Back from Danny House, the South Coast & Autumn Season!

On Stage at Danny House!

It was great to get away and play the south coast last week as I opened on Monday night at one of my favourite venues, Danny House. It’s always a pleasure to play in the Great Hall and on this occasion I had been booked to perform my “Hooray for Hollywood” show. I’m constantly adding new numbers into my repertoire and on this occasion I was able to include the classic Dolly Parton number “Nine to Five” and my favourite James Bond theme, “Nobody Does it Better”. Both songs went down extremely well with the audience along with my Judy Garland and Movie musical favourites. So perhaps it wont come as any surprise to read I’m looking forward to returning to Danny House with my New Years Day concert on the 1st January 2024 immensely.

Life has been pretty intense of late which is why it’s always a pleasure to get away and play at Danny House. Not only am I

Setting the Stage inside The Great Hall!

always guaranteed a wonderful reception and an appreciative audience but afterwards I enjoy the quiet time when I can retire to my room. I have so many shows going around in my head at any-one time it’s great to have some quiet time to myself. I often spend the time going over songs so I’m ready for my next performance.

The following day I traveled along the coast and I had the pleasure of staying with Paul and Poppy in Portsmouth. On Tuesday my show was in Fishbourne where I performed the “Swinging

Paul and I Enjoying Chichester!

1950s & 60s” before finishing in Farnham with my WW1 show “Pack up your Troubles”. I’m turning shows around on a pin head and it’s the musical variety which make my job interesting.

Sadly Paul and I get so little time together so when we do meet up it’s important to make the most of it. I had a busy run of shows last week but on Saturday we decided to treat ourselves to a day out and we enjoyed high tea at The Ivy restaurant in the center of Chichester while making the most of the Autumn sunshine. Days off are very few and far between and it’s a real

Walking Poppy!

treat for all three of us to be out and about making the most of the moment.

Poppy is 14 now and she tires quickly. Often when we go out for walks she’s slow to get going and speeds up when we turn around to go home. She likes to sleep in her basket more so we have to be respectful of her age which I’m not sure how that works out in dog years.

This week I’ve been out every day performing a mix of shows from my last Proms concert of the season to “We’ll Meet Again”, mixed sing-alongs

Paul and Poppy in Chichester!

to “Enchantment” which is an October forerunner to my Halloween show “Fly me to the Moon”. I have no shortage of new numbers to learn and the public’s appetite for post modern songs is growing which is encouraging.

I’m currently learning “Wuthering Heights” and I’m going to be including this into my Halloween show later this month and “Gangsters Paradise” which will spice up my 1920s & 30s show no end. I’ve always had a keen interest in musical arrangements which is why I value my musical arranger Richard Whennel so highly. The wow wow trumpers in “Gangsters Paradise” give it a wonderful 1920s feel and I’m looking forward very much to performing the number very soon.

I’m keeping my fingers crossed Richard will be able to complete my Mary Poppins medley in time for December but