Paul and I at Southsea Castle!

Hello every-one I’m back at my desk although I have to confess not for long. I’ve so much to tell you all that time is quickly running away with me and once again I’m burning the midnight oil. I can’t believe this Saturday Paul and I will be flying back out to Milan for Graffignana’s Vintage Festival. I still have my show plans to prepare and much to pack that I’m a little at sixes and sevens due to the fact my September has been non stop after performing 40 shows back to back which hasn’t given me much of a turn around. I’m also out everyday this week singing so I had better get typing and tell you the latest.

Early Morning Sound Check!

Remembering The cockleshell Heroes!

If you caught my last post you will know I’ve been down in Portsmouth performing at Southsea Castle for the Normandy Veterans. In fact I’ve had a run of shows down there and on Saturday night I had another engagement performing on Hayling Island for a private party. In between performances Paul and I have been out walking Poppy and it’s been interesting catching up with the story of the Cockleshell heroes

Catching Up with Old Friends!

Meeting Up After the Show for a Natter!

who trained in Southsea. If you look and you can find references everywhere in the street names.

For Paul and I our Saturday started bright and early at Castle field as I had been engaged to perform 3 x 45 minute shows daily. One WRNS, one glamour and one ATS. I had been looking forward to this job very much. I know many of the veterans personally due to the number of shows I’ve performed for them in France. My first Normandy show was staged in the town of Ver-sur- Mer as part of the 60th D-day Commemorations  in 2004 and I’ve been back every year since playing at different venues along the Normandy coast line.

On this occasion I had concerns about the weather and sure enough no sooner than the speeches finished and it was my turn to step on stage the heavens opened and all the veterans retreated into the castle where they had tea, coffee, food and more importantly somewhere warm and dry to sit. I however played on regardless with “Rule Britannia” and “The Fleets in Port Again” to a sea of empty chairs and worms. What can I say the show must go on and I made sure it did for a few soggy re-anacters who were left on the field. However by the time I was due to come back on stage for my second glamour set the rain had cleared away and we had been re joined by the veterans and The Red Devils who parachuted in. I’m also pleased to say the rain stayed away for my grand finally as I quickly changed into my ATS uniform and we finish the day in style with the Best of British before we were able to return to the castle for a hot cup of tea and a natter with the veterans . So a big thank-you to Mark and The Spirit of Normandy Trust who invited me and I hope it wont be too long before we all meet up again.

I’m afraid I wont have the opportunity to write again this week but when I return home from Italy

All Dressed Up for My Glamour Set!

I will have lots to tell you and many more photos to share with you all so Keep Watching. Paul and I fly out on the 7th October which is Paul’s Birthday and we fly back on the 10th which is mine so I’m looking forward to this next week very much.

Keep Following – Toodle pip and Bye for Now! 😉

Paul and Poppy in Southsea!

Chilton House!

Hello every-one I’m sorry I’ve been a little quiet on social media this week but in truth I’ve been extremely busy out performing shows every day this week and by the end of the month I will have complected 40 shows for September.

On Thursday I had two shows back to back and the pleasure of performing for Greensands Group WI in the Bedfordshire village of Northill. I had been engaged to perform “The Magic of the Musicals”  before heading off on the Friday to Chilton House which is the family home to the Lord Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire. The house is now run as a business and is a very smart residential home so I’ve become something of a regular visitor performing a verity of different shows from Opera to Rock and Roll. On Friday we went back to the Music Hall stage

All Set to Go On Stage in Horstead!

The Room is Set for the Party!

with my Pearly Queen show which went down a treat. I will be back again in November performing the music of the 1950s and 60s which is now one of my best selling shows.

On Saturday Paul and I had been booked to perform for a private party in the charming Norfolk village of Horstead which is just outside of Norwich. The host had gone to a great deal of trouble to arrange a surprise party for his wife’s 60th birthday which not only included ourselves but a five piece band and caller for the evenings entertainment. The party took place at the Tithe barn and we stayed the night at The Recruiting Sergeant pub which was conveniently situated right next door – so it couldn’t have been better!

