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Perhaps you'll learn more about me as you read my blog. For anyone who translates my blog using the translator facility, don't forget if you wish to read the comments in your own language to click on the title of the post down the left hand side otherwise they will remain in english. Also I assume that the translation is accurate but I don't know, so please allow for errors.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Nicholas Parsons...

Another show to review..

Well, it was an intimate one man show...Great night, lots of interesting stories about his life and career in "Show business" It was a wonderful night and I could've listened to him for ages.

Met him and decided to buy his book(autographed of course)but when it was my turn, he'd run out of them.

However, he has my name and address and he was thankful I offered to pay the postage and when he gets home...he's mailing a copy to me.

Again, I cannot say otherwise, lots of empty seats but he still went on and gave us our money's worth nearly 2 hours. Not having been to that theatre before it was interesting finding out where it was and how far from the Bus Station.

Thankfully I had allowed plenty of time and was able to sit in the market place for around an hour and have a rest. Also I was a little better coming home compared to Friday but I done very little over the weekend and I took some painkillers before I went out this afternoon.

I found a fish and chip shop selling lovely food and would have liked to have had both but I settled on a portion of chips and if they are open again when I am next in Durham I shall call again.

I had a great seat, practically centre stage and no one in front of me. But I now know that when the music shows come such as Syd Lawrence Big Band, Stacy Kent, Clare Teal and The Searchers, the views will be great but they will be so loud because of where I am situated. I will have to save my hearing by investing in some ear plugs or stick lots of cotton wool in my ears...

The Joe Longthorne concert a few days ago was pretty loud and I was up in the circle...

It's approx 28 years since I last visited the city centre and...there are lovely places in County Durham and much to be proud of and Durham has the Cathedral and Castle going for it. Must have a look at them again sometime soon but I am sorry much as I found when I last visited another town I used to work and visit most of life(Darlington)they are both dumps and unless I have a very good reason for going out of town, I'd rather not bother visiting either.

And most of the shops are similar. Then again, if you haven't the money or are having to watch what you spend there isn't much point going around the shops but you know that's what most of our days out thes days consist of...shopping.

Nostalgically, I did pass a kind of an alleyway and though time has passed I recognised it and it brought back memories of when a penfriend visited here 28 years ago and I had a photo of her standing where this entrance to a street takes you to the Cathedral and Castle. So much time has passed and such a lot has happened.

I am well fed now having just had a small can of spaghetti hoops, some pork meatballs and some toast. So I'll watch a little tv on the laptop before turning in...

11 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...



Sometimes re-occuring dreams are your body's way of trying to tell you something needs attention. However saying that I used to have a re-occuring dream when I worked at a certain place, it was fairly miserable as dreams go but when I left there so did my dream.

14 September 2012 at 10:03  
Blogger The Great Gildersleeve said...

Wasn't ignoring your comment, just found it. That is my other regular themed dream too. In my dream it varies what happens but usually I am back working there.

16 September 2012 at 05:02  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great night with Nicholas Parsons! :o)

Sounds like you're having some really fun experiences, Gildy!

So happy your doing this. :o)


As for your dreams...sounds like a responsibility thing to me. Like you're working through those fears that you didn't do the right thing or didn't do enough which, your rational brain knows isn't true, but your subconscious is still struggling with.

They'll probably work themselves out eventually.

Jan

18 September 2012 at 19:06  
Blogger The Great Gildersleeve said...

I hope so Jan,
I dare not think too far ahead and I do wonder if I can do something similar in the years to come but at least I have memories for now...

I'm trying to wonder how/why we got out of the habit of going to the theatre together and all the shows we missed.

At least I have some booked already for next year so as long as I can get there I have some fun when things get difficult as we know they are going to...

You've probably seen my comment about getting a signed autobiography of him and it is very interesting.

I guess you'll know him from Just A Minute but what a long career in show business, he really has worked with just about everyone that I have grown up with...

18 September 2012 at 19:18  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Yes I did, but my kids came in just as I started to post. :oP

You know he could have easily shrugged that off. What a class act to follow through! There's a treasure, eh? :o)

Let me know how the book is.

Jan

19 September 2012 at 10:39  
Blogger The Great Gildersleeve said...

Here's an old sketch of Nick with a comedian he worked as a straight man before he died of a heart attack but in his one man show he explained like many top comedians they start to forget they need people around them.

There was a story he told of them appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show and Ed complimented and paid more attention to Nick.

They used to have a lot of trouble getting through their sketches because one would set the other off laughing which the public loved to see. And Nick usually had to remind the comedian of his lines, get him back on track.

In this little you tube video you will see Nick as he was back in the early 60's and then him chatting as he is now...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euGyC8cjviY&feature=related

19 September 2012 at 15:11  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

My old laptop won't do You Tube, I'm afraid, so I'll have to wait until the PC is free (my youngest! :oP ) before I can watch it. :o(


I do know what you mean about folks enjoying comedians cracking each other up.

We had a beloved show here in the States called The Carol Burnett show and they were famous for that. When I get a chance to watch this video, I'll find a clip of theirs so you'll get the idea.

So many of us miss that show.

Jan

19 September 2012 at 20:55  
Blogger The Great Gildersleeve said...

well, you'll never guess Jan, I have been catching uop on some of the sketches that feature Harvey Korman and Tim Conway :-)

I've always been surprised that some top US shows were never shown over here.

To be honest some of your greatest artists were not really shown here. You know the specials with Sinatra, Garland etc...even the ctosby and Hope shows were not seen here as far as I know...

We did get some series' and specials and I guess the one's that stand out are the Perry Como Christmas Specials and The Andy Williams show, I always remember the bear who asked for a cookie and some of the crazy guests that used to appear like jonathan Winters and Charlie Callas...series wise I Love Lucy and Bilko.

Of course now that I have said that all sorts of others series start coming into my mind but I am mainly talking about performers more associated with singing and variety...

19 September 2012 at 22:39  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh! I'm so pleased you found them! Did you find the dentist sketch? That one is my favorite of those two. :o)

Carol's was always a "showbiz" kid. Although she wasn't in the busines then, her grandmother took her to the movies sometimes three or four times a week, so she always had a great love and affection for them.

Some of the greatest sketches are from when they'd send up famous movies. If you can find "Went With the Wind" it was probably her most famous, and one that most people think of when remember her show.

I really wish we had more of your shows too, Gildy. So, so many I'd like to see (i.e. The Darling Buds of May, Last of the Summer Wine, etc...). I've seen some of them but there are so many gems yet to be enjoyed. :o)

Jan

23 September 2012 at 06:23  
Blogger The Great Gildersleeve said...

I have to use You Tube. I was watching that sketch in the early hours of this morning...but I found a site where they interview the greats of TV from "Our Day!"(ahem)and there is a 90 minute interview with Conway and Korman.

They apparently took a show around the States doing comedy in theatres but Harvey passed away aged 81 in 2008 :-(

I'll have to watch the sketch again as it lasted 3mins and I have found another version that lasts 5 minutes.

23 September 2012 at 12:48  
Blogger The Great Gildersleeve said...

This website as is happening a lot links back to You Tube rather than posting them on their own site...

http://www.emmytvlegends.org/

23 September 2012 at 12:50  

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