IT

IT

It hangs,

With not so much substance

In the back story,

Just that point

Where strain results in parting,

A moment of truth,

When one suffers

A lack of balance,

After a downhearted performance,

After distraction,

After it vanishes.

My way or the highway,

Spat your cliché.

I chose.

SONG FOR RITA

SONG FOR RITA

This is a song for my mother - Margaret (Rita) Cushnan - 1925 - 2011.

CHORUS

Songs of you come easy, from love’s lament to lullaby

Songs of you come easy, we said farewell but not goodbye

Your memory preserved forever,

Showing you in silhouette,

You gave us all we’d ever need,

You gave us nothing to regret

So many moments looking back,

Crystal clear inside our minds,

A decent soul, a loving heart,

Heaven’s child, one of a kind.

CHORUS

Songs of you come easy, from love’s lament to lullaby

Songs of you come easy, we said farewell but not goodbye

No one said life would be easy

You were dealt a heavy hand

Left to raise your sons and daughters

We were too young to understand

You kept us safe, you were our haven,

You found the will, you found the way,

You taught us right, you taught us wrong,

You loved us each and every day

CHORUS

Songs of you come easy, from love’s lament to lullaby

Songs of you come easy, we said farewell but not goodbye

In darker days and troubled nights,

After all your faith and prayer

Your three angels held you near,

To comfort. you with loving care

Came the hour, came the moment,

Came the time for life to cease,

In spite of all the tears and sorrow,

Came your time to rest in peace

CHORUS

Songs of you come easy, from love’s lament to lullaby

Songs of you come easy, we said farewell but not goodbye

TALES FROM AN ACTOR'S LIFE BY STEVEN BERKOFF

(This illustration says "Scenes From An Actor's Life" but my copy says "Tales From An Actor's Life" - just in case anyone gets picky!)


I have read many autobiographies and biographies about actors and acting but I have not read one quite as quirky and entertaining as Tales From An Actor's Life by Steven Berkoff.

Here's the blurb from the cover:

Long considered the enfant terrible of the British theatre both as actor, director, and writer and famous for his villainous roles in films such as A Clockwork Orange, Rambo and Octopussy, Steven Berkoff is original in everything he does. He is a man of whom one should never expect the expected. Now, in this captivating book, he shares scenes from his own colourful theatrical life, thinly disguising them on occasion to protect the guilty but never being less than entertaining and forthright in his accounts. And what a delight they are, for as Berkoff says in his introduction, acting must be one of the strangest professions since the rules are flexible and few can agree even on the simplest of them. Berkoff has seen it all and he takes us here on an informal tour recalling among other things his first job (as an assistant stage manager and small part player ), and the first line he ever uttered on stage (Going Bowling tonight Sammy?), his early touring dates and disasters (and even romances) in rep, a traumatic audition for a revered Peter Hall which ended in tears, visiting Kirk Douglas at his home in LA, triumphantly directing the classic On The Waterfront on the London stage, and (less triumphantly) playing Hamlet the Berkoff way. Romantic though an actor's life may seem to be to the general public, clearly it is often tough and often laced with tears. But there is laughter too, and camaraderie and in these Tales, Berkoff gives the reader a real insight and feeling of what it is like to tread the boards, and the passion, work, and intuition that goes into creating a role.

And here is a link to Berkoff's screen CV (for information): 

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0000925/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

The book is written in a boisterous, flamboyant style, moving with ease from calm explanations of the actor's existence to full-on rants about the frustrations of being a strolling player determined to be as independent as possible in his choices of work.

Most of the book is written in the third person.  Berkoff is "he" and "the actor" and it works well as he tries to hover over his life and career more as an observer rather than as an ego-driven narrator.

Interestingly, knowing the life he has lead, he barely mentions by name any of the famous people he has worked with, loved, liked and despised.  The book is more about feelings, emotions, frustrations, failures, successes, challenges and struggles rather than a buffet of celebrity guest mentions. And it is all the better for it, I think.

The only indulgence in this regard - he allows himself an account of his meeting with Kirk Douglas in Los Angeles and for a chapter he is Steven Berkoff.

If you want an account of what it feels like to be in such a fickle career, I recommend Tales From An Actor's Life for its honesty, its theatricality, bumptiousness and breathless writing style.

It's great fun too!

STORMONT DEBATE TRANSCRIPT

It was you.
No, it wasn't.
Yes, it was.

No, it wasn't.

Yes, it was.

No, it wasn't.

Yes, it was.

No, it wasn't.
(Recess for coffee and biscuits).

