A great compliment to the company of GEORGE'S MARVELLOUS MEDICINE from York Opera House - well done all!

"The cast have been a joy to have around. The whole production, as always, just oozes quality and class. If only all companies were like BSC!"

I suppose I thought I knew how hard it was to be an actor. I’ve auditioned many thousands of actors in my time with BSC, I have scores of friends at different ends of the business, I’ve watched careers rise and fall over the years. But it was sitting on the steps of the American Church with nine other actors waiting for my five minutes with the casting director for the programme HUSTLE, that the scale of the nightmare that makes for an actor’s life sank in. This is hard. Very, very hard.

Why was I auditioning? I decided earlier this year that I would like to put myself out there again as a freelance actor, something I haven’t done for eighteen years since I started up the BSC. A role in a fringe production of THE DICE HOUSE last year reminded me how good it was to be amongst a group of actors where you weren’t the boss. Quite perversely, given it’s a regular complaint for most actors, I have revelled in the lack of power I’ve enjoyed at the four auditions I’ve attended as an actor. No responsibility, no decisions to be taken, no-one looking to me for anything other than a performance. It has been very refreshing.

I knew it was going to be hard, particularly with television. I have no TV on my CV – my only experience being a small role twenty years ago on MAKING NEWS with Bill Nighy (who held my hand throughout rehearsal and introduced me to all the crew). But the actual reality of attending those auditions; seeing everyone else waiting outside (who always look much better for the part than you do) and leaving the audition room without a clue of what they actually thought of what you did: yes, these are the situations that make you wonder how anyone survives the trade.

Anyway, I got the job on HUSTLE. A small part, but nothing could be too small to dampen my pleasure and amazement at getting through the system and onto the set to deliver a few (well written) lines. And I suppose it’s this success, despite the heartache and the trauma of going through the system, that keeps everyone in the game. Because when you get it, being an actor is the best job in the world.

Don't be put off by the marketing for BURN THE FLOOR at the Shaftesbury. This is excellent high octane dancing with some great routines - would love the men to have been as hot as the women so they have a bit more to dance against but apparently that's always the case! It's a very enjoyable evening's theatre.

There's a very fine cast performing in THE 39 STEPS at the moment - and Tim Speyer is excellent in his latest West End role.

Big congrats Tim - your performance is bold, barmy and brilliant!

Bureaucrats around the world - you have a new leader!

Philip Colechin, Senior Customer Services Officer of Gospel Oak District Housing Office, has successfully transformed himself from a human being into The Man Who Knows The Rules. So even though a 99 year old woman needed help, Philip reminded me (at length) of the Rules and thank goodness - otherwise I might have gone through life putting other people first. And what a fool I would have felt!

Thank you Philip. Your adherence to The Rules has saved me from a life of compassion and kindness. Thank goodness we have people like you putting The Rules first, whatever the circumstances. (If you fancy knowing the circumstances, I've posted them in Comment.)

Do the right thing? What tosh. Follow The Rules!

Through Philip's example I now understand how we got ourselves into the state where policeman stand on the side of rivers watching people drown because they're following The Rules. Where fireman have to read a four page dossier before they can sit down on a chair. Where apparatchiks like Philip happily disregard humanity in slavish adherence to The Rules.

What mad genius created these Rules? Why as a society do we accept them?

No doubt Camden will give Philip Colechin a bonus. The bureacrats have certainly won the battle. Is there anything we can do to prevent them winning the war?

Is there anybody in Britain who could have got away with forcibly pushing Ian Tomlinson to the floor and got away with it....except a British police officer?

Er, no.

What's really sad is that it isn't a surprise.

The CPS could have charged the officer if they'd done so within 6 months of the incident, but funnily enough it took 16 months for them to decide what to do. Funny that.

Well done British justice. Another fine day for us all.

I sometimes get asked if I give acting lessons, so over the summer I'm happy to provide acting lessons for anyone who is interested. Please drop an email to the BSC at info@birminghamstage.com if you'd like to arrange a lesson.

Birmingham lost out to Derry for Capital of Culture last night. A big shame for us all but here's to next time!

Is it me or do we live in a very weird world where people eulogise a narcissistic murderer, a man is given copious airtime to claim he could have saved a brother he hadn't spoken to for seven years and the police are blamed for not saving a man who sat with a shotgun aimed at his head for six hours?

Personally, I'm glad there are a group of volunteers prepared to put their lives at risk to protect people like me from the likes of Mr Moat. Whatever mistakes they made along the way - and there were many - the obsessive desire of the media to strangle moral clarity is disconcerting and depressing.

As we celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, I have begun to wonder if this country still has the moral fibre to do the right thing, whatever the cost. In my own personal experience, the debacle over the play Behzti seemed to suggest we don't - and that it's only getting worse.