On Stage as Eliza Doolittle!

It’s just a very quick blog tonight as I’m a little between seasons as I go from  “My Fair Lady” and forward on into Spring and Easter . I’d like to begin by thanking Bea for inviting me to perform “My Fair Lady” at Portobello Place last Sunday for Mother’s day. Sadly Saturday’s “My Fair Lady” show had to be rescheduled due to a Covid outbreak but I was still able to perform in the garden with a different show which didn’t require costume changes and script.

Covid is still very much among us and I’m often having to turn shows around on a pin head adapting to what ever challenges the day brings. “My Fair Lady” is a complicated show and there is so much for me to remember which means I always have to rehearse it before performing the show to a paid audience. However every-time I do I think I get a little better which just goes to show practice really does make perfect.

Happy Mothers Day at Portobello Place!

Next week I start on the Spring/Easter season and I’m dying to try out my new song “The Girl in the Little Green Hat”. Some of you may remember Will Young singing this song in the 2005 film “Mr Henderson Presents” which told the story of the Windmill Theater in London during the 1930s & 40s. It’s my favorite film and I’m thrilled to add this number to my Easter Bonnet show and also to my Wrens show too. It’s slightly nautical which is why it makes for a good fit and Easter wouldn’t be Easter with-out a song or two about hats.

Me as The Girl in the Little Green Hat for Easter!

Once again Richard has produced a wonderful arrangement for me and I plan to sing the number a Bletchley Park later this year when I open their concert season on the 6th August. Perhaps not surprisingly I’m keeping everything crossed for good weather as last time we had rain and we all had to dash indoors as I performed the second half of my show in the ball room.

In between shows I’m busy trying to arrange a couple of photo shoots this year as I have a number of out-fits I want to document and use in my future videos. I’m going to be very busy with the Jubilee and I have a great run of shows from 23rd May through to the  12th June.

I’m going to leave my blog hear tonight as I must get to bed and I have a number of e-mails I must do in the morning.

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On Stage as Eliza Doolittle!

It’s just a very quick blog tonight as I’m taking a break from rehearsals to write this post. I’m currently rehearsing my one woman show of the popular musical “My Fair Lady” as I get the show ready for this weekend. I have been booked for two private parties on Saturday and Sunday to perform the show to tie in with Mothers Day.

Learning is definitely down to practice and I’m pleased to say  it’s not as difficult second, third or fourth time around to find the words in my head after a break of a couple of years as all the hard work has been done. I last performed this show prior to the pandemic so it’s good to performing “My Fair Lady” again. I think it’s one of my finest achievements as this shows uses all my skills as a musical actress, dancer, writer and designer.

My Fair Lady!

Tonight I need to go over my dance steps and a few of the Higgin’s numbers just to make sure everything will run smoothly when I come to the dress rehearsal on Friday.  Tomorrow I hope to get a couple of run throughs, which can be exhausting as there is much to remember and to do physically . The hardest part of this show is going from “The Rain in Spain” into “I Could have Danced all Night”. Neither songs are difficult to sing  but when you add in the Rain in Spain dance sequence there is little time for me to catch my breath, so I have to be super fit. I shall keep practicing!

Last week I had the pleasure of performing on Sunday in Harrow for a special 80th Birthday party. It was a lovely event as most of the people at the party were musicians so they really enjoyed my 2 x 45 minutes sets as I performed music from the 1930s, 40s, 50s,

With a Little Bit of Luck!

60s & 70s. You can’t really go wrong with Cole Porter, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Abba and Rock and Roll when it’s a family party and afterwards I really enjoyed listening to the pianists who all performed their favorite party pieces.

I’m going to leave my blog here tonight as I must get on. I shall leave you with my “My Fair Lady” show-reel which gives you an insight into how I stage the show.

Enjoy watching Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

The Stage is Set at Danny House!

Straighten Up and Fly Right at Danny House!

I arrived home on Monday evening after spending last week touring along the South Cost. It’s lovely to go somewhere different and since returning home I’ve had a mountain of e-mails to go through in-between performances which is why I’m a little later with this blog this week than I would like. I started my tour in Hurstpierpoint at Danny House with my  WAAF 1940s show. Initially I had been booked to perform this show in September to tie in with the Battle of Britain, but after coming down with Covid I had to reschedule my September tour to March.

Danny House is one of my favorite venues. The house has many historical links, the main one being in 1918, when it was rented for three months by Prime Minister Lloyd George. He lived there with his dog, his wife Margaret and his secretary Frances Stevenson. He held regular conferences in the Great Hall, where on 13 October they agreed the terms of the Armistice at the end of the First World War.

