Paul and I Shopping in Milan!

It’s been all go here at Harrison HQ since returning home from Italy. I have so much catching up to do. Since I wrote part one I’ve completed  twelve shows in as many days, gone from my Wrens Trafalgar show straight into Halloween, had a heart stopping moment with my amp going down mid show, not to mention my printer giving up the ghost the same week, appointments to keep, arrangements to pick up from the recording studio, new songs to learn and the pleasure of singing for Newark Air Museum’s 1940s event. Phew!

Guiseppe and I at The Duomo!

In fact I will be writing up Newark’s 1940s event in my next blog as I have some great pictures to share with you all, many of which you might have seen on my Facebook pages. But for now I’d like to tell you more about my Italian trip and our days when Paul and I had the pleasure of visiting Milan with our host Guiseppe and friend Franco.

Milan is a wonderful city and on this occasion we had the pleasure of visiting it twice. On our first free day Paul and I took the tram into town with our host Guiseppe to The Duomo. I’d never ridden on a tram before and it’s a great way of seeing the city and all the different styles of beautiful Italian architecture. Once we reached our destination we decided to have lunch at the roof top restaurant opposite The Duomo. Milan’s leading department store is situated directly opposite the cathedral and once you reach the sixth floor you

On Top of the World!

are presented with a choice of restaurants. Our restaurant looked out directly at the cathedrals roof where you could see visitors exploring and making the most of the cathedrals views.

I can see why Italy leads the way in fashion. What Milan is doing now we do five years later here in the UK and it’s hardly surprising that  visitors come from all over the world to shop in it’s department stores and at the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele which bosts some of the best designer shops in the world. The Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II is Italy’s oldest active shopping arcade and a major landmark. Housed within a

The Famous Bull and Turin’s Coat of Arms!

four-story double arcade in the center of town, the Galleria is named after Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of the Kingdom of Italy. It was designed in 1861 and built by architect Giuseppe Mengoni between 1865 and 1867.

The arcade has four mosaics portraying the coat of arms of the three capitals of the Kingdom of Italy (Turin, Florence and Rome) plus Milan’s. Tradition says that if a person spins around three times with a heel on the testicles of the bull from Turin coat of arms this will bring good luck. Naturally I had to have a go and it’s a

very popular place, as visitors queue up to have their photograph taken with their heel on the bull’s genitals.

It’s still very much a mans world in Italy and Italian men aren’t afraid to be fashionable. Certainly around the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele there’s no shortage of men’s designer shops all sporting the latest trends and labels. It’s interesting to note that men’s jackets are going back to double breasted with higher cut wider lapels and skinny trousers. Ladies fashion wasn’t quite so obvious although I did spot a trend for abstract tapestry on coats and trousers.

Inside La Scala!

While I was in The Galleria I treated myself to a new pair of leather gloves and then we continued to walk though to the other side of the road to the La Scala Opera House. Paul and I had the pleasure of visiting the La Scala museum the last time we were in Milan. We enjoyed it so much we decided to go again. The theater has received a number of improvements since we last visited including an extended fly tower which is now 56 meters high and is the same height as the Tower of Pisa. The museum has a wonderful collection of art work featuring many of the stars from the world of Opera and Ballet. I particularly love to see

Me with Maria Callas!

the ladies in their beautiful costumes and 19th century fashions.

The following day we returned to Milan with our friend Franco and this time we traveled in on the underground. Coffee drinking is very important to the Italians and it’s often done on the go standing up at bars. Franco is the sort of man who needs his coffee fix before he can move forward with the day as we did the bar thing and then dinned in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. It’s a wonderful place to sit and dine while watching the world go by. It’s also a popular place for photo shoots and even Paul was snapped by

Paul Shopping for Hats at Borsalino!

Spanish Cosmopolitan magazine who were doing a feature on men’s Italian street style. I didn’t have the heart to tell them he is English!

Afterwards we visited the Leonardo da Vinci museum which is also up stars in the Galleria Vittorio Emanuele. I had hoped very much to see Da Vinci’s Last Supper but unfortunately it’s closed to the public on Mondays and tickets have to be bought on line at least a week in advance. As we weren’t quite sure of our plans before coming away I hadn’t been able to organise this. However little of the original painting still exists due to the amount

Paul Takes Coffee with Franco!

of restoration which has taken place over centuries so visiting the Leonardo museum did gave us something of Leonardo’s genius to enjoy. Although the museum doesn’t focus on his art it has examples of his drawing designs displaying his ability as a inventor with working models which I found very interesting.

