Nice mention for Ray in Mark Shenton's blog about Angela Lansbury in Blithe Spirit for The Stage ahead of tonight's Press Night for Two Into One at the Menier Chocolate Factory
Final week up in the rehearsal room at The Menier for Ray Cooney's Two Into One before moving down onto the stage for a very busy tech week (the set is going to be fantastic, but a whole new adventure!) leading up to our first show next Saturday (8th March) at 3.30pm. Menier Chocolate Factory
Ray is directing and we've got a great cast - Kelly Adams, Ray Cooney, Jean Fergusson, Josefina Gabrielle,Tom Golding, Jeffrey Holland, Michael Praed, Kathryn Rooney (and me). It's going to be a lot of fun!
I'm very lucky to have worked with two of the Masters of British farce; one of my first professional acting jobs (in 1980) was as acting asm, playing Corporal Flight (a role originally played by Ray Cooney), in a tour of Sinple Spymen directed by Brian Rix. Eight years later I played opposite Brian in the West End revival of Dry Rot at the Lyric, Shaftesbury Avenue. I played the role of Fred Phipps (the role Brian played in the original production from 1954-1958) and Brian took on the part of Alf Tubbs (originally played by John Slater and then Leo Franklyn). I first worked with Ray Cooney in 1996 when he directed me in Cash On Delivery (written by his son, Michael) at the Whitehall Theatre (now the Trafalgar Studios). Since then I have worked with Ray on numerous occasions, the most enjoyable of which were two World cruises for P&O in 2007 and 2008 performing in Out of Order and It Runs In The Family (both plays on both cruises). Ray also wrote in a new part of a second taxi driver, which I played in his film of Run For Your Wife.
RIX & COONEY FARCES
2014 TWO INTO ONEby Ray Cooney (George Pigden)
Menier Chocolate Factory - diirected by Ray Cooney 2013 CAUGHT IN THE NETby Ray Cooney (John Smith)
The Mill At Sonning (took over at last minute for final 6 performances only)
2012CASH ON DELIVERY by Michael Cooney (Norman)
The Mill at Sonning
RUN FOR YOUR WIFE by Ray Cooney (Taxi Driver)
Film - directed by Ray Cooney
OUT OF ORDER by Ray Cooney (George Pigden)
British Theatre Playhouse, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur
2010TWO INTO ONE by Ray Cooney (George Pigden)
The Mill at Sonning
2008TOM,DICK & HARRY by Ray and Michael Cooney (Dick)
UK tour OUT OF ORDER by Ray Cooney (George Pigden)
P&O Oriana World Cruise (Cape Town - Southampton) - directed by Ray Cooney IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY by Ray Cooney (Hubert)
P&O Oriana World Cruise (Cape Town - Southampton) - directed by RayCooney
2007 OUT OF ORDER by Ray Cooney (George Pigden)
P&O Aurora World Cruise (San Francisco - Southampton) - directed by Ray Cooney IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY by Ray Cooney (Hubert)
P&O Aurora World Cruise (San Francisco - Southampton) - directed by Ray Cooney
2005 CAUGHT IN THE NET by Ray Cooney (Stanley)
The Mill at Sonning Theatre - directed by Ray Cooney
FUNNY MONEY by Ray Cooney (Henry)
British Theatre Playhouse, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur
2001 RUN FOR YOUR WIFE by Ray Cooney (Bobby Franklin)
UK Tour
1996-7 CASH ON DELIVERY by Michael Cooney (Norman)
Whitehall Theatre - directed by Ray Cooney
1988DRY ROT by John Chapman (Fred Phipps)
Lyric, Shaftesbury Avenue
1980 SIMPLE SPYMEN by John Chapman (Corporal Flight/ASM)
Well, I've known since November, but didn't want to say anything until the BBC released details, but here it is - news of the new Market Inspector in EastEnders; unfortunately I wasn't available to shoot leaving scenes as I was up in New Brighton rehearsing for panto. I originally went into the soap for three episodes that went out in January 2008, and ended up staying for 6 years, during which time I met some lovely people, had a lot of fun and a few really good storylines.
Sharon's plans to open a wine bar cause tension with Linda, who doesn't want the competition. Soon afterwards, Linda once again urges Mick to ask his dad for some money to help with their problems. However, Mick refuses out of respect for Shirley, who has a long-standing feud with their dad.
Later, things go from bad to worse for the Carters when Linda has to recall all of the pies that have come from the kitchen as Johnny suspects the mince is dog meat. If that wasn't bad enough, an environmental health inspector turns up and Nancy hits a water pipe. When Linda blames Shirley for causing all of the family's problems and Sharon makes an announcement in the pub about the bar, Shirley takes action by throwing Sharon out and telling Mick that they will go to see their father…
Meanwhile, Carol is annoyed when a quiet evening with her family at The Vic is ruined by Terry and David fighting. When they finally stop, Carol updates them all on her test results following another hospital appointment earlier that day.
Elsewhere, a tough new market inspector named Aleks arrives in Walford and warns Tamwar that he needs to prove himself if he wants to keep his job. When Aleks finds out that Kat is behind with her pitch payments, he puts Tamwar on probation.
Final preparations for panto - I start rehearsing up in New Brighton 3 weeks today. Think I've just about got everything in place; I've had deliveries today and yesterday of new boots I've bought on ebay, and I'm stopping of in Stafford en route to pick up my new Dame Trot worker costume made for me by The Costume Fairies (http://costume-fairies.com/)
Keep up with all my Panto shenanigans on my panto blog:
That's a wrap on EastEnders. Now dashing across London to costume fitting for Mr Sloane, a new comedy series for Sky Atlantic set in Watford in the 60's, which I'm filming on Thursday. It stars Nick Frost, and is written and directed by Curb Your Enthusiasm Producer/Director Robert B. Weide.
I've only got a couple of lines playing a butcher in one scene, but am really excited to be working with someone from CYE - one of my all-time favourite TV comedies.