I love performing in the Great Hall and I shall be returning in the Autumn to perform “Putting on the Ritz”, songs from the 1920s & 30s, which goes

Some of the Sheet Music from the Collection!

splendidly with the halls elegance. I’ve since become a regular visitor to Danny House and when I was last down in East Sussex visiting the Vera Lynn exhibition in Ditchling I met by chance Vivien Andrews-Smith. On this occasion Vivien very kindly invited me to her home and has given me a wonderful collection of sheet music  which belonged to her late father, some of the music dates back from the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s & 60s.

As I commission 99% of my backing tracks I’m always looking for original sheet music which I can put into production. I was thrilled to find a

Musical Gems from the Collection!

number of songs I’d been looking for for ages. These included Irving Berlin’s “My British Buddy” “Ac-cent-tchu-ate the Positive” “Goodnight Vienna” and “Tico – Tico”. Although I have a lot of this sort of music in books so often they are not complete sometimes missing verses so it’s great if I can find the original sheet copies.

I always enjoy going away on tour and for many this was the first time some of the venues had had live entertainment in two years. From Danny House I went onto Brighton and along the coast to Chichester, Hayling Island, Fareham and I

Out and About with Poppy in Portchester!

finished my tour in Farnham. Paul and I also managed to have a day out in between shows with Poppy as we had Sunday lunch in Portchester and then took a trip over to Gosport and to one of my favorite shops “Voluptuous Vintage”

While I was touring I had an appointment to see Richard in the recording studio as I dashed up to Bracknell between performances. Richard has just completed “The Girl in the Little Green Hat” for me which I have commissioned for Easter and I will also be adding it to my Wrens show. I’m booked to perform at Bletchey Park on the 6th August as I open their concert season with my 1940s Wrens show “The Fleet’s in Port Again”.

The song was written in 1933 and it mentions a girl in a house by a lake in a park which is perfect for Bletchley. “The Girl in the Little Green Hat” was also sung by Will Young in the 2005 film “Mrs Henderson Presents” (My favorite film by the way) which told the story of the Windmill Theater in London during the 1930s & 40s.

Paul and I Shopping at Voluptuous Vintage!

Last year I commissioned “Babies of the Blitz” which has been going down extremely well in my shows. Once again I recorded my harmonies and it never fails making a refreshing change from The Andrews Sisters and Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy which has rather lost it’s musical mojo, having been done to death!

When it comes to the music of the 1940s there are so many wonderful pieces to choose it’s important to keep shows fresh and think a little bit out of the box. That’s why I’m not adverse to a little bit of artistic licence when it comes

Beautiful Poppy!

to songs which are written retrospectively. I currently have in production  “I’m Busy Doing Nothing” from a 1949  film “A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court” which deserves a prize for the most ridiculous title. It starred Bing Crosby and Rhonda Fleming and I’ve learn’t there is an appetite for something other than the obligatory swing tunes and tempos which dominate 1940s events.

I’m constantly working and I’m looking forward to a fantastic 2022. While I was away Bretteville l’Orgueilleuse have confirmed for the 17th September moving their Liberation Dance from

All Set to be the Girl in the Little Green Hat!

June which will balance out better for me with the Jubilee weekend. I’m fully booked for Jubilee weekend and I only have one date left for Christmas so the year is really starting to take shape. I’ve also been booked by Quainton railway to perform at the Buckinghamshire Railway Center for the Pee 88 car show on Bank Holiday Monday 29th August where I will be singing from WW1 through to the 1970s.

Next week I’m in rehearsals with my one woman show “My Fair Lady” as I get ready to perform it next weekend for Mothers day. While I was on tour I spent much of my time going over my script and score while driving between shows in my van. It’s a great place to learn as I never like to waste a minute. I also have an appointment on Monday to have all my equipment PATS tested. Gosh that’s come round quickly – zoom another year gone!

That’s all my news for now. I must leave it here as I have a few contracts to finish off tonight which I must crack on with.

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Off Down to West Sussex!

This week I’ve been out performing every day and I’m now getting ready to head off on tour this Monday as I work my way along the south coast. Once again there never seems to be enough hours in the day as I’ve been trying my best to squeeze in as much paper work as I can between shows. I’ve been working hard to sell the year and I’m thrilled the Black Country Living Museum have booked me for their 1940s event this coming July. I was all set to go to Normandy after the Queens Jubilee weekend in June to perform at The Liberation Ball at Bretteville l’ Orgueilleuse. That event has now been

The Girl in the Little Green Hat!

rescheduled to the Autumn and I’m juggling dates to fit every-one in.