As I mentioned earlier Milan is all about design, with fashion at the top of the list. While we were in town there was a special Louis Vuitton exhibition charting the designer from when he first opened his luggage company in Paris back in the mid 19th century through to the present day.

The Perfect Vuitton Handbag!

Entitled the Capsule collection it had some wonderful examples of luggage recording the different times in history from piratical military design through to the glamour of ocean-liners and Orient Express train travel. It also had examples of Vuitton’s fashion label and I particularly enjoyed looking through the Louis Vuitton catalog charting the Paris fashion shows and designs over the last ten years. Good classic design never dates and I fell in love with one particular handbag for it’s simplicity. The clue is in the Vuitton handle as variations on V designs often appear in his collections.

The next day Franco and his wife very kindly took Paul and I to see the beautiful Charterhouse Monastery in Pavia. Known as The Certosa di Pavia  It is is situated in Lombardy, northern Italy, near a small town with the same name 8 km north of Pavia. Built in 1396-1495, it was once located on the border of a large hunting park belonging to the Visconti

The Charterhouse Monastery of Pavia!

family of Milan, of which today only scattered parts remain. It is one of the largest monasteries in Italy.

Certosa is the Italian name for a house of the cloistered monastic order of Carthusians founded by St. Bruno in 1044 at Grande Chartreuse. Though the Carthusians in their early centuries were known for their seclusion and asceticism and the plainness of their architecture, the Certosa is renowned for the exuberance of its architecture, in both the Gothic and Renaissance styles, and for its collection of artworks which are particularly representative of the region.

Paul and I inside the Monastery!

Sadly were weren’t able to take photos inside the church but out-side the architecture is breath taking as we were taken on a tour around the church and monastery by one of the monks. Afterwards we visited The Ponte Coperto (“covered bridge”) or the Ponte Vecchio (“Old Bridge”) which is a brick and stone arch bridge over the Ticino River in Pavia, Italy.

The previous bridge dated from 1354 and was a replacement for the original Roman construction. It was heavily damaged by Allied action in 1945 and a debate on whether to fix or replace the bridge ended when the bridge partially collapsed

Paul at the Ponte Vecchio Pavia!

in 1947. The new construction began in 1949 and is based on the previous one, which had seven arches to the current bridge’s five. The current bridge, like its predecessor, bears a chapel.

It makes for a wonderful photo opportunity and Paul and I made the most of the location while basking in the Italian sunshine. Oddly enough I sing the phrase Ponte Vecchio in the aria “O Mio Babbino Caro”  so it was lovely to actually visit one.

Of-course all good things have to come to an end and for Paul and I to have had the opportunity

Enjoying the View in Pavia!

to perform in Italy and to have visited all these wonderful places will stay with us always. These are once in a life time opportunities and it’s important to make the most of them when they come along. A huge thank-you goes out to our host Guiseppe and all our Italian friends who have made our stays so enjoyable and Paul and I look forward to catching up with all our Italian friends again soon.

In the meantime it’s back to Blighty and in my next blog I shall tell you all about our 1940s shows up at the Newark Air Museum’s 40s event.

Enjoy the photos, Keep Following and Toodle Pip! 😉

Sight Seeing in Pavia!

Flying Out from Luton to Milan!

Since returning home from Italy my feet have barely touched the ground. I have so much to tell you all about our Graffignana tour I hardly know where to begin.  This week I’ve also been working on the final film edits with Judson for “My Fair Lady” and on Thursday I will be back in the recording studio with Richard picking up my new Disney arrangement for Christmas which is all very exiting!

Firstly I would like to start by thanking every-one for my birthday cards and pres

Judson Editing My Fair Lady!

Rehearsing with Saxophonist Pier Arensi!

ents. It’s very kind of you all to remember me especially as I try to play my birthday down. This year I was busy getting ready for Italy I completely forgot all about it. It wasn’t until tea time when Paul arrived I had my first opportunity to open my cards and presents.

Thank-you every-one for all your good wishes and especially to Gordon for making such a beautiful card. It’s great to know you follow my blogs and thank-you to Brian and Viv for the lovely DVDs. My mother and I really enjoyed watching them and of-course not forgetting my dear friend Fay for the charming cat purse and scarf. I shall treasure them always.

