The blue plaque on a building in South Street, Mayfair, which was once the headquarters of the Rank Organisation. It was a delight to pick my old Morris Minor up and it didn’t take me long to drive from Colchester to Basildon where I was greeted by the three young ladies in my life. Sarah,Continue reading “Walking into a lion’s den and out again with a smile on my face”
Category Archives: theatre
No more Izzy Wizzy it’s time for me to say ‘bye bye everybody, bye bye’
The time had finally come when The Sooty Show turned its back on the South and East and headed North – which for Harry and Sooty was really going home because Harry was a Yorkshireman to his boots, despite his time down in the West Country. We had six venues left on the tour butContinue reading “No more Izzy Wizzy it’s time for me to say ‘bye bye everybody, bye bye’”
Quick trip to pick up gas lands my faithful Moggie back in the garage
We still had a few dates down South before heading North up the M1. As I said I had picked up my Moggie Minor from Harry’s place on a trip West and just felt happy to have it with me. One Thursday Harry asked me to collect some gas canisters which we used in theContinue reading “Quick trip to pick up gas lands my faithful Moggie back in the garage”
Look Ma – top of the world, well actually it’s a West End theatre
In the middle of the tour we had what was almost an easy date when we played a London theatre for a two-week “season” either side of Christmas. In fact we did get two days off together, which was more than we had ever had. We were actually in the West End at the MayContinue reading “Look Ma – top of the world, well actually it’s a West End theatre”
On home ground for a fleeting visit before we’re on the road again
After eight weeks on tour we arrived at Basildon – home again, for that was the way I had seen it while working on the Standard Recorder, except that now I would not be in my flat at Brooke House, I would be kipping in the caravan behind the Arts Centre. I would, however, beContinue reading “On home ground for a fleeting visit before we’re on the road again”
Longed-for letter boosts my spirits as we catch up with some old friends
As the tour went on it seemed as though every day there was something new, though none of it quite as bad as those few horrific minutes in the cinema when a Polish actress made use of her natural assets to kill a man. As Dickens said: “They were the the best of times; theyContinue reading “Longed-for letter boosts my spirits as we catch up with some old friends”
Horror that followed us from town to town
When I left Basildon at the end of summer 1974 I did not know if I would ever be back. My move from there, initially, to the other side of the country was to create a breathing space, not just for me but also for someone who had become close. Initially my only contact wouldContinue reading “Horror that followed us from town to town”
At long last I found ‘Uncle Howard’
Have you ever had that niggling little memory which has lost a piece of itself in that labyrinth we call the mind? It’s only a tiny bit missing but it makes all the difference to what you are trying to remember. I retrieved one of those bits tyesterday and I had been hunting for itContinue reading “At long last I found ‘Uncle Howard’”
All good friends and jolly good company as we get set to tour
The fortnight at Harry’s home in Child Okeford was not only for preparing for the tour, making sure everything was in perfect condition and packed properly in the Sooty van (some fragile items were to travel in the back of Harry’s Range Rover), it was also to give us time to get to know oneContinue reading “All good friends and jolly good company as we get set to tour”
Frantic fortnight as we get ready to take Sooty, Sweep and Soo on tour
After the first week at Harry’s place, a very busy time all round, it was time to make the master show tape with all the sounds and music for the show. The recording studio was the Corbetts’ living room and the musicians were the Corbett sons, David and Peter (the latter known professionally as MatthewContinue reading “Frantic fortnight as we get ready to take Sooty, Sweep and Soo on tour”
Robin's Nest 