So far the year is looking very positive but like every-one I’m concerned about the war in Ukraine and how this might escalate into a full blown third World War. It’s heart breaking to see families fleeing their homes with only what they can carry and nothing more. The bravery of the Ukrainian people is to be commended and I can’t believe this is happening in 2022. It’s like something out of the last century. It just goes to show we are all living through very uncertain times where no-ones home is secure and my thoughts and prayers are with the Ukrainian people at this terrible time.

It’s just a short blog today as I need to crack on with my packing and organise myself for the week ahead. I’m opening my tour with my Battle of Britain show “Those Magnificent Men” at Danny House in Hurstpierpoint  before making my way along the coast and finishing in Farnham as I start to work my way home backup the country. If I’m able to fit it in I’d like to make a trip to the recording studio between shows to pick up my new musical arrangement of the song “The Girl in the Little Green Hat”. This will be a wonderful addition to my Easter Bonnet show and I can’t wait to sing it.

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At The National Museum of Computing!

Once again I’m a little late with my blog this week due to the fact I’ve been performing every day and I’ve had a lot of paper work to get through in between shows. I usually like to get my year booked by March but I’ve had a lot of last minute rescheduled shows to fit in which has kept me busy. I was so tired after my show last night I slept for a straight through twelve hours. I’ve just got back from doing a show now and I’m quickly trying to catch up.

We also had a tree snap off in the high winds last week which fortunately fell the other side of our

Setting Up in The Garden at Bushey House!

wall. The story went to press this week and was covered by our local paper The Leighton Buzzard Observer.

Dressed For An Out-door Show!

https://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/people/second-time-lucky-for-linslade-singers-house-during-storms-as-it-escapes-hit-from-falling-tree-3578550

The History Of Computing!

All things considered it’s been a very positive week but I’m still having to adapted quickly and turn on a pin head. Although restrictions are lifting some clients still need me to perform out-side if there is a last minute change in their health status. That happened to me on Friday when I was booked to perform in Bushey.  I don’t mind performing out-side as long as I get advance notice. My green baize coat was made for this very purpose and as the sun shone it was a great day to be in the garden. However at this time of year if the sun goes in behind a cloud the temperature can drop really quickly which is why

A Working Re-build of the 1940s Bombe!

it’s important to wear boots as well.

I’m taking each day as it comes and I’m nearly fully booked for March, but I don’t want to count my chickens before they hatch. I’m performing “My Fair Lady” at the end of the month and I’m busy going over my lines. I’m very proud of this show having adapted it into a one woman show and I especially enjoy playing all the different roles. With so many songs and shows going on in my head at any one time I have to departmentalise other wise it’s all too easy to get get brain over load.

Going Back to the 1940s!

Once a song or show is in my head it doesn’t take long for me to get it back to the front of my brain. It can take some work to get it slick again, but once the hard work and memory has been created it’s easier second, third or fourth time around. Memory is practice and the more I do something the easier it becomes.

However every so often I do get a rogue song where I can’t quite get the lyrics to stick in my head correctly and I come out with a slightly muddled word order. This week I had a break thorough where I managed to unravel a few of

Colossus a re-build of one of the first Computer designs from the 40s

these rogue songs which had been plaguing me for years. It just goes to show practice makes perfect and if at first you don’t succeed try try again.

Despite being busy I still think it’s important to take some time out and visit a museum from time to time. Last Sunday I had a fantastic day at The National Museum of Computing which is situated at Block H at Bletchley Park. It houses the largest collection of working historic computers from the 1940s to the present day. The museum has no shortage of interesting people who can tell you all about them and what I love best about this

Computer History from the 60s, 70s & 80s

museum is you can get up close and see these computers actually working. I’m sure none of these computers what ever their age would struggle with remembering song lyrics!

I’m always looking for interesting back drops and it’s important to get these things right when covering different historic periods. One volunteer told me that the easiest way to date office computers is by their colour. In the 1960s computers were blue, Orange in the 70s and mushroom cream in the 80s. Of course there are exceptions for example IBM computers stayed blue throughout due to it being their trade colour but it’s still a good place to start.

Tonight the BBC are airing their six series of Peaky Blinders which is attracting a lot of interest. I always like to be on trend and this week my local paper went on line and ran a story about my “That Man” show-reel which have something of a

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Peaky Blinders look. I shall leave you with a link and photos from my visit to The National Museum of Computing.

Linslade singer Fiona Harrison’s new music video inspired by returning BBC drama Peaky Blinders | Leighton Buzzard Observer (leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk)

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Almost Like Being in Love!