Just to keep you up to date – This weekend Paul and I will be performing in Newark at the Air Museum’s 1940s event and we hope very much you can all make it along to see us. In past years the event has been held in the summer but we hope with an Autumn date it will attract a lot of new visitors. For 2019 the museum have hired in a marque with a dance floor and we will be working along side DJ Dave Dawes from 1940sradio.com

Paul and I have been booked to perform 3 x 45

Rehearsing Ave Maria before Sundays Mass!

minute shows daily plus we will be singing at the Saturday night dance too. I’m including a lot more dance music in my sets this year along with a few of the old sing-along favorites. So we look forward to seeing you all there. These are my show plans for the weekend so far although depending on demand I may make a change to Sundays finale.

Sat 26th Oct = 11.30am “Those Megnificent Men” WAAF Show, 1.30pm “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree” Glamour Show, 3.30pm  “GI Jive” WAC Show

Sight seeing in Lodi with Guiseppe!

Sun 27th Oct = 11.30am “We’ll Meet Again” ATS Show, 1.30pm “Hollywood Swing”, 3.30pm “Anchors Aweigh” US WAVES

It’s always exciting to fly off to exotic locatio

Visiting the Roman Lavs Pompeia Museum

ns and this was my fourth tour to Italy. Paul and I had the privilege of performing in Lodi Vecchio back in April and we were delighted to be invited back to perform for Graffignana’s October festival. Graffignana is not far from Milan and we always receive a warm welcome and wonderful hospitality from our Italian hosts. On this occasion we were able to stay a few extra days which allowed Paul and I to see a little more of Milan and to visit Certosa di Pavia, but I shall be telling you more about that in my next part two blog.

My brief was simple to perform the music of the 1950s, 60s and 70s in Graffignana’s town square on Sunday which is located just out-side the church. On the Saturday night our host Guiseppe held a party in Paul’s and my honor to celebrate our birthdays. We all had a fantastic night. Paul and I sang with saxophonist Pier Arensi  and we performed a selection of songs from Swing to the Hollywood movies and more.

On Stage Saturday Night with Pier!

As soon as I stepped off the plane I was straight into rehearsals with Pier and also with the church organist at Parrocchia dei Santi Pietro and Paolo Apostoli. I had been booked to sing “Ave Maria” at Sundays Mass and later that day Paul and I performed in the square our main show songs from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Fortunately I can sing in Latin and the Italians love their Opera. Much as I had planned to finish my show with Rock and Roll  I had so many requests to sing Nessun Dorma this aria became my grand finally.

Paul had learnt a couple of some new Sinatra numbers for the occasion which included “Have you met Miss Jones” and on Saturday night he joined forces with Pier to perform “Volare” which was very entertaining. I also included  Abba and my Grease medley which went down extremely well with the Italian audience along with the Cilia Black number “You’ve My World”. Italian audiences will often applaud mid song if they are impressed with the way a singer holds a note or sings a

Paul on Stage Singing Sinatra in Graffignana!

particular phrase which is very rewarding.

It’s very thrilling to be invited to perform in other countries and to see new and exiting places. On Saturday our host Guiseppe took us to Lodi for lunch so we could explore the old town and visit the Roman museum at Pompeia. I find Italian history and architecture fascinating and Lodi if packed full of interesting churches and buildings which go back centuries.

In my next blog I will tell you about our visit to La Scala, The Leonardo Da Vinci Museum, Louis Vuitton  and the monastery in Pavia. In the meantime

On Stage Singing the 50s, 60s & 70s

enjoy the photos.

Keep Following and Toodle Pip! 😉

Enjoying Graffignana’s Festival after Mass!

In the Recording Studio!

I confess I’m rushing against the clock again this week to try and get everything done before Friday when Paul and I fly out to Milan to perform for Graffignana’s Vintage Festival. I can’t wait but I have so much to do first including show plans and packing. This last week has been full on and I hardly know where to begin. I was in the studio a week Saturday recording some Gigi vocals and voice overs for the “My Fair Lady” video before heading into Fulham.

The recording studio isn’t far from the M4 so I thought it would be a good opportunity to visit Acessories of Old Vintage at their storage unit in

Shopping at Accessories of Old Vintage!

SW6. They sell dead old new stock which is shipped in from South Africa and on this occasion they had loads of vintage sequin trimmings which I was keen to buy not to mention buttons and costume jewellery from the 1940s, 50s and 60s.

