Tag Archives: Car Share

Check Mate

June 9, 2018 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a really good couple of weeks. Mine have been busy and fun. I have to say I could not believe it, that my mate Ben Langley did not make it through to
at least the Semi-final stages of Britain’s Got Talent. Sadly exactly what I feared occurred. He was not selected in that last show where they have to whittle down all the people that they said yes to. To the actual number of places available in the live shows. That was despite him getting four yes’s and a standing ovation from the judges.

I was a little bit concerned that this might happen to him. The reason for that is that he was shown very early on in his episode. He was not interviewed before. They did not really give us any of his back story. But later in the same programme a few of the acts who also got put through received this treatment. Probably a total coincidence but at least a couple of these did make it through to the semi-finals.

I appreciate I might well be a bit biased with him being a friend. But I have seen him perform a lot over the last ten years. And I would say that he can offer a lot more variety and potential than some of the people who made it through. Mentioning no names Opera Cake eating lady. They always put a few quirky and odd acts through to the finals. It does make the show more interesting. Although it is a little frustrating when this is sometimes done at the expense of the talented individuals.

Ben has toured with Joe Pasquale, Cannon and Ball and supported Paul Zerdin on his one man show. He was in the Detectorists, albeit briefly and is on CBeebies. Therefore I concede that he is not exactly unknown. Which is may be what they think the show is about.

But Lost Voice Guy, who I love and who truly deserved to win it. Actually won the BBC New Comedy Award a few years ago, so he was hardly plucked from obscurity either. That said I think he will be excellent at the Royal Variety Performance. I must also say well done to the ace Dec. Who did brilliant job hosting it. Those opening numbers that he was doing were epic.

It was nice to see Ben getting some encouragement and words of support from the legend that is Bobby Ball on his Facebook page. He is currently performing his Ben Langley show all other country. He will be in Pantomime again. As he has been every year since I have known him. Plus he may well tour the UK with his Ha Ha plays again. What I am saying is keep an eye out for him. If you get the chance go and see him in action. You will have a fun and entertaining time.

I have to confess owing to the fact I am genuinely so busy. I like to plan things in advance and normally have very structured weeks. I often know what I am doing months in advance. But occasionally something out of the blue and spontaneous will occur. Which is always great fun.

This happened the other week. I was at work when I noticed via social media. That one of my best friends and his wife were out in London at my favourite pub. I knew they were celebrating their 10th Anniversary. But I had not seen them both for a while, so I messaged them to see if they fancied a drink with me.

I finished work and had not heard anything back. I was walking to Marylebone Train Station. When my phone rang. It was my mate’s wife seeing where I was and if I was still up for a drink. The answer was yes I am and I am on my way to you now. Luckily I know a nice little pub just round the corner. We met up there and had a great catch up over a few drinks.

It was brilliant to see them and we had a lovely time chatting and laughing. I did feel a little bit guilty about gate crashing their day. But I was there the first time they ever met. Therefore I felt that it was perfectly acceptable for me to be with them. We got the train home together. Then said our goodbyes. It was a wonderful impromptu way to end the working day.

Last week I went and saw the latest West End production of Chess. It was only on for a limited run, so I was pleased that I did manage to catch it. It is written by Tim Rice with music and lyrics also supplied by Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus of ABBA fame. It was first performed in London in 1986. This latest version was at the London Coliseum.

One of the main reasons I wanted to see this show was because of the cast. That they had assembled for it. I have been a long time fan of Michael Ball. But had never had the chance to see him on stage. He was playing one of the lead roles. Alongside a man reprising the role that he had played in the original production Murray Head. Ball plays the Russian and Head the American.

The two female leads were also great. One whom I had seen perform before and the other who I had been trying to see for a while. They were Cassidy Janson and Alexandra Burke. I saw Cassidy when she was playing Carole King in Beautiful and she was sensational in that. Alexandra had been on The One Show when I was there once. But she showed off her dancing not her singing that evening.

I thoroughly enjoyed this version of Chess. The staging was very clever and involved a lot of video images on big screens with live cameras on stage to capture the footage. The music and songs are fantastic. As you would fully expect from the people who are behind them. The whole cast were totally amazing.

