MARCH 2010 UPDATE

My feature film script 'Swansea Rose' is being taken forward by Ron Bareham Productions. Christopher Swann, a director who has won a BAFTA and an Emmy amongst many awards, has agreed to direct the film See http://www.swannfilms.com/. I've been working with Chris to develop the script. On the many a slip principle I will say no more, but obviously this is all very pleasing!.

'The Revelation of Reverend Jones', the short from which 'Swansea Rose' grew, will be in the Torino LGBT festival, following their invitation to show the film there. Dove Rangla, the director, and I are hoping to go over there in April. As I look out at the miserable weather, a trip to Italy in the spring will be most welcome!

I played a tiny part in a short film with Ashley Walters last month.

JANUARY 2010 UPDATE

My fantasy novel - worldoflegends.com - can now be bought on Amazon. What is more it even turns up at a reasonable price. I'm not too sure if any of that will ever reach me mind! But do buy it. See http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=worldoflegends.com&x=20&y=19

See the vodcast on the MIshorts website. Pat Garrett, the director, and I talk about 'Just One More Bite', their featured film of the month. The vodcast remains viewable even after our moment of relative glory passes. Currently you can see it on http://www.mishorts.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=123:vodcast-7-just-one-more-bite&catid=1:vodcast&Itemid=15

In a welcome change of image from playing vicars, I recently agreed to show a more demonic side in some recent photos. Here are two! 

 

NOVEMBER 2009 UPDATE

I have enjoyed playing the vicar in 'The Drummond Will', a black comedy in the Ealing Films tradition. My particular favourite bit was delivering a eulogy from the pulpit of a village church. (Though it was a devil to deliver with a straight face!) It's a really good script, and friendly cast and crew. But goodness me, it is cold out of London in the depths of the late autumn countryside! But everyone involved with the film thinks it should turn into something special.

'Still human where it counts' got a good reception during the tour of Bravo. I've added a couple of reviews under 'Rock Heaven' on the musicals page.

OCTOBER 2009 UPDATE

I am just about to play a vicar - yes another! - in a new feature film to be made this autumn in the south of England. It's a black comedy. This should be fun, although I had been wondering a little about the action which requires the vicar to be tackled to the ground. Happily that scene has been altered.

SEPTEMBER 2009 UPDATE

'The Revelation of Reverend Jones' won the award for best UK film under 25 minutes at the International Film Festival Ireland, held in a wonderful country house hotel in Clonmel, Tipperary. Unfortunately I wasn't there when the film was shown, but during my stay people kept coming up to say 'Oh you're the vicar' and how much they really enjoyed it. So I really enjoyed that! While there, I performed some of my cabaret songs accompanied by CSL Parker, the extraordinarily gifted composer and musician. (I also went for a trip round the local countryside, where the dramatic conclusion was a risky hike across several fields to the magical ruins of Jonathan Swift's house. Unlooked for hazards included ducking under electrical fences and walking past a large and increasingly angry bull!)
I've included a photo of me with Binda Singh, who runs the AMRITSA series of festivals.

'Still human where it counts', a big number from 'Rock Heaven', will be be performed in 'Bravo', a review of new musical theatre. This is produced by A Stage Kindly. The show will have a short tour in London and Manchester at the end of October. See www.astagekindly.com.

JULY 2009 UPDATE

The Road to Transylvania website has now had a complete revamp (ho-ho - on how many websites have I now made this feeble pun!) However, the site makes very plain what the film is about and what help is needed. In fact I have had interest from a Croatian producer who can raise some money provided some of the film is shot in Croatia, which would be a great idea. I now need to find at least one other co-producer.
 
I have finished the first draft of the Reverend Jones script. It's called 'Swansea Rose', which is the name of a type of china (in case anyone is interested!) as well as the virtual name of a character in the story. Last month I went back to Swansea and found a club where some of the scenes in the film will be shot, provided the owner is in the film. He's in! While I was there, 'The Tale of Reverend Jones' was shown at the Swansea Bay Film Festival and got a really enthusiastic reception from an audience of people from all over the world.

MAY 2009 UPDATE

The website for 'The Road to Transylvania' is now live. It is www.roadtotransylvania.com  I am intending to create an old master type painting of a vampire in oils for the home page. However, it's so long since I painted anything, I keep finding excuses for not beginning! I have even joined a vampire group (no biting though) in my efforts to get it made and known!
 
I am just completing the first draft of a feature length script based on the characters in 'The Revelation of Reverend Jones'.  The script is called 'Swansea Rose' and it might be made in Swansea next year, but that is a long way off! More information about this will appear on www.scarletcherub.com in the near future.
 
The three Scarlet Cherub shorts are still doing the rounds, with one currently nominated for an award in a festival in Los Angeles. I am also looking forward to seeing 'Something for the lamppost', a short where I played an eccentric customer, on its first screening in a couple of weeks.

FEBRUARY 2009 UPDATE

The performance of ‘Goblins Don’t Scare Us’ went down well. Unhappily there are no photos or dvds so far. May be never!
 
In January I took part in the first half of Kino Kabaret London, acting in two very short films on a very cold day. I shall have another go when it comes back later in the year. The results I saw on the first screening day were mixed I would say, but were inventive and energetic. Also on the film front, I am beginning to move on my script ‘the Road to Transylvania’. Read about it on http://www.scarletcherub.com/40-0_filmsinprogress/3_TheRoadtoTransylvania/, but there will be a special web site devoted to it in the next month or so.
 
I have decided to publish my fantasy novel called worldoflegends.com. It is, or will shortly be, available on through lulu.com. There is a special website for the story – www.worldoflegends.com - and you can read part of the first chapter. There is also a brief synopsis on the new books page on this site.

'Pat Garrett's Just One More Night delivers a well crafted performance from Nigel Osner as an aging entertainer, reflecting on a life less than glamorous, but one convincing enough to appear that way to his public. Osner also subtly scripted this performer's life, so it's doubly hard to separate art from life. Which imitates the other? Hard to tell, in this very enigmatic film performance. But that's the point isn't it?'  

James MacGregor  
netribution 3 June 2006
 www.netribution.co.uk