A New Venture

More years ago than I would care to remember I had the good fortune to do a television programme called "Jigsaw". It had been running for three series when I joined it in late 1982. I was to do the voices of all the puppets and play a huge gallimaufry of characters in the various sketches in each weeks programme. It was my first regular television job and I loved it. It was there I met Janet Ellis. 

We've now had a friendship that has lasted nearly thirty years. She is one of my closest friends and one of the most loyal a person could have. A great supporter, a bastion of common sense and no nonsense attitude, she's been there for me through thick and thin and I hope in some small way I've managed to return the favour.

Before the days in which she became a national icon for a generation in "Blue Peter" and indeed before "Jigsaw" she trained as an actress. She quickly amassed some classy credits - opposite Tom Courtenay, and some more populist ones - in bed with John Thaw in "The Sweeney". On jobs I've done with her over the years, I've seen many people impressed by her acting abilities. Too easy to classify as just another TV presenter, she displays great comic timing and an emotional truth and honesty that is great to watch. It's always a joy to work with her and next January we are going to do something rather special together.

Janet is patron of a fabulous charity called Maggie's Cancer Caring Centre at the Charing Cross Hospital in London. You can find out more about it on our web site - details below. We've decided that it is about time Miss Ellis took to the stage again and have set up a production of the Alan Bennett play "Green Forms" to raise money for Maggie's next January at the Tabard Theatre in Chiswick. Bennett is one of my favourite writers. His dialogue is pure gold and to my Yorkshire ear is as witty as Wilde, This is a short one act play he wrote in 1981. A virtuoso piece for two actresses about the daily trivia of office life.

This week we launched our appeal for funding to get our production off the ground and I have been amazed at the generosity of our friends and supporters. As I write this we are about £600 short of our target and we are making a final push this week. All of these efforts have been spearheaded by my wonderful partner Rich. He is our producer and he has been absolutely brilliant. He goes off to work each day and returns each evening. I know his title, but in reality I have little comprehension of what he does, or no chance to see him in action. I know he is extremely well respected within the London Theatre Industry. He knows everyone and is looked up to and admired in his field. These last weeks both Janet and I have been able to understand why. 

If you'd like to help us out by supporting the play or by just buying tickets when they go on sale later this month, we'd love you to be involved.

Our website is www.greenformsplay.co.uk and our funding page is on the Wefund site  under our play name "Green Forms"