I really love this part of the world and I would have liked to have stayed around a little longer on the Sunday but Paul needed to get back to Portsmouth and next weekend I will be joining him in Portsmouth performing in Castle Field for “The Spirit of Normandy” association. I’m looking forward to meeting up with the Veterans again as many of them already know me form seeing my shows in Arromanches. On Saturday I’ve been booked to perform 3 x 45 minute shows daily so I hope you can all make it along. My show times are as follows :-

All Set for Porstmouth!

11.30 Wrens, The Fleets in Port Again”1.30pm “Hooray for Hollywood” 1940s Glamour Show and at 3.30pm my ATS “We’ll Meet Again”show. I believe a fly past has been booked  and other events going on so my first show may move forward slightly in time so please keep watching my facebook pages and if I hear anything different I will keep you posted with any time changes which are probably more likely to happen than not.

Straight after my last show in Portsmouth I will be hot footing it over to Hayling Island as Paul and I have been booked to perform for another private party and then on Sunday I have a 2.30pm show in Camberley. So it’s all go and full steam a head!

When I was booked last year to return to Italy it seemed like ages but on the 7th October Paul and I will be flying out to Milan for Graffignana’s Vintage Festival. Last year I performed the music of the 1940s and this year the town will be going back to the 1950s and 60s. I’m really thrilled to be invited back and when I return home from Portsmouth I will be making a start on my show plans.

It’s Paul’s birthday on the 7th and this year I wanted to give him something very special. Today I’ve been working with my web-designer to create his own page. Paul has been working with me for a couple of years not just as my sound engineer but as a singer in his own right and I thought it was time he should receive a proper credit. Do click on the link and checkout Paul’s new page. We just up loaded it today and i think it looks supper!  https://www.fionaharrison.biz/paul-marsden/ 

That’s all my news for now so Keep Watching and Toodle Pip for Now! 😉

Photo of Jones & Me by George Parish!

Paul on Sage Doing His Thing!

Since returning home to Harrison HQ from Hughenden my diary is a busy as ever and once again I’m fully booked as I get set to head over to Norwich this weekend. Last week was “Battle of Britain” week and I managed to cram in 11 shows in 7 days. This week I only have 8 shows to do in 6 days so not quite so busy but quite enough to consider myself fully booked.

If you follow my facebook pages you will know that on Friday for “Battle of Britain” day I was in Peterborough and then I had a delightful party to attend in the Oxfordshire village of Cottisford. Straight afterwards I was over to Hughenden Manor and I arrived on the estate about midnight ready to sing first thing in the morning for Hughenden’s  1940s weekend.

I had really been looking forward to this event as I had been employed not just to sing but to host and to run the dance workshops for the visitors. My brief was to choreograph some workshops which would fit within the terrace space. For any one who knows Hughenden the terrace isn’t large

A Workshop for All – Photo by Robert Etsell

and it’s all gravel but by using a bit of imagination I was able to come up with some dances routines based on popular dances of the time which worked the space.

Although I choreographed my routines I wasn’t sure if any one would attend and also the age of the visitors who might wish to take part. As it turned out we had lots of children and Mums and Dads which joined in together and come the second day I worked in my “Yes We Have no Bananas” act which I do in schools. It’s a good way of getting children focused  as it uses their arms and then we can move onto legs. I don’t think we would have won any prizes for coordination but every-one seemed to have a good time and come the end you can’t really go wrong with the Hokey Cokey which children especially love. As for the adults they enjoyed it too as I taught variations on the Lambeth Walk and Palais Glide.

During the weekend I had the pleasure of working with male and female singers Ross Hardman and Marina Mae

Marina Mae, Paul and I Between Shows!

who delighted every-one with traditional 1940s favorites from Frank Sinatra to Vera Lynn. Hughenden had also engaged three girl harmony group the Polka Dots whos act I enjoyed immensely. The Polka Dots are renowned for their slick dance routines which are very entertaining to watch and I enjoyed listening to their arrangements which are very similar in style to The Puppini Sisters. I particularly enjoyed their performance of “Accentuate the Positive” and “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”.