Michael Ball was exceptional. His voice is just immense. When he is on that stage belting out those songs. He is a truly terrific performer. Murray Head was brilliant to. In a role he has really made his own. I particularly enjoyed him doing One Night In Bangkok. A song he had a number twelve hit with in the UK.

Cassidy Janson was just ridiculously good. Her voice is like velvet and her acting is faultless. She is just such a good all round star. I love watching her on stage. Alexandra Burke also blew me away from her first song. She proved what a amazing singer and performer she is. It made the whole theatre sit up and pay attention.

I have already mentioned one of the two best known songs from this musical. The other is performed by the two ladies. The two original leading ladies had a number hit with it in the eighties. They were Elaine Page and Barbara Dickson. The song I am talking about is “I Know Him So Well. Which is immaculately performed by Cassidy and Alexandra. Real goose bumps and hairs on the back of your neck standing up stuff.

I enjoyed the show and I was impressed by how good the cast were. But the reason this show has not had the longevity of other musicals, like Phantom of Opera for example. Is possibly due to the story not being quite strong enough. And it not containing enough poignant dramatic moments. I thought it was great and I am sure they will bring it back again in the future. It is I think quite amusing that the main American character’s surname is Trumper. Just as it was in the original.

I went to see James Acaster do a work in progress gig for his latest show at The Museum Of Comedy in London. It is a lovely little place. It only holds about eighty people. They have improved the bar area there recently. Which just makes it a bit easier to sit and have a drink before the entertainment starts.

As the name of the place suggests there are lots of historic comedy items and memorabilia dotted around the including a signed printed copy of the classic Two Ronnies “Four Candles” Sketch and an old Freddie Starr red stage jacket. Not to mention some Spitting Image masks and the back door from the Trotters three wheeler from Only Fools and Horses.

It was slightly odd when we walked into the performance room, as James was already on the stage waiting for us. I know it is a small venue and there is not a dressing room. But this is the first time I had experienced that. I am not sure if that was something new he was testing. Or if he could not be bothered to hide from us for the sake of it. Which I completely understand, to be honest.

He was trying out a lot of new stuff that may or may not make it into the finished and final polished show. He was also telling us about his weekend. To see if he could find any comedy value in it and get some future material from that. He is one of the top gigging comics around at the moment, really good. His recent appearances on television panel shows have been brilliant to.

It was a fun evening seeing some comedy rounded off with a trip to Byron Burger. Which is pretty much my default burger restaurant. When I am in London. You know exactly what you are going to get there and their burgers are tasty.

Tottenham Hotspur have signed a deal with the Beavertown Brewery to be the official craft beer of their new stadium. Therefore I thought I better have a can of their Neck Oil Beer to wash my food down with. As an appreciation of the new connection with my football team.

I like most of the country on Bank Holiday Monday watched the last ever episode of Car Share. Peter Kay and Sian Gibson are both great in it. The story line works and makes total sense. The dialogue is top quality comedy. But as I have said previously. The thing I really love about it is the additional comedy from the radio station and the ace visual jokes. That have been getting better with every programme.

In the last show there were at least three things I spotted in the shot as the car was driving around that made me laugh out loud. Ranging from stickers on cars, to posters and shop signs. I would imagine that I missed lots of other gags. Some of those radio adverts are genius. I think he has ended it at the right time. As great creators and writers always do with these projects.

Yesterday I had my six monthly hospital appointment for my ears. I have had problems with them for the last three years. I am not sure if it is as a result of years of wearing headphones or of too many loud music gigs. But they do get quite bunged up. Therefore twice a year I have to go and have them basically hoovered out.

They have a special machine that can shall we say remove any debris from the area. It does make a weird noise and give you a slightly odd sensation, when it is happening. There is also a camera attached, so you can see what is going on. But as I am so squeamish. I try not to look. I always feel happier that I can hear much better after having it done. l am already booked in for my next appointment in December.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil

Catching Up

May 11, 2018 Neil

Hi there, how are you doing? I hope you have had a really good couple of weeks. Mine have been busy and fun. I met up with a very good friend for drinks in London recently. We worked out that it was actually the first time we had seen each other this year. We speak regularly on the phone. But this was the first face to face catch up for a while.