For £25 you are given a bag which you are left free to fill and needless to say I was able to fill mine with all sorts of vintage and sequin treasures which I shall be using on my costumes at some time in the future. It wont come as any surprise to those of you who know me, but I live my life through design and colour. Often when I design an out-fit sometimes it can be a trimming or a piece of jewellery which inspires me first, and then the design quickly follows. I came away from Fulham with so many wonderful things which I can’t wait to use and already my head is buzzing with designs.

The following day I was at Bletchley Park. I had a meeting with the events team and I’m thrilled to announce I’ve been

Out and About at Bletchely Park!

engaged to perform as part of Bletchley’s 2020 concert season. I also took the opportunity to have a good look around the sight and to do a bit of vintage shopping while meeting up with friends and enjoying the 1940s atmosphere.

Keeping ones vintage wardrobe fresh and new is a job in it’s self . On this occasion I was able to pick up a stunning shocking pink wool suit which I shall be wearing next year when Paul and I return to perform in Normandy!

This week I’ve been on tour singing in West Sussex. I began my tour  just north of Brighton

Danny House!

in the village of Hurstpierpoint. I’d been booked to perform at Danny House which was once home to Lloyd George and is now a rural retreat. Every Monday evening they stage a concert and although most are classical recitals I was thrilled when Danny House invited me to stay and perform my one woman show “My Fair Lady”.

The Great Hall lends it’self perfectly for recitals, it has wonderful acoustics and made the ideal location for my show too. I couldn’t have wished for a better setting. When it comes to musicals it’s hard to find any-one who doesn’t know

Inside The Great Hall!

or like “My Fair Lady”. So I’m pleased to say my performance went down really well with the Danny audience.  I would like to thank Richard Burrows for his kind and generous hospitality and I’m looking forward very much to returning to Danny House in the Spring.

My next couple of shows were in and around Chichester and to-day I was performing in Harrow. I have tried to leave this week as clear as possible although I have another performance on Thursday and then it’s straight into my Italian shows. On Saturday evening Paul and I will be performing in Lordi Vecchio. Then on Sunday I’ve

The Stage is Set!

been invited to sing in Latin Ave Maria for Mass followed by my Swinging 50s, 60s and 70s show. So much to do and plan for.

I’ve also just received Angela Adams beautiful photos from our 1940s fashion shoot at The East Anglian Railway museum. I will be posting up many of the shots over face-book in the next couple of months so do Keep Following and Toodle Pip for Now!

A New Shot By Angela Adams!

Between Shots with Angela Adams!

I’m sorry I’m a little later with my blog this week but I’ve been extremely busy tying up loose ends and catching up on paperwork. I head off to the South coast next week for a mini tour and I shall tell you more about that in a moment. Firstly this week has all been about “The Best of British” as I’ve had a run of “Last Night of the Proms” style concerts. It’s been great fun which has also tied in with today as it’s “Music Day”. You can’t really go wrong with “Rule Britannia” and “Land of Hope and Glory” when your audience arrive prepared and ready to wave their union jack flags from the outset!

Kim and Angela between Shots at the Viaduct!

The days and weeks are rolling by and I can’t believe it’s only two weeks away when Paul and I will be flying back out to Milan to perform for Graffignana’s vintage festival. This year I have been booked to perform the music of the 1950s, 60s & 70s and on the Saturday night Paul and I have been invited to perform a special concert in Lodi Vecchio which will be attended by the mayor. I’ve lot’s to try and sort out before then which means I’m working flat out behind the scenes to see everything is up to date before we fly.

Last weekend I had the pleasure of working with

Getting Ready Back-stage!

top photographer Angela Adams and her assistant Kim at The East Anglian Railway Museum in Colchester. Paul and I have been booked to perform there next year and I was keen to get some new 1940s fashion shots recorded before the weather changes and moves into the colder Autumn/Winter season.

As with all shoots it’s all in the preparation and I spent Saturday morning in the hairdressers getting ready for the shot before heading off to Colchester. I booked a full days secession with Angela which believe me is hard work. It’s deceiving to think standing in front of a camera isn’t tiring, in fact it’s exhausting, as you are constantly changing your body shape in an attempt to get those perfect angles.

For all of us our day started early as Kim drove all the way from Hampshire and Angela from Norfolk. I arrived at the

Inside the Goods Shed!

museum as soon as they opened and it took me a good 40 to 50 minutes to carry all my costumes into the museum. On this occasion I brought 14 out-fits which I knew was a little ambitious for the time scale however we did manage to photograph 11 costumes which was quite an achievement.