I’m afraid it’s just a quick blog tonight manly because I’ve been working at my desk so much this week I need to get away from my computer screen and do something else. The world is still reeling from Covid and it’s a Topsy Tervy time. Every-day I hold my breath hoping all will be well for the days scheduled show. We are still living through uncertain times but now if a show has to be postponed due to a Covid out-break clients are automatically rescheduling which they weren’t doing two years ago.

This week it’s all been about romance as I’ve been out performing my favorite love songs to tie in with Velentines Day. Thank-you to every-one who tuned in to see my live Valentine’s Facebook stream on Monday night. It was lovely to sing for you all and thank-you for your lovely comments. I’m now pressing forward with the Spring Season as I rehearse and get my one woman show of “My Fair Lady” up and running for the end of March. I’m very proud of this show and I’m looking forward to performing it again

The Broken Tree Damage!

after a break of two years.

Tomorrow I’m performing for a private party just out-side of St Neots and I’m hoping the wind will die down. Today I was singing in Dunstable and there was no shortage of tree debis on the road as I made my way over to the venue. On Thursday our house had a lucky escape as I tree brook off and fell the other side of our wall missing our garden. In 1990 one of the other trees fell through the side of our house but fortunately in both cases nobody was hurt.

The Fallen Tree!

I’m going to leave my blog hear tonight as I need to prepare for tomorrows show.

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Me with Vera Lynn’s Wedding Suit!

Orange Silk Chiffon Dress by Colin Becke 1950

This week I’ve been concentrating on performing two styles of  shows. The first my “Happy and Glorious” show to commemorate the Queens Accession which took place on the 6th February back in 1952 and a “Valentines Serenade” to tie in with Valentine’s Day on the 14th.  Both are well tried and tested be-loved shows, but this year I’m adding in a few new romantic songs for Valentines including “My Funny Valentine” which I’m looking forward very much to performing on the day itself.

In between performances I’ve been busy in the office selling dates and it’s good to see the year taking shape. However it can be a little like buses with everything coming all at once and with people constantly requesting shows for the June Jubilee weekend. I’m fortunate some of my customers have chosen February instead which has helped me to share my time more successfully covering two points in the year for the Queen’s Accession.

Vera Lynn’s Evening Dresses!

It’s all about planning and mapping out important dates with suitable shows.  Office work is just as crucial as the shows themselves and despite the long hours it always pays off in the end to be thorough. I’ve had too many late nights involving paper-work so yesterday due to a show being rescheduled at the last minute I was able to take the day off and head down to Ditchling in East Sussex.

Some of you may remember me mentioning in a previous blog the Vera Lynn Exhibition which is currently taking place at the Ditchling Museum of

1950’s Evening Gown by Colin Becke

Art + Craft. https://www.ditchlingmuseumartcraft.org.uk/ I’d been wanting to visit as soon as I knew the exhibition was taking place and Friday was the day when I was able to make that happen.  I particularly wanted to see her stage dresses and the museum had some wonderful examples from her wardrobe on display from the 1950s & 60s.

The museum described the exhibition on their web-site as follows :-

Dame Vera Lynn: An Extraordinary Life showcases over 100 objects from the estate of the ‘Forces’ Sweetheart’, including numerous previously unseen personal items.

An Extraordinary Life offers unparalleled insight into both the public and personal life of the singer, whose songs were crucial in maintaining morale during the Second World

Beautiful Dress Detailing!

War. The exhibition also reveals artworks by Dame Vera, who was an enthusiastic painter for much of her life. There are 20 works on display, comprising portraiture and still-lifes painted at her London home, following the Second World War, and at Ditchling, where she owned a home from 1944.

The exhibition chronicles the nine decades Dame Vera spent in the public eye, from her early days as a singer, to her wartime service in the Entertainments National Service Association (ENSA), through to her extensive post-war

Photos from Vera Lynn’s Career!

entertainment career and charitable works.

It took me two and a half hours to drive down due to the inevitable congestion on the M25. Ditchling Museum is a charming intimate space where you can get up close and take in all the items on display. I went especially to see Vera Lynn’s clothes and I enjoyed looking at the detail in her stage costumes. Many of her evening dresses had beautiful embellishments and the dresses which stood out for me were her evening gowns from the 1950s which were made by designer Colin Becke. I also found her letters very interesting too including one from the BBC

Another Beautiful Colin Becke Gown from 1952

inviting Vera Lynn to take part in a command performance at Windsor Castle for the Princess Elizabeth’s birthday. Other interesting items included her travel iron, Vera’s ivory wedding suit from the 1940s and photographs documenting her career.