Life is so busy and hectic these days, especially if you are married with young children. The balancing act to look after them. While still trying to spend some good quality time with the other half. Tends to mean it is not always that easy to organise a night out, that often. Well, so all my married friends tell me anyway. And I believe them.

But even without any children. I am pretty hard to book for a night out. As I like to keep myself nice and busy, so I generally fill any spare time or any free weekends up with things to do. Usually months in advance. I always tell people to book early to avoid disappointment. Although I reckon my mates think I am joking.

Anyway these are the reasons that we have basically waited around four months in to the year to see each other. But this gap does not matter with close friends. You always have lots to talk about and as you know all about each others lives. The conversation flows freely and it is like you only saw them yesterday anyway.

We went for a few drinks along the South Bank. Which was cool. There are some decent bars and pubs around that area. We were joined by his younger brother. Who, as it happens was the person who designed and built my first ever website. When he was still at University. And if my memory serves me right, I paid him in beer for his services on that project.

To give you some idea of how long me and my mate have been friends. I think his brother was around eight years old. When I first met him. It was a brilliant evening relaxing and chatting with the both of them.

Last weekend I met up with a friend who I used to work with at Ivel Fm in Somerset. He is working for a radio station in Cornwall. Where he now lives. Him and his mate, who I also know came up and met me in Windsor. We had booked a hotel for the night, so we got together there late Saturday afternoon.

I am always ridiculously early for everything. I got to the hotel about an hour or so before they were due to arrive. As it was a nice sunny day. I did the only thing that you should do in that situation. I got myself a pint of shandy and sat out in the beer garden to wait for them. It was pretty good timing in the end.

As they arrived just after I had finished my first drink. They instantly joined me for a few more drinks outside in the sun. Well you have got to make the most of the weather, while you can in this country. Plus you have to re-hydrate after a long drive.

Once we had finished these, we got ourselves ready to head out in Windsor for the evening. With the big Royal Wedding taking place there in just a couple of weeks at this point. There was Union Jack bunting up across lots of the streets. Plus in various shop windows I spotted cardboard cut outs of the Queen, Prince William, Prince Harry and of course Meghan Markle.

First we headed to a well known pub chain who have a venue right opposite Windsor Castle. This particular company are known for food and drink deals. It turns out that they have added a new one. You can get a Pizza and an alcoholic drink together in that bar for nine pounds. And for the record the Pepperoni Pizza I had in there was really nice. As was the American Shipyard Pale Ale I had with it.

"Gloriana" looking very regal at Henley Regatta — “Gloriana” looking very regal at Henley Regatta

From there we headed over the Thames to Eaton. Where we found a pub with a nice beer garden to enjoy the last of the day’s sun. While sampling a beer from the local Windsor and Eaton Brewery. Which was very pleasant and I must say unusually sweet for an ale.

As it happened the night was basically me taking them to all the old bars in the area. That I used to visit when I went out there in my twenties. Therefore next we stopped off in Browns for a drink. That place has not changed at all. It was exactly how I remembered it.

We ended up, as most nights out in Windsor in the past did. At one of the bars under the Arches. There did seem to be less bars there than I remembered. But old classics like Vanilla and The Scotch Bar where still there. We went in to the Fuzzy Bear.

Well I thought it was about time that I let my guests choose at least one place to go in to. It was fun in there, good atmosphere and some decent music. As all the bars in that area are built under arches. They are all really long and thin. Not like most normal bars. But once you have been in one for a while, you do kind of get used to it.

It was another entertaining night. I do like Windsor for a night out. There are some nice places to go and it is a pretty friendly town. It was nostalgic to talk about the old times at Ivel fm. And just have a general catch up on life and each others world’s. The weekend was of course rounded off with the obligatory full English Breakfast on the Sunday morning. I think next time I will head down to Cornwall to see him. Any excuse to visit the place and enjoy the coast down there.