Time is often taken up in changing and moving from location around the museum. You have to be quick, and thorough, often grabbing a bite between fast changes. I haven’t seen the photographs yet but I’m looking forward to seeing them very much. Apparently there are some fantastic shots and as soon as I get them

A Quick Selfie!

through I promise to sharing them all with you.

On Monday I’m off down to West Sussex and Hurstpierpoint to perform at Danny Mansion which was once the home to David Lloyd George. It’s said that when Lloyd George heard the news of victory on the Western Front bringing an end to the first World War he danced the hornpipe. As prime minister from 1908 to 1915 Lloyd George rejected Chequers as his grace and favor mansion, preferring Danny House. I’m looking forward to performing there very much as I’ve been booked to perform my “My Fair Lady” show which starts my South Coast tour.

Getting Made Up!

I’ve been invited to stay the night and from Danny I will be heading onto Chichester with shows booked everyday to include “The Magic of the Musicals”, “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree”, “Thank-you for the Music” and “The Good Old Days” before returning on Saturday with “The Swinging 50s & 60s”.

This weekend I’m back in the recording studio trying to sort out a few last minute recording issues with the “My Fair Lady” show-reel and working through some new numbers with my pianist friend Ross. I’m not sure if I will have time to write another blog before I go away but if not I look forward to catching up with you all when I come back from the South coast. In the meantime enjoy my behind the scene shots from the railway museum and thank-you every-one at Chappel Station who helped us with the shoot.

Kim and I Between Shots!

Keep Following, Toodle Pip and Bye for Now!

On Stage with Paul!

We’ll Meet Again!

During my singing career I’ve had the pleasure of performing for many 1940s events both here in the UK and abroad but Hughenden Manor is rapidly becoming one of my favorites. From the moment you enter the grounds there is a buzz of excitement from all the participants who have been carefully hand picked to take part in this prestigious National Trust event. Last weekend was no exception as we all pulled together and worked our socks off to make Saturday and Sunday’s event the best 1940s Hughenden ever!

This weekend offers a wonderful varied mix of activities and interests appealing to all age groups from re-enactments, military displays, music and dance work-shops and of-course not forgetting Hughenden Manor it’s self, which was once home to the Victorian Prime minister Benjamin Disraeli.

For those of you who don’t know during WW2 Hughenden was requisitioned by the Air Ministry and became

Paul with Sound Engineer & DJ Dave Dawes!

Angela’s Vintage Hair Salon!

a top secret map making operation for the RAF. From 1941 – 46 over 100 men and women, civilian and military were based at Hughenden producing target maps for nearby Bomber Command HQ. So it’s hardly surprising that Hughenden Manor has now become the setting for a rapidly growing 40s event.

Last year we had record visitor numbers and in 2018 the event attracted 1735 on the Saturday and 2412 on Sunday. This year we saw 2183 on the Saturday and 3050 on the Sunday which is an increase of just under 1100 people. Incredible but also understandable with the growing interest in Operation Hillside which was Hughenden’s code name during the War. Earlier this year the house renovate and open two new rooms expanding it’s Operation Hillside exhibition which has proved to be extremely popular.

It’s always feels like a great honor to be invited to sing at Hughenden and this year Paul and I

Shopping for Vintage Between Shows!

On Stage with the Fantastic Polka Dots!

had the pleasure of working with three girl harmony group “The Polka Dots” and sound man and radio DJ Dave Dawes from 1940sradio.com 

In past years it’s been Paul and my responsibility to provide sound not only for ourselves but for other artists too. So it was lovely this year to concentrate solely on our performances and to have Dave rigging and mixing sound for us all. My brief was to perform two singing sets daily one uniform, one glamour. To share the compering duties with Dave Dawes  and to run the 1.30pm dance work shop on the Parterre stage. Paul too had been engaged to perform his own 30 minute Swing Sinatra set and we couldn’t have wished for better

Enjoying the Gardens at Hughenden!

Getting Dressed for my Dance Work-shop Back-stage!

Meeting Up with Friends and Visitors!

Meeting Friends & Dressed for Battle of Britain Day!

weather as the weekend got busier and  busier.

A great deal of thought goes into all my shows not only musically but also into the clothes I wear. Although the uniform shows are straight forward enough everything still has to be properly prepared with brass buttons and shoes polished and clothes pressed. When it comes to teaching dance workshops it’s essential I’m able to bend and stretch. So this year I designed a blue crepe 1940s trouser suit which worked so well and gave me the freedom to move as I needed.