In case you don’t know Hughenden Manor was once the home to Victorian Prime Minister Disraeli

Hughenden Manor!

Inside Hughenden Manor!

and as you might expect there is much to see in the house. After Disraeli’s death it was passed on to his nephew and then sold off and eventually donated to the National Trust in 1947. The trust knew when they took it over that its last occupants had been the Air Ministry in the Second World War. But what it had been used for stayed a mystery until 60 years later when researchers who were starting to prepare for celebrations to mark the anniversary of VE Day found out that Hughenden had been a secret intelligence base code-named ‘Hillside’.

There were no current maps of Germany at the start of the war – the county had stopped making them in 1930 – making planning military operations incredibly difficult. So planes were sent to fly over Germany to take aerial photographs which were made into maps at Hillside. Over 100 cartographers, surveyors and designers were recruited from across the country and brought to Hughenden. It had been chosen because it was close to Bomber Command but hidden away in the woodland. All the staff were sworn to secrecy and there were no military guards or signs, so nobody knew what was going on

Backstage with the Polka Dots!

Between Shows at Hughenden!

there. Hillside was one of the Nazi’s top targets for a while but escaped unharmed as they never managed to locate it.

So knowing a little more about the history of Hughenden makes staging a 1940s event on the estate very relevant. What I was very impressed with was the high production values of the event and the quality of the re-enactors and the demonstrations which were given. Both Paul and I enjoyed ourselves very much and we look forward to returning next year. Figures on numbers attending have grown since last year and I expect they will have even more visitors next year as the event grows.

In the mean time I hope you enjoy the photos enclosed in this blog as many were sent to be by visitors and keen photographers alike.

Keep Watching and Toodle Pip! 😉

All Set to Sing the 1940s

Hello every-one it’s just a very quick blog tonight as I get ready and set for a wonderful weekend working for the National Trust’s 1940s weekend. This weekend you will be able to catch me performing at Hughenden Manor, Valley Road, High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP14 4LA. So I hope you can all make it along as it’s promising to be a fantastic weekend.

I’m particularly looking forward to this weekend as I’ve been employed to sing , dance and compere the event so it will be using all my performing skills. I was originally asked by the event organizer to choreograph some dance workshops to fit within the terrace space of the house and I’ve come up with some routines based on “The Lambeth Walk” and “The Palais Glide” along with a few other ideas I’m looking forward to exploring with the public. All we need now is good weather so fingers crossed!

The event opens at 10am and I will be opening the terrace stage just before 11am as I welcome our first singer Marina Mae. I will

Lovely Hughenden Manor!

then be performing my first 45 minute singing set at 11.30am which on the Saturday will be my US WAVES Show and on the Sunday I shall be changing from American to British and opening with my WAAF show. I will then be back on the terrace stage at 3pm as I stage my dance workshop so it will be good to be doing something different and calling on some of my other performing skills.

This weekend I shall also be working with three girl harmony group “The Polka Dots” who describe them selves as follows :-

“Take three sassy voices, arrange a collection of original and cover swing songs, add sharp dance routines in a high energy show, all wrapped up in true vintage glamour, and you have… The Polka Dots!”   

“Established in 2008, The Polka Dots have since hot-footed their way across hundreds of stages, performed to hundreds of thousands of people, at Goodwood; BBC; Hampton Court Palace; World Duty Free; Queen’s Tennis Club; Blenheim Palace; British Army; RAF; Amazon; Oceania Cruises; Theatre du Soleil, Paris, and this weekend are really excited to be back in their own home town and Hughenden!”

