The NEW Mr Alexander's Magical Emporium
The new shop website is now live! And there's a new show on the road for Summer 2026 — Zanda's Symporium of Illusion. More Gandalf than Gandey, and all the better for it...
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Mr Alexander’s Magical Emporium
The queues are growing, the excitement is palpable, the bouncers are looking serious. The grand opening of the Magical Emporium is fixed for 10.00 am, Saturday February 1st. Queen Victoria (aka Rita...
Read More →After all this time...
‘Five years have past; five summers, with the length Of five long winters!’ WILLIAM WORDSWORTH Although I can’t say I’ll be visiting Tintern Abbey as Wordsworth did on his tour in July 1798, it certai...
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Narrative therapy
Don’t you love a happy ending? My favourite t-shirt has ‘Once upon a time…’ on the front and ‘…and they all lived happily ever after’, on the back. With the wearer as the story in between. I warm...
Read More →Mimi in memoriam
It is with a very heavy heart that I write about our dear little Bichon, Mimi, who was peacefully put to sleep at home last Saturday, aged 13 years. Mimi had a wonderfully rich and varied life. Many...
Read More →What have we learned?
With the masks slipping and the distancing stickers being scraped from the supermarket floors, it’s time to consider what we might have learned from the last eighteen months and what we might be doing...
Read More →Sad, but true
It’s been a time of change… again. No sooner have I begun to adapt to one new set of parameters when, flash, bang, hey presto, something else comes along to keep me on my toes. Those who know me will...
Read More →For sale, by one careful gentleman showman owner…
A unique vintage travelling show stage, complete with all facilities for use by enterprising individual, partnership, group or organisation. The Theatre Royal is a work of art created by several arti...
Read More →Another one bites the dust
I suppose it was inevitable but the reality of it is nonetheless hard to accept. My one remaining booking for Fylde Show at the end of September has been cancelled. So the travelling theatre in all...
Read More →Anxious times
We knew where we were in lockdown. Locked down. Cleaning , disinfecting. Putting up the shutters and gritting our teeth. Together, united in adversity, we clapped and saved the NHS. Our leaders s...
Read More →Back to work at last
This week the Government freed us to have live events again. Of course there are provisos, risk assessments as long as your arm and hoops and hurdles. But there may yet be time in 2020 to dust off t...
Read More →Islands in the stream
Hemmingway or Parton? I didn’t know it was the title of a posthumously published novel by him until I googled it. Well, a mixture of both artists then as we all watch life passing by with all this co...
Read More →My submission to the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sports’ call for evidence
The Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sports is asking for evidence about the effect of the pandemic on the arts industry. Here’s what I said: I am a travelling Show who has worked for over f...
Read More →The trail of breadcrumbs
I’ll start where I left off last week, and with the possibility of a new start. It’s been a rollercoaster week of learning and creating and I have to say I am back on form after my dalliance and dance...
Read More →The way we were
I think this may sound as though I’m being circled by the black dog again but I’m not. I remain hopeful. But my sanguine cynic is saying how different things are and are going to be for a long time....
Read More →Never forget you're an artist
I have a good friend, Greg Chapman, a magician, juggler and all round shaman who has taken this time to think about his performing persona, as we all must from time to time. Regular readers of this b...
Read More →The Pandemic – a view across the plateau
If the climb was strange, unexpected and life-changing, the plateau looks almost more so. I can’t see live events being part of our lives again any time soon. The weekly live event of clapping an in...
Read More →‘What might have been and what has been...
Point to one end, which is always present.’ TS Eliot. I am writing this chapter on what would have been my first day of shows - Hereford Steampunk Festival - Summer 2020. If only I’d had a 20:20 vis...
Read More →A time of change (again)
Well it has been a real change all this for all of us. All my events cancelled or put on hold. The government saying it will be 18 months before 70+s will be allowed out. Some terrible things. Many...
Read More →Haven Street Hoorah
Back at one of my favourite places in the kingdom at a favourite time of year. Havenstreet Steam Railway Station and the Island Steam Show. Preceded by three sweet days idling in Portsmouth with noth...
Read More →From Betelgeuse
There’s nothing like a long boat trip to allow you time to contemplate. It’s been a while since readers of this blog have heard from me and for that I am very sorry. I shall attempt to catch up and f...