I first started teaching 40s dance work shops at Hughenden three years ago. My idea was to take

Packed with Visitors!

Ready to Begin My Glamour Set!

popular party dances from the time such as “The Lambeth Walk” and “Hands Knees and Boomps a Daisy” and to adapt them  choreographically to fit the confines of the Parterre stage. These work-shops are now proving extremely popular and I couldn’t believe the number of people who joined in last weekend. It’s great fun although I think Dave and Paul got covered in dust as the Parterre started to fill with budding dances all strutting their stuff on the gravel floor.

On Saturday I opened the event on the North Lawn stage with my ATS “We’ll Meet Again” show to tie in with the 80th WW2 Anniversary. On this occasion I began  with Neville Chamberlain famous speech and segued into “Mother was Right” which for those of you who have a copy of my “We’ll Meet Again” album will know is a song about the ATS. For my final set I closed with my American glamour show “Don’t Sit Under the Apple Tree”.

When ever I do events I don’t like to repeat my shows so on Sunday I opened with  “Hollywood Swing” and closed with “Those Magnificent Men” a special WAAF Show to tie in with Sunday’s important date 15th September which as I’m sure you all know is remembered as “Battle of Britain” Day. Paul delighted audiences his Sinatra swing show and the Polka Dots drew a crowd with their sassy dance routines and tight harmonies.

Some of the events other great highlights included a Spitfire fly passed on both days and the Special service taken by the Rev Keith Johnson and group Captain Shaun Harris, who is Station Commander at RAF High Wycombe. I’d also like to thank Moria Andrews and her dedicated team who worked so hard to make this event such a success and Paul and I are already looking forward to next year.

For the first time I recommended to Moria my friend Angela to have a vintage hair dresser. I’ve known Angela for many years and when it comes to doing vintage hair styles she is the best in the business. It was the first time Angela had ever done anything like this and all day she had a steady flow of customers all having their hair beautifully styled while visitors continued to flock through the gates.

This week I’m still busy performing “Battle of Britain” and “Last Night of the Proms” concerts before heading off to The East Anglian Railway Museum in Colchester at the weekend. I’m thrilled to announce Paul and I have been booked by the museum to perform for their special 1940s event next year on the 4th 5th July which is entitled “A Steamy Vintage Encounter”. Keeping social media fed with exciting images is a full time occupation and as September is one of the best months for out door photography I was keen to squeeze in a 1940s photo shoot before Paul and I are away on tour again.

I’ve managed to book top photographer Angela Adams to do the shoot who I have had the pleasure of working with many times before. I’m planning to record some of my new 1940s out-fits  combined with some Brief Encounter inspired shots for the railway museum so they can use them as part of there 2020 publicity.

Speaking of 2020, bookings are starting to come in for next year and Paul and I have already been engaged to perform for Bretteville l’Orgueilleuse Liberation Ball in Normandy, as part of our D-day tour for next June. In a couple of weeks we fly out to Milan to perform for Graffignana’s vintage festival. This time we will be performing  the music of the 1950s, 60s and 70s and on the 30th Sept I’m heading south to Danny Mansion in the village of Hurstpierpoint with my one woman

Dressed for Operation Hillside!

show “My Fair Lady”. Danny Mansion was where Lloyd George summoned his war cabinet back in the day so I’m looking forward to performing there very much.

That’s all my news for now. I shall leave you with a few photos from this weekend with many more available to see by clicking onto my facebook page link.

Sunday’s Service!

https://www.facebook.com/fionaharrisonavoiceinamillion

Keep Following and Toodle Pip!

Paul and I in Sherington!

Back-stage in the Vestry!

Once again I’m in something of a dash this week as I have so much to tell you all and get ready for next weekend when Paul and I will be performing for the National Trust at Hughenden Manor’s 1940s weekend.

More on that in a moment but firstly I’d like to thank Alan Sims and all the church helpers at St Lauds Church in Sherington who worked so hard to make Saturday nights show such a success. I always enjoy singing in church as the acoustics work perfectly for soprano voices. Last Saturday Sherington village came together to commemorate the 80th anniversary of WW2. Paul and I had been engaged to sing a selection of popular British and American songs from the War years and it was lovely to see every-one joining in as we performed our War time concert in two half’s.

During the interval there was wine and home cakes which went down particularly well with the audience especially as it was all off ration. Paul sang the best of Sinatra and now it’s full steam ahead as we change from ATS uniform to WAAF with the run up to the Batttle of Britan this week

On Stage with Paul!

and Hughenden’s 1940s weekend.