It is Tottenham’s final league game of the season at Wembley tomorrow. I have recently been to two home games in fairly quick succession. I was there to see us beat Watford on the Monday Night football the other week. The performance was not great but we won and should have scored more goals. It was also nice to go to a game now that the weather is a little warmer. That does make it a bit more enjoyable in the stands.

This week I was back at Wembley once again to watch Spurs play Newcastle United. After our defeat away at West Brom in the last game. A win was desperately needed to secure a top four finish and the crucial Champions League football for next season. Happily a win was achieved, albeit by just the one goal in an otherwise fairly ordinary game. The one moment of magic was provided by none other than Harry Kane.

On the same night Chelsea were held to a draw by Huddersfield. Which means they are now four points behind us with one game to go. Therefore we have now already qualified for the Champions League for the third successive year. It also will make us the highest placed London club for the first time since the nineties.

If we beat Leicester we will finish in third place. Which would be a wonderful achievement for a team who have technically had to play a whole season of away games. I am looking forward to the deserved celebrations after the game tomorrow.

The annual comedy event that is the Tringe Festival is back next month. It is the event at which I made my stand up comedy debut nearly six years ago now. It is also where I performed again last year at the always brilliant Roving Comedy Night.

In fact that event kicks off this year’s proceedings. I have already booked my ticket to check out the new batch of Logan Murray students. See some professional comics. Who I have not seen live before. And catch up with some old friends. It is taking place on Sunday 24th June. It is always a fun and enjoyable evening.

I had a fantastic time gigging at it last year. The audiences are lovely, the venues are good and it is all excellently organised. But most of all it is just great fun to be involved with. Part of me will miss not being on stage this year. But watching will mean I will hopefully be a little bit less nervous than I was before it began last year.

The Roving Comedy Night kicks off three weeks worth of gigs in the Tring area. Lots of them are comedians previewing and honing their new shows. Which they will be doing at the Edinburgh Festival. Later on in the summer. It always manages to attract a star studded line up. With some hilarious comedians once again lined up to appear there.

Here are just some of the names you can see at the Tringe this year. They include Rhod Gilbert, James Acaster, Nina Conti, Mark Watson and Marcus Brigstocke to mention but a few. Most of the gigs are at the wonderful Court Theatre in Tring. For more details on this just follow the link. But I will warn you, tickets for this do get snapped up quickly http://www.get-stuffed.biz/tringe/

I watched the improvised special of Car Share on Bank Holiday Monday. We already know that Peter Kay is a comedy genius both at stand up. And at writing and performing in funny television shows. This episode was basically edited together from lots of the footage of him and Sian Gibson going off piste and randomly chatting on set during the filming of the last series.

A lot of it was so good they figured they could make a whole special episode from it. And they were totally right. The conversation is so relaxed and genuine between them. They just bounce off each other expertly.

While still seemingly taking great pleasure and joy in trying to trip the other one up. Or send the discussion in a surprising and totally different direction. There was one bit in it, which I loved. It was where they both genuinely made each other laugh out loud a lot. Natural, spontaneous giggling is one of the best feelings in the world.

It is a really clever show. The way they take the rise out of local commercial radio is brilliant. I like to believe it is done with love and respect for the medium. Having worked in it. I should be offended, of course. But a lot of it is pointing out exaggerated examples of things that have more than likely happened on air. Plus I know he is a fan of radio in general, so I am sure it is all a bit tongue in cheek.

The other brilliant thing is all the extra visual jokes and gags that go into the external shots of the car. And the views of the streets they show. Including some comically named shops and businesses. A dog doing its business by a phone box. In quite graphic detail. Featured in the latest one,

Just lots of odd to see on TV, yet normal things you would more than likely see if you were driving around a town. Many of course with an extra comic element or two added to them. I reckon you could watch it several times and possibly spot something new every time. Funny and clever, which sums up the man who makes it.

Have fun and we will catch up again in a couple of weeks. Cheers Neil

Neil Quigley Presenter