So I’m looking forward to working with them very much and our other male singer Ross Hardman. He is a trained musical theater and classical singer. Reading through some of Ross’s background he graduated from the University of Winchester in Vocal & Choral Studies back in 2015. Whilst working at Cliveden National Trust he regularly performed for weddings and conferences and specializes in modern & jukebox jazz, hence which is why he will be at Hughenden weekend to perform classics from Frank Sinatra and Tommy Dorsey.

Other attractions taking place over the weekend will include a WW2 weapons demonstration, Mr Punch versus Adolf Hitler, A Paratrooper display, a Skirmish, the Home Guard plus the opportunity to look  around Victorian Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli’s beautiful home.

I shall leave my blog here tonight as I have more Battle of Britain shows to perform tomorrow, and I hope you can all join me this weekend at Hughenden.

Keep Watching and Toodle Pip! 😉

Meeting the White Rabbit and Mad Hatter!

Editing A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square!

I’m sure many of you already know that this week is Battle of Britain week so it wont come as any surprise to learn that I’m fully booked for the month of September and I’m out every day this week performing my Battle of Britain shows. Today I had two WAAF shows back to back and tomorrow I’m in Amersham before heading onto Stoke Hammond and then over to Aylesbury.

Friday is going to be a killer as I have a 60 minute afternoon show in Peterbough before dashing over to the village of

Paul and I with the Talking Fountain!

Cottisford in Oxfordshire for a private party. Once I’ve finished my two x 60 minute sets in Cottisford I will be making my way over to Hughingdon Manor near High Wycombe so all being well I hope to arrive on the estate about midnight which will save me the drive first thing in the morning – but more on Hughingdon later.

Last Friday I started on my film edits with David as we went through our 40s footage from the week before. I felt a new 1940s showreel was long over due and it’s been fun to

document my songs although trying to decide which ones to record and which ones to leave out has been a real nail biter. I recorded 17 numbers the other week and when it comes to making that final cut I need to be ruthless! At the moment David and I have made a rough cut which at the moment stands at 7 minutes which is way too long. We need to half it and perhaps I will make this my job after the weekend when I get back from Hughingdon Manor.

Last Saturday Paul and I were in Leicester working for the production company Enter Edem who staged the wonderful “Raucous Races” in Victoria Park. It was the first time I had had the pleasure of working with Enter Edem and both

Paul by the War Memorial!

Paul and I were extremely impressed with the companies high production values. The event was extremely well organised and  involved many costume entertainers. Including characters from Alice in Wonderland and even a talking Fontana Philosopus Wishing Fountain.

Victoria Park was once the sight of Leicester’s Victorian race course so as you might expect the event had a Victorian theme with something of a creative modern twist. I was engaged to perform 3 x 45 minute Music Hall shows daily and it had been my intention to change costume in between sets. However the weather on Saturday included some heavy showers that in the end I decided to stay in my one costume as it was warmer due to all my foundation garments. This turned out to be the right decision and although at one point the sun did come out to play there were times when the temperature really drooped.

Ready for a Gallop!

However the show must go on and all the costume characters played on despite the rain while I continued to sing on regardless. Which just goes to show what a great bunch of professionals Enter Edem are.  While Paul and I were at the show we admired the great war memorial which was situated just behind the stage where I was playing and apparently  there is one identical in India in the city of Deli. After our show and while Paul and I  made it over to the tea tent we bumped into Richard III and I even had a quick gallop around the Horsey Hopper Races. We’ll what can I say I couldn’t resist!

Next weekend you will be able to catch me on stage working for the National Trusts 1940s event at Hughingdon Manor. I’ve been booked to compere the event and in many ways I have it quite easy as I only have one 45 minute singing set to perform at 11.30am and my other 45 minute set will be at

Paul Enjoying a Cup of Tea in the Tea Rooms!

3.00pm where I will be running a dance workshop. I’ve worked out all my routines so it will be fun to be doing something different. There will also be a fly past on both days weather depending. So finger crossed! If you are looking for something to do this weekend it would be lovely to see you as I will also be working with “The Polka Dots”, “Ross Hardman” and “Marina Mae”. So see you there!

