Wizard Prang!

We're both very big Harry Potter fans in our house.

My lovely friend Jane Millman introduced me to the books around 2000 and I quickly devoured them. They took me back to books I used to read in my childhood. The boarding school adventures of Jennings and Derbyshire, the Five Finder - outers etc. The first three books came out without much of a furore, and it was the fourth book “Harry Potter and the goblet of Fire" which really seem to catch people's attention. This was when Rich started reading the books. While I lay in bed at night trying to make my way through the 500 or so pages of the latest Harry Potter, Rich was beside me making his way through the first three books which were of course much slimmer volumes at the same time.

This meant that by the time volume 5 “Harry Potter and the order of the Phoenix" came out our household had to order two copies. There was no debate as to who was going to read it first. So we have two copies of the last three books. As each book got longer and longer-, there were inevitably moments of tedium and no more so than in the last book “Harry Potter and the deathly Hallows". Of course seeing the length of this book, Warner Brothers couldn't believe their luck. They wouldn't want to disappoint the diehard Potter fans by leaving so much out, so they decided to make “Harry Potter and the deathly Hallows" into two films–“for the benefit of the fans".

Of coursewhat was not mentioned at the time was that this would increase the profits of the series of movies quite considerably. “Harry Potter and the franchise extender" might have been a more appropriate name as those of others who have rushed to see the film–sorry, part one of the film–this weekend have to wait until July 2011 before we can get the conclusion.

The fault of this of course is that most of the first half of the book was a sort of rather limp five go camping experience when not much happens. And so I'm afraid it is in the movie. After an initially exciting 20 min including seven decoy Harry Potters one of whom is wearing a bra, the film settles down to let the three leads have most of the action as they pitch camp in various mystical Forest locations. And this for me is where the problem lies as while undoubtedly this film contains the best performances from the three lead protagonists yet , there is a lack of emotional depth that renders these scenes flat and rather dull. “Harry Potter and the deadly longeurs" might be a better title. If the producers don't believe me, perhaps they might just want to do a toilet census at Beckenham Odeon. A young eager and excited audience hushed in anticipation as the film started. They laughed along with some very witty stuff near the beginning of the film, but once Harry, Ron and Hermione had pitched camp, the toilet Trail started. Then began an incessant and continuous parade of mothers heels tugging small hands towards the two doors of the toilet, which unfortunately in screen one at the Odeon Beckenham are situated on either side of the screen. I am absolutely sure that the lavatorial desire increased as interest in the film decreased. I even managed a quick snooze while our three intrepid heroes were pitching camp in the Forest of Dean and awoke feeling that I hadn't missed a thing.

Of course I'm eagerly looking forward to “Harry Potter and the deathly Hallows part two" and I'll be right up there with those booking in advance to see it. After all I'm guaranteed that this second film will contain most of the action from the book and bring about the resolution of the series. I just hope that by the time we get to next July I can remember what I've seen before.

Talking of which I must ask if Harry has any memory pills. Mine seems to be getting worse. This week I managed to actually forget two jobs.

I had booked in a one-to-one speaker training session with a client at McDonald's on Tuesday afternoon, only to receive a text message on Monday evening from the delightful Sian Richardson saying "what time are we meeting tomorrow for the CPS." I didn't even have the CPS job in my diary! A quick look at the schedule revealed of course it was my mistake and all day Tuesday I was due to work with two other actors at the CPS headquarters doing a role-play session. Mercifully we managed to arrange that I could leave at lunchtime and so oblige both jobs.

The next day I was busy having a chat with Jack Downton, when he suddenly mentioned the job on November 29. An expression of horror must have spread over my face as he asked "was I not available" . I said “no I'm working in Amsterdam" which led him to tell me that we had a job booked into the morning of November 29. Again it wasn't in my diary, but on closer inspection checking old e-mails the job had been firmed up sometime in late September. I been able to give this job someone else so someone else will benefit and I will be in Amsterdam.

As well as having the bottom of an elephant, I've always had the memory of one too. Rich is constantly amazed about useless bits of trivia from our lives together which I can dig up at a moments notice. I used to have no problem learning lines very quickly, and even though now it takes longer and more hard work, they do still go in. I think one of the problems is that we don't use our memories as much as we used to these days. I can't recall telephone numbers because of course I don't have to. They're all on my new iPhone. I went to a casting on Thursday morning and had to write down my agents telephone number which I constantly have to look up. It used to be something I could quote without a second thought.

Perhaps I need to start doing memory exercises. After all I don't want to get to the stage where I sit down on a Sunday afternoon to write my blog and can't remember what's happened in the previous week!

Now....................... where was I?