For those of you who know your history Hughenden Manor was Operation Hillside during WW2.  From 1941-46, Hughenden was home to a secret map making operation for nearby Bomber Command HQ. This weekend it will be possible to step back in time and experience the drama of the Second World War with living history re-enactments, military and civilian displays, food, music and dancing from the era.

I shall be comparing the event and performing 3 x 30 minute shows daily.

We’ll Meet Again!

Two will be vocal performances and at 1.30pm I shall be running the dance workshop on the Parterre stage which is open to budding dances of all ages. My show times are as follows :-

Saturday 14th Sept = 11.00am  We’ll Meet Again, ATS Show – North Lawn Stage, 1.30pm Dance Workshop – Parterre Stage, 3.30pm “In the Mood” Swing Glamour Show – Parterre Stage

Sunday 15th Sept = 11.am “It Don’t Mean a Thing” Hollywood & Swing Show – North Lawn Stage, 1.30pm Dance Workshop – Parterre Stage, 3.30pm “Those Magnificent Men” WAAF Show – Parterre Stage.

Paul also has his own singing spot this year and he will be on stage at 2.30pm performing on the Parterre Stage where you will be able to hear him sing all those wonderful Sinatra swing

Paul on Sound!

tunes. For the first time we have DJ Dave Dawes from 1940s radio and back by popular demand the wonderful three girl harmony group “The Polka Dots” who are renowned for their slick sassy routines and tight harmonies.  Other attractions include a re-nactment skirmish between British and German infantry across the parkland and lots of civilian and military vehicles.

A flypast has been booked for both days with the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. (Subject to weather conditions) and this year we are expecting to see a Spitfire on both days. If you fancy getting involved you can also have a go at a Home Guard drill with the Civil Defenders, enjoy an old fashioned Punch and Judy show and discover more about Hughenden’s secret war-time history by joining one of the ‘Hillside’ talks with the expert volunteer guides.

Out-side St Lauds Church!

There’ll also be a vintage fair to explore with craft stalls selling handmade gifts, cards, vintage clothing and jewellery and for the first time Angela a vintage hair dresser. So ladies if you feel like having your hair  done in a 1940s style Angela is the lady to see. I’ve already booked my appointment! In the Stable yard shop a selection of historic memorabilia will be on sale including books and music from the era, and in celebration of Hughenden’s 1940s weekend Chiltern Brewery has crafted a limited edition Battle of Britain ale for visitors to buy.

More details can be found by going to Hughenden Manor’s web page by clicking the link https://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/hughenden/whats-on/hughenden-1940s-weekend 

Getting Ready Back-stage!

That’s all my news for now but next week I shall be off to Colchester and the East Anglian Railway Museum as I get ready for next years Steamy Vintage Encounter. More news on that next week. In the mean time enjoy the photos from Sherington and Keep Following! 😉

Dressed and Ready to Roll!

Watch the Birdie!

Gosh how time matches on. Saturday was the last day of Summer and now we are into the Autumn season with the start of September. For those of you who know your history today 3rd September marks the 80th Anniversary of when Britain went to war with Germany and perhaps it wont come as any surprise to learn for those of you who follow me, I’m booked all week to perform “We’ll Meet Again” shows.

On Stage with Paul!

In fact this Saturday you can catch Paul and I on stage performing a special WW2 Commemoration concert at St Lauds Church, Sherington, Newport Pagnell, Bucks, MK16 9NU. Tickets are £10 each which includes a glass of wine and cake and we shall be performing 2 x 45 minute sets of songs from the 1940s in costume. Tickets can be obtained from Alan Sims on Tel 01908 610434  and the show begins at 7.00pm. We hope you can all make it along to see us as we will be singing a mixture of music from the 1940s which will include Sing-along, Big Band and Swing, Hollywood musicals and much more. We look forward to seeing you! 😉

In the meantime Paul and I have just got back

Lights, Camera Action!

from a fantastic day of performing for Shuttleworth Museum’s Vintage Flying Day. The wonderful thing about the Shuttleworth collection the aircraft and vehicles don’t just stay locked up in the hangers. On flying days it’s possible to see many of the vehicles driven and the aircraft flown which is a real treat.

I had been engaged to perform 3 x 45 minute vintage shows daily which started at 10am with my 1920s and 30s set followed by the 40s at 1pm and concluded at 3pm with songs from the 1950s, 60s and 70s. The flying displays continued though

Enjoying the Show and Vehicles!

until 6pm and we were extremely lucky with the weather.