Gosh is that the time I must get to bed. Next week I will be in Norwich but more on that in my next blog!

Keep Watching and Toodle

Between Shows at Shuttleworth!

Autumn is here and it’s full steam ahead with shows every day right through the month of September. As you can imagine I have much to look forward to and plan for. On Friday I have a morning show so I’ve set the afternoon aside for going through the rushes with David from last weeks filming. If you follow me on facebook you will know I managed to down load Kim’s back stage video footage and photos she took of me on her mobile phone onto my facebook pages. I’m such a dineasaw when it comes to technology but I’m pleased to say I got there in the end. When I wrote my last blog I couldn’t remember how to do it but all is well and I’m looking forward to seeing David’s footage on Friday. I was especially pleased with my two new costumes. GI Jive and my Carmen Miranda design which looking at Kim’s footage did everything I wanted it to do.

Down on the Farm with Paul!

Come Fly with Me 1920s Style!

Today I’ve been working on some new routines and mapping out my dance workshops for Hughenden Manor. I was in the recording studio with

Out for a Spin on the Charabus!

Ready to sing the 1950s & 60s

Richard last week going through suitable music and in the end I settled on a few pieces played by the Victor Sylvester Orchestra. His arrangements are so English and just right for the period. Unlike the American line ups of the 40s he doesn’t use brass which gives his compositions that English sound which I think will contrast splendidly with my American Hollywood arrangements.

I will be playing at Hughenden on the 16th and 17th September for the Houses 1940s event. This will be a little different for me as I wont just be singing but hosting, compering and running  dance work shops as well, so hence today’s run through. I will have more news on that after this week so keep watching my pages.

Yesterday Paul and I were performing at Shuttleworth for the museum’s Heritage Day and what a great day it turned out to be too. The wonderful thing about the Shuttleworth collection is on special days they take the aircraft and the vehicles out of their hangers. Nearly all the vehicles and aircraft can still be driven and flown so it’s a wonderful opportunity to get up close and personal.

Shuttleworth had booked me to perform 3 x 30 minute shows daily and to sing a verity of styles from the 1920s through to the 60s. This year I had a double page spread in the souvenir programme and by the time I performed my last show at 1.15pm the museum was getting very busy. There’s always a lot going on at Shuttleworth and as soon as I came off stage the flying displays began which this year included the 1928 DH60X Moth and the 1950s Percival P56 Provost T1. There’s always lots to see and both Paul and I enjoyed our ride on the 1921 Charabus.

For my final set I included some Rock and Roll which went down extremely well with the visitors. If you are friends with me on facebook you will be able to catch some footage which was taken on a mobile phone by Toby Webb. So thank-you for posting Tony and for sharing all your photos.

Ready for a Spin! 😉

Next Saturday you will be able to catch me on stage in Leicester performing for a Victorian event in Victoria Park, Granville Road. LE1 7RU. I will be performing 3 x 45 minute shows daily at 12.00 noon, 1.15pm and at 2.30pm so if you are about it would be lovely to see you.

That’s all my news for now. I shall leave you with a few photos from this weekend at Shuttleworth.  Keep Watching and toodle Pip!

Getting Ready Backstage!

If you caught my last blog you will know it’s been all go this week as I took to the Limelight stage in Aylesbury to film the next episode in my series of musical showreels. This week I’ve been concentrating on the music of the 1940s. A great deal of thought, time and money goes into all my costumes and for this film I designed two new outfits to go with the American number “GI Jive” and the Carmen Miranda classic “I like you Very Much”.

When it comes to 1940s uniforms I have them all but when making a film it’s necessary to have that all important splash of colour mixed in with glamour. I think this week we will have achieved both in spades and I look forward to sharing my new showreel with you all when it’s done. As you might imagine my dress maker Judi has been working especially hard this week to get everything finished in time as my costumes often have lots of extra detailing. I am especially proud of my Carmen

Dressed to do Carmen Miranda!

