The remit

Right then. Welcome to my blog.

This is my first attempt at a personal blog - partly because I hadn't worked out what I wanted to write about, partly because I was (and still am) unsure why anyone would want to read my ramblings, but mostly because I know myself to be lazy and irresponsible. In all likelihood I will lose interest in this blog after about four posts, and forget to ever update it.

But fear not, brave reader (I hope there is at least one). I am resolute. I've put my doubts to one side and am determined to make this a fairly regular do. I will be pouring out my rantings and ravings as often as they pop into my head. Good news, right?

But what's it about? Everyone needs a niche, and all the best blogs have quirky angles to them. All the famous ones are topic specific: music, fashion, food, travel. I am interested in some of these things, but am in no way an expert on any of them. The existing blogs in these areas are plenty good enough, any attempt I make to rival them would be unnecessary and bad.

So what about photos of things you've seen while out and about? There is the often brilliant "blog" of "unnecessary" quotation marks, and one I always liked the look of by a guy I used to work with, based on the wide range of unusual things he found in Kilburn Grange Park. Both instances of inspired ideas put down in a neat and easy to browse manner. But I don't often leave the house, and when I do I don't take a camera with me, so my options are severely limited. Anything I take a picture of will have to be in or visible from my house, and that will probably make for some very dry reading indeed.

So instead, I have decided to focus on my employment. I am almost entirely employed by a small theatre company called Barbershopera. They are successful enough to keep me off the streets, but not yet at the stage where I can get too comfortable there. Having fallen into the world of acting thanks to a coincidence and a favour from some old friends, I now remember it was something I always wanted to do when I was a child. Effectively it's a dream come true. However, now I have my dream in my hands, I realise it is rather different to how I had imagined it - not quite as glamorous. And I have a feeling everyone shares this misconception.

So the purpose of this blog is to blow the lid off the world of acting, the job that now occupies about five percent of my time - and nearly 100 percent of my working life. I doubt it is a proper niche as I imagine someone who acts already does a blog, but I don't care about their blog, this is my one. I need to document my life and - as an performer - need an audience's approval. I plan to do something like the Joe Orton diaries, only without the shady encounters in public toilets, or like Samuel Pepys's, only without the plague and fire, or like Anne Frank's. Actually no, not at all like Anne Frank's. My blog will be flippant and silly and not have any major impact on anything. I plan to do the opposite of Anne Frank's diary. Although I do harbour hopes that one day there will be a museum to me in Amsterdam.

So strap yourselves in for this whirlwind adventure. Prepare to be amazed at the glamour of rural tour, be dazzled by the endless Travelodge breakfasts, be underwhelmed by the size of the tour van and be astounded at how I can senselessly pass weeks without really achieving anything. Welcome to the world of a barely employed actor.