This was my sixth visit to Shuttleworth and once again we were in Hanger 3 which is a great spot as we are right by the pop up tea room and all day long we had a steady flow of visitors. On these special days Shuttleworth always has an interesting array of stalls and attractions. Paul and I were particularly taken with Battlefield Photography run by Steven and Jordan Ann as they had a fantastic selection of movie cameras from the 1940s which we couldn’t resist having our photos taken with.

Shopping for Vintage between shows! 😉

Now it’s full steam ahead with lots of 80th WW2 Commemoration concerts this week and don’t forget on the 14th & 15th September Paul and I will be on stage performing for the National Trust at Hughenden Manor’s 1940s event. This year Paul will be performing his own set and I wont just be singing but compering and running the dance work-shop as well.

I’ve had a new out-fit made for the work-shops as it’s important I can move and lift my arms without being inhibited by my vintage clothes. Sometimes it’s best to start from scratch rather than alter an original out-fit which is too delicate to take the

Dressed for my final Set!

wear and tare. I had a fitting last week and it’s wonderful to see an out-fit taking shape and coming together

That’s all my news for now but in the meantime here are a few photos from the Shuttleworth show on Sunday. Enjoy Toodle Pip and Bye for now! 😉

On Set with Jordan Ann of Battlefield Photography!

On Stage with the Mighty Zoltar!

Working Together to Build my Stage!

I’m sorry I’m a bit late with my blog this week but I’ve had an extremely busy week with the start of the Proms season and a full bank holiday diary. The weather has been hotting up and last Thursday I was in Ilford performing songs from the Hollywood Musicals at Beehive Lane Synagogue. It gave me the opportunity to try out my new “Oliver” arrangement which has been going down really well with audiences. “Oliver” will be making up  part of my new “Fairy Tale Christmas Spectacular” show which I start performing the end of November through to the end of December

Cast Getting Ready into Position!

.

After a couple of days of Proms concerts, on Sunday I traveled up to Leicester to sing for production company Enter Edem. A young dynamic theater company where every-one pulls together to stage fantastic events. I first had the pleasure of performing for them two years ago and they are truly one of the best production companies I have ever worked with. Really professional  and extremely efficient, Enter Edem had been engaged to stage a Victorian event in Abbey park. What a difference a year or two can make as last time we were plagued with rain but this year the sun shone down profusely all day.

I wasn’t due to be on stage until mid day but as I wasn’t sure about unloading I arrived just after 8am and found I was able to drive right to where I needed to be while the company worked together to build my stage and gazebo. For this show I had been engaged to perform 3 x 45 minute Music Hall shows daily but with-out costume changes. I always carry a spear costume but due to the rising temperatures I decided to wear my white late Victorian gown which proved to be the right choice as the afternoon sun got hotter and hotter.

Props in the Park!

As for the rest of the company I don’t know how they managed as some of their costumes looked extremely warm as they depicted characters from “Alice in Wonderland” and Victorian society while encouraging visitors and children to play games.

Next day it was all change for Enter Edem as Monday’s theme was medieval. I however had been booked for Bank Holiday Monday to play my “My Fair Lady” show in Halton.  As temperatures were still high I wasn’t looking forward to getting into costume and wearing wool along with lace boots. However in the end I comprised and wore pop socks and shoes which stopped me from over heating and made all the difference.

Since returning from Leicester and “My Fair Lady I’ve been catching up on paper work and been in the recording studio.

Fun and Games in the Park!

This Sunday Paul and I will be on stage at Shuttleworth Museum, Biggleswade,  performing for their Vintage Air Show, 3 shows daily at 10am singing the 1920s and 30s, 1pm the 1940s and at 3pm the Swinging 50s, 60s and 70s. So it will be great if you can make it along.

The following week the 3rd September is the 80th anniversary of when Neville Chamberlain announced Britain was at War with Germany and as you can imagine I’ve a busy “We’ll Meet Again” week booked plus  a 1940s show on Saturday night with Paul at St Lauds Church in Sherington. I shall tell you more about that in my next blog

Meeting Up With The Costume Characters!

along with my show times for Hughenden Manor’s 1940s weekend the 14th and 15th September.

In the mean time I shall leave you with some pictures from the weekend. Keep Following and Toodle Pip! 😉

Having my Fortune Told by Zoltar!