Afterwards I visited the vintage Nutmeg Tree Tea room across the road from the museum. http://www.thenutmegtree.co.uk Rather appropriately I sat in the Vera Lynn room which had a wonderful display of photographs and paintings spanning Vera Lynn’s career. A popular destination for locals and visitors alike the tea room offered a wonderful selection of tea and cakes. Although I didn’t have much time to explore the village Ditchling looks charming and while I was having tea some local ladies were telling me that Vera Lynn was often seen in the high street when she lived in the village.

Travelling Abroad with Vera Lynn!

At the time I had no idea how close Ditchling is to Hurstpierpoint. I will be returning there in March when I’m booked to perform my WAAF “Battle of Britain” show at Danny House.

I must dash now as I have a “Valentine Serenade” to perform in Brackley later today and I must get ready. I wish you all a wonderful Valentines Day on the 14th and don’t forget I will be streaming live at 9pm from my Facebook page and sharing with Love of the Vintage and Love of the 40s on their Facebook page too, 1940s Event’s and

Tea at The Nutmeg Tree, Ditchling!

Social Space.

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14th February Live Stream 9pm

Taking a Tram Ride at Milestones Museum!

It’s been a very productive week one way and another and I’m thrilled to announce my new flicker book show reel “Love of the 1940s” is now up and running. I never imagined putting a selection of photos with a demo backing track could be this complicated, but after a lot of blood sweat and tears it’s finally up, adding another great addition to my video library.

I would like to say a special thank-you to Peter Hardicker for putting this video together for me and to Karen too for finding my graphic style for the type faces. The time it’s taken me to sort through all my photos has been immense, but

Milestones Museum!

now it’s done I’m thrilled I’m able to share it with you all and I hope in turn it will inspire lots of new business.

Last Saturday I was in Swindon performing for a masonic lodge at the Marriott hotel. It was a wonderful evening and I think possibly my first of this type of function since the pandemic. It felt good to perform for a Ladies Nights again and to see ladies in their beautiful evening dresses and gentlemen in black ties and diner jackets enjoying themselves. I’d been engaged to perform music from the 1920s, 30s and 40s over two sets in period costume. I concluded my second set in ATS

Inside the Radio, Gramophone Shop!

uniform and straight after me came Elvis followed by a dance band which played favorites from the 1960s and beyond.

After my show I got changed and I was invited to enjoyed the rest of the party which went on until midnight. Fortunately I was able to stay over at the hotel as special guest of the masonic lodge which was a real treat and the following day I made my way over to Milestones Museum in Basingstoke.  I’ve been so busy in the office of late I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to visit somewhere new and get away from my computer. One of my clients had told me about Milestones last year and since hearing about it I had wanted to visit for quite a while.

Milestones is a huge hanger set out as a town, packed full of old period buildings and vehicles dating from about 1890 to the 1940s. Unlike the Black Country Living museum all the

A Vintage Street Scene Scenario!

buildings are indoors so it doesn’t matter what the weather is doing out-side you are always in the dry. Milestones didn’t disappoint and I had a wonderful day looking at all the buildings and period exhibits. I particularly liked the tram and the old radio, gramophone shop.

I love to travel and there are a number of museums I’m keen to visit before things start to get really busy again including an exhibition of Dame Vera Lynn’s life which is on display at Ditchling Museum of Art + Craft. It opened on the 8th January and runs through to the 18th April. The exhibition showcases over 100 objects from her

Looks like my Luggage!

estate including her dresses which I would very much like to see.

Entitled “An Extraordinary Life” it offers unparalleled insight into both the public and personal life of the singer, whose songs were crucial in maintaining morale during the Second World War. The exhibition also reveals artworks by Dame Vera, who was an enthusiastic painter for much of her life. The exhibition chronicles the nine decades Dame Vera spent in the public eye, from her early days as a singer, to her wartime service in the Entertainments National Service

All the Fun of the Fair at Milestones! 

Association (ENSA), through to her extensive post-war entertainment career and charitable works.

I’m hoping I might get the opportunity to visit later this month but for the moment I’m busy performing “Happy and Glorious” shows to commemorate the Queen’s Accession which will be rolling straight onto Valentine shows from the 7th February.

In the mean-time I will leave you with a few of my photos taken at Milestones and a link to my new flicker book show-reel “Love of the 1940s”. Enjoy watching!

https://youtu.be/6skkZOT_ESc

Toodle Pip and Bye for Now! 😉