Miranda costume which is made up of four cotton fabrics and is piped in a beautiful emerald green. It’s the piping which takes all the time and I’ve also had all my military creases sewn into my GI Jive costume which took it’s inspiration from the 1940s pin up Bugle Girl.

This week Kim has been working with me on set not only as my sound engineer but as my hair dresser as well. She took some great back stage footage of me performing a few of my numbers on her mobile phone which I would love to share with you all. Unfortunately I have no idea how to share it across as a message to my Facebook page so I guess you will have to take my word for it and wait to see the proper video when it’s done.

These last two days have gone extremely well as David filmed me performing 17 numbers all with different costumes which

Me in My GI Jive Costume!

will give the showreel great colour and variety. If you click through to my facebook pages you will be able to see all my photos and costumes.

In the meantime you will be able to see me this Sunday performing 3 x 30 minute shows daily at the Shuttleworth Museum, Old Warden, Biggleswade, Beds, SG18 9EP. This weekend the museum will be opening it’s doors for a Heritage weekend and I’ve been engaged to perform songs from the 1920s through to the 60s before the flying displays take place. My show times are as follow 9.30am – 10.00am 1920s and 30s, 10.30am – 11.00am 1940s, and for my final set I shall be performing songs from the swinging 1950s and 60s at 1.15pm – 1.45pm.  So I hope you can all make it along.

Keep Watching and Toodle Pip! 😉

On Set with David!

All Set to Go On Stage!

The Best of British!

The Black Lion Pub 1940s Style!

I hope like me you’ve all been enjoying the last few days of Summer and making the most of the lovely weather. With us now moving into the month of September my work load is really starting to step up a gear. I’ve sold 40 shows for September and this bank holiday was a little like the calm before the storm. However saying that on Monday I had two shows back to back, the first was for an afternoon summer garden party in Northampton and the second was here in my home town of Leighton Buzzard at The Black Lion.

In truth I spend all my time on the road so to have a job in Leighton Buzzard was something of a treat. I’m always travelling and it was lovely to receive the call from The Black Lion inviting me to perform for their weekend grand finally the very best in 1940s music. Paul was free this weekend and as luck would have it he was able to join me on stage which went down extremely well with every-one. Paul is becoming quite a star in his own right which resulted in him performing two encores!

I came dressed in my American 1940s WAC uniform and performed a verity of British and American songs from the period concluding with British Themes and “Land of Hope and Glory”. I can’t make up my mind which the audience enjoyed more the British sing along or the American razzmatazz but either way we had plenty of both and by the end of the show the audience gave Paul and I a standing ovation, which was just lovely.

Every one worked extremely hard and The Black Lion looked especially splendid this weekend as it had been decorated 1940s style to tie in with a special Bank holiday beer festival. I’ve lived in

Paul and I After the Show!

Leighton Buzzard since the age of 5 but I have to confess this was the first time I had ever been inside The Black Lion although I don’t know why when it’s such a lovely pub and has such a great atmosphere. So thank-you to every-one who came along to see Paul and I on Monday, it was wonderful to sing for you all and we must do it again sometime.

Speaking of which you will be able to catch me at Shuttleworth Museum this Sunday performing for the Museum’s Heritage Day. I will be on stage at 9.30am – 10.00am Songs from the 1920s & 30s, 10.30am – 11.00 am singing the 1940s and

Out-side the Black Lion!

at 1.15pm – 1.45 for my final set I will be performing songs from the 1950s and 60s so I hope you can all make it along. Click the link for details http://www.shuttleworth.org/events/heritageday/ 

On Saturday I will be performing for an event at Pavenham Village Hall, Bedford the music of the 1940s through to the 1960s in two sets. But in the mean time I will be filming tomorrow in Aylesbury at the Limelight Theater as I start work on a new 1940s showreel. It’s going to be a busy two days as I have 17 songs I want to capture which will be edited down into one film.

So on that note it’s time I get to bed as I’m in need of my beauty sleep.

Keep Watching and Toodle Pip!