fight for your rights, don't let the bastards win", "I'm tired of being old" and "The Computer Song".
My hard-working and over-extended son, Marcus, has promised to use some of his precious Christmas holiday time to do some more editing and should get a few more up 'soon'. (Doesn't editing always take three times as long as one expects?) Until then, go to YouTube and simply search for Silly Old Buggers and the three songs will appear for you.
And if you happen to know any more producers who might be interested, send them along to have a look too.
Happy viewing!

Return to: http://www.sillyoldbuggers.com.au/
or: http://www.gillianmwadds.com.au/

STILL LOCKED INTO THOSE "SILLY OLD BUGGERS!"

I've just posted an update on the Silly Old Buggers website (www.sillyoldbuggers.com.au) so now it's time to update this one.
Now that the short season at Chapel Off Chapel has finished - and very successful it was, too - I'm trying to get the show all ready to go on its way commercially. We had a few representatives from Production Companies at the Chapel performances who have expressed interest in its future, so it was decided to get a DVD ready for promotional purposes.
I was a very reluctant 'cameraman' at a number of our public performances - with my long-suffering husband's assistance - and was, by this time, totally convinced that it was NOT my field of expertise! I had also been trying - and failing - to edit two cameras together to produce a DVD which did the show justice but was totally frustrated by incompatible technology. I think the technology was not only incompatible with my computer but also drastically incompatible with ME!!!
THE DVD
So, when one of the cast suggested we have a session dedicated to performing for the camera so we could stop-start shots and get the performances just right, I was VERY reluctant to go through it all again. However, all the other members of the cast seemed to think it was a brilliant idea, so it seemed foolish to let the opportunity go. So - the organisation began: to find a date that suited everyone - four cast members, pianist, director and me - a venue where the recording could take place, two good cameras that WERE COMPATIBLE, and someone who knew what they were doing to operate cameras.
THE PEOPLE
As always, a suitable date for seven people is a nightmare but we eventually decided on a week that was fairly clear for all.
THE VENUE
And then we found the PERFECT VENUE!! My dear and valued old, old, friends at the Williamstown Little Theatre (www.wlt.org.au) were kind enough to make the theatre available for us during the day of Friday 6th November. WITH stage lighting, WITH sound equipment, WITH electronic keyboard and with wonderful co-operation in opening the theatre for us and providing everything to make us feel at home - including tea and bickies. This was extremely generous of them under the circumstances because at that date they were only two weeks away from opening a new show there - with all the accompanying work of set-finishing, theatre cleaning, etc. etc.
So I'm putting on record here and now that this co-operation and assistance has been a godsend to us and if ever the Silly Old Buggers makes lots of money, the WLT will be properly rewarded. Until then, I hope they'll appreciate my heartfelt thanks and that of all the crew.
THE CAMERAMAN/TECHNICIAN
Talk about having good luck!!! Having got most of it all organised, the fates suddenly dropped the perfect cameraman (and technician) into my lap! With three sons, one who is my Web Designer and another who is my Production Manager, my youngest son, Marcus, had always said: "If there's anything I can do to help, just let me know." Now was his chance!
He has been associated with bands ever since leaving school - either as drummer, singer, song-writer, manager - you name it - and has access to all the sound equipment one could possibly need. And now, recently, he's been videoing and editing with his day-job! In fact, he was telling me about the wonderful, new, editing program he'd been using! Hmm! And he just happened to be on leave on Friday 6th November. Need I say more? Microphones, mixing desk, leads, fold-back speaker, camera - you name it, we had it. And now it's all with him for editing the two cameras together.
I can hardly wait to see the final result!

Back to: www.gillianmwadds.com.au
or www.sillyoldbuggers.com.au

WATCH A VIDEO OF THE FINALE

There aren't any videos on the Silly Old Buggers website as yet so if you'd like to watch - and hear - the finale of the show when it was at the Swiss Club, you can do so on the

Silly Old Buggers update blog, which is:

http://asob-latestnews.blogspot.com

Once you are there, all you have to do is click on "May" on the listing on the left of the screen.
Then click on:

SILLY OLD BUGGERS - FINALE 24.5.09

If you have a slow connection, start the video and let it run to the end (with any stops and starts) then play it again. It should now run smoothly right through.

NOW you can ring Chapel Off Chapel (8290 7000)
and book your tickets for the 5th or 6th October!
OR
Click below to get back to the SOBs website and leave a comment for us.
We hope to see you at the show!

Return to: http://www.sillyoldbuggers.com.au/
OR: http://www.gillianmwadds.com.au/

SENIORS' WEEK COMING UP

Performances of Absolutely Silly Old Buggers for Seniors' Week are coming closer! Here's the information:

CHAPEL OFF CHAPEL

12 Little Chapel St., Prahran. 3181

Monday 5th and Tuesday 6th October

at 10am and 2pm both days.

Tickets $10

Bookings open: 7th September

Phone: 8290 7000

or www.chapeloffchapel.com.au

The blog attached to www.sillyoldbuggers.com.au has all the updates of the show as well as videos, pictures and audience comments from the Comedy Festival.

I'm trying to get some new writing done but keep being sidetracked by those Silly Old Buggers as well as family events, the occasional visit to a theatre and SPRING WEATHER! (Very distracting!)

Back to: www.gillianmwadds.com.au

or www.sillyoldbuggers.com.au