September 2008

Well here we are again, playing "catch up" on the recent past, along with "Catch up" on some of the dreams for tomorrow. Please forgive the length of time it's taken for me to get back to you all. My goodness what a very congested period its been. A real roller coaster of a ride through January, February, March, April, May, June and July and now before blinking twice were already halfway through August!

January was seemingly, a very recuperative month, what with getting over a slightly collapsed lung, and a variety of stubborn viruses, it proved to be a very quiet Christmas and New year indeed. It felt like a stagnant month full of ill disciplined office work, and frustrating phone calls. Not very successfully, I negotiated the media launch of a new concert called The Afternoon Show. All done from the confining space of an office chair and a blank wall.

But then February was always going to be the month to begin 2008 with.. It was the belated Christmas present to all involved. It was the non stop travelling tour of America with my good friends The Black Mountain Male Chorus and what a ride, what an experience it was. At the very least this epic journey should have been turned into a reality TV series. Each day a different adventure, each day a different problem, and each day a different character who's problem it was. Each day had a different storyline to be followed by all on the bus for that day and the immediate days which followed. It was enthralling, it was nasty, it was nice, it was exhausting, it was impossible But it wasn't! And it was all enacted out in a battle, with my old enemy the clock! We raced with the precision of a military campaign to keep ahead of our tight schedule. Charging across this magnifi) Then no doubt I would do it all again in an instance.. We staggered back to the UK , intact and filled to overflowing with presents and mementoes, photographs and enough vivid memories to last a lifetime. Maybe someone should write a book? Maybe someone will.. one day.. ?

March did see the start of our new production "The Afternoon Show" . It is a show for all senior citizens of unspecified age. The show is a pot pourri of afternoon entertainment. It includes 4 luscious, all dancing all singing beauties called "Afternoon Delight" and the amazing resident talent of my dear friend Mandy Starr. A lady with an amazing voice and personality to match.. And where would it be without my kindred spirit, co-host, great pal, brilliant musician/accompanist John Quirk. (There's not a song he doesn't know!.. Well maybe just the odd one or two ?) Since that untrumpeted beginning, the show has gone from strength to strength and we look forward to another tour of England and Wales starting up on September 17th with a trip to one of my old rugby playing towns& Abertillery where we will be appearing at The (New) Metropole Theatre. What a great place to start off any tour.

The months of April, May June and beginning of July saw us performing not only the afternoon Show but also my evening show which is called "A Man & His Music" being a totally different style of show and cast. We have occasionally been lucky enough to run both shows on the same day& Which was great fun and a great success.

Since finishing the first part of out "Afternoon Show" I have spent the last six weeks (In between attending some wonderful weddings) fixing the year ahead with some more exciting contracts. One of the weddings in July was that of my son Simon's when he married his long time, gorgeous girlfriend Emma. It was really a great day. The whole day was held in the absolutely Royal setting of a Regency Palace (King George the thirds) and against the wonderful back drop of Kew gardens and the sun came bursting through just as we all left the chapel for those all important evidential photographs ... Now that was impressive. At least I was impressed.

The other special occasion of that month was the wedding of my spectacularly beautiful girlfriend, singer extraordinaire Elin Wyn Lewis, to long time boyfriend Jason Murphy (And what a great guy he is) They held their special day in the most picturesque little whitewashed, 6th century church, that still tenaciously clings to the top of an irreverent cliff overlooking Cardigan Bay.. in the tiny hamlet of Mwnt.. just outside the ancient coastal town of Cardigan, West Wales& You have to see it to believe it - It is the most beautiful place ever, to have a wedding. And the Reverend Gwynfi conducted the whole service in our gloriously, technicoloured Welsh language& and everybody understood every word, regardless of colour, creed or language& What a perfect way to start your life together.

Some of the contracts to look forward to are as follows:

September the 28th: The Three Phantoms in St Davids Hall, Cardiff. (In aid of the George Thomas Hospice Care) It features John Owen Jones, Myself and the present Phantom in London, my good friend Ramin Karimloo. Also features Tara Bethan, & Francesca Jackson (Both ladies from the TV series "I'd do anything") with the Debby Chapman Dancers and The John Quirk Orchestra it is going to be truly a great night for us all..

At the end of October, being the 30th /31st & 1st of November I am holding a Performance workshop for people interested in acting and singing in musical theatre. All those interested in taking part should contact The Arts Centre, Aberystwyth University, Aberystwyth (01970 623111... ask for Gill Ogden, or E mail to ggo@aber.ac.uk), before the middle of September. These workshops are aimed at improving all round technique & performance on stage and are great fun for all concerned.

For the new series of dates for The Afternoon Show concerts Please see www.theafternoonshow.eu for details and dates.

For the new series of dates for"Peter Karrie - A Man & His Music" concerts Please see www.peterkarrie.com

We are also going to try and utilise a "Live" rhythm section in as many concerts as possible& I feel this will make the show a far more intimate affair and hopefully bring the audience much closer to those of us on stage.. (I mean that metaphorically speaking.. of course) The show would be a kind of "Unplugged" concert..? Unfortunately due to many factors, such a line up would have to be dependant upon the location, and size of venue and availability of musicians. But what good fun we will have, when we have it?

I also am looking forward greatly to working with my old friend Mr Owen Money this coming December, when we embark on another crazy pantomime journey& This time we are travelling by ship& Yes its Robinson Crusoe And once again I am the bad guy!? This time it' s Captain Bluebeard (Complete with a nice bright Blue Beard)

This coming March, I hope to return to theatrical productions, but until their contracts have been finalised I am unable to announce the actual productions or their schedules, but suffice to say I am looking forward greatly to being involved with these prestigious productions once again.

The middle of next year will finally see the long overdue launch of a musical I first started writing in the mid nineties. Rasputin will make it's debut around Mid Summer next year . Initially we are producing Rasputin as a one man play with music. The part of Rasputin will be performed by myself, in several small and intimate venues & If that is well received, then we are going to tour the production in larger venues across the UK , still as a one man show, but accompanied with live, amassed choirs. If that is well received, then hopefully, it will come alive in 2010 as a full blown theatrical production (I think that is definitely called Dipping ones toe in the water, before diving in head first).

Lately this "LaLa" has been skipping back and forth across the passionate Irish sea, like a yoyo on a mission. When in Ireland I have been stopping in the beautiful seaside town of Ballybunion, County Kerry, just below the run away slopes of Knockamore Hill and a mere stones throw from the wild and wilful, Atlantic ocean& I have been popping back and forth to write large chunks of a new musical, based on the 1953 John Ford movie called "The Quiet Man" (The film starred John Wayne, Maureen O'Hara & Barry Fitzgerald). Knockamore Hill & Ballybunion are the area's where the story was originally located. I have to say that I am really thrilled with the way it's all coming together . The next step is to find a vibrant.. " Beautiful", Irish lady with a performing age of around 35 years. She needs to have a certain fire in her greenish eyes, and a willing smile on her ruby red lips. Oh and she does need to be able to act and sing the female lead ( The "Maureen O'Hara" role from the film). The other principal roles are more or less cast for the demo recording ... Then its time to take the recording cast into the recording studio and lay down the music for the scenes already completed.

Well I guess its time for me to say bye bye, for the moment. I certainly look forward to meeting some of you throughout the coming year. Please forgive me if its taking me a while in replying to your messages. I will get back to you with them sooner or later, I promise. It is only the pressure of time, or rather the lack of it, which prevents me replying sooner. I do enjoy your comments and look forward to receiving them constantly. Please keep them coming.

Love to all
Peter

 

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