Yes, it was.

No, it wasn't.

Yes, it was.

No, it wasn't.

Yes, it was.

No, it wasn't.

Yes, it was.

No, it wasn't.
(Recess for lunch).

Yes, it was.

No, it wasn't.

Yes, it was.

No, it wasn't.

Yes, it was.

Wait a wee minute.

Wait a wee minute yourself.

Catch yourself on.
(Recess for afternoon tea).

No, you catch yourself on.
Er.

No, you catch yourself on.
Er.

No, you catch yourself on.
Er.

No, you catch yourself on.
Er.

No, you catch yourself on.
Er.

No, you catch yourself on.

Etc,

Etc,

Until sense kicks in

Or eternity strikes twelve,

Whichever comes first......

THE LUXURY OF FREEDOM OF SPEECH

I'd like to write ****
but I might offend someone
I'd like to write about *******
but I might offend someone
I'd like to say something about ****
but I might offend someone
I have an opinion on *********
but I might offend someone
I want to publish a poem about **********
but I might offend someone
I'd like to say I don't agree with ********
but I might offend someone
I want to think out loud about *******
but I might offend someone

I want to see how far free speech can r e a c h h h h h h h h h h h h h....

But as I have political correctness to thank,
and a yellow streak and a quiet life to live,
I'll have to draw a blank.

Ah, fuck it!

RALPH MCLEAN

My radio listening days go back a long way and I have many fond memories of a cream-coloured wireless in the living room.  Sundays were big radio days - Two Way Family Favourites, The Clitheroe Kid and, vital in those days, Pick of the Pops ("not 'alf"), amongst others.

Radio Luxembourg was exotic, if a little frustrating.  The sound would fade in and out according to the mood of the signal but the thought of someone playing records in a far off place and me hearing it in a council flat in Belfast was awesome.

Over the years, I grew to enjoy, love and admire some of the presenters because of their voices, their patter, their individualism and their love of music.

I am thinking about Alan Freeman, Kenny Everett, John Peel, Roger Scott, Johnny Walker, Bob Harris, Paul Gambaccini and more. Radio Caroline and later Radio One had more than their fair share of ten-a-penny record spinners but the aforementioned examples had that extra ingredient that just appealed to me.

I moved away from Belfast in the mid-70s, the days well before playback facilities, so I have little knowledge of radio back home in those days.  I knew of it but I wasn't part of it as a listener.  But now, with the marvels of iPlayer et al, the world is my jukebox, and BBC Radio Ulster is more often than not the soundtrack to my day.

There are many fine (what a wimpy word), nay, excellent presenters on Radio Ulster but I want to say a few words about Ralph McLean.

I don't know Ralph personally (I did bump into him in HMV, Belfast a while ago and said hello) but I do know him from his exemplary radio shows and occasional television appearances.  You can get a bit more about him via these links:

http://www.ralphmclean.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ralph_McLean

and by searching around the BBC Radio Ulster website http://www.bbc.co.uk/radioulster

Ralph can be heard on Radio Ulster between 8pm and 10pm on Wednesdays (Local Voices), Thursdays (Rock and Soul) and Fridays (Country & Roots) and what do you get? You get a fan, an enthusiastic fan, a knowledgeable fan, a fan that can relate to an audience hungry for the familiar tracks but also keen to hear what surprises he has found buried in the archives, on b-sides or on forgotten LPs. You get a fan of just about every musical genre. You get a genuine fan.

You get a sublime ambassador for Northern Irish talent introducing favourites who return regularly to perform live and first-timers given a leg up by someone who cares about who they are and what they do.  Local Voices is an extremely important show because it showcases the positive side, the creative vibe of Belfast and wider Northern Ireland.

You get a man who knows people. He has met a litany of the greatest performers in the world and when their gigs include Northern Ireland, a Ralph McLean radio show is on their list of stopping off points because they know they'll get a warm welcome and be in the company of a safe pair of hands.

Earlier, I mentioned some names of broadcasters that live fondly in my mind and I add Ralph McLean to that list without reservation.  I am sure there are others I could mention but I'm writing off the top of my head.

His shows have entertained, informed and inspired me, and I'm certain I'm not alone in that regard. 

Thank you, Ralph. Keep doing what you do.

KELLY: A MEMOIR by GERRY KELLY with DON ANDERSON

Kelly: A Memoir
by Gerry Kelly with Don Anderson
Gill & Macmillan 2008

I had the pleasure and privilege of being interviewed by Gerry Kelly a couple of years ago when I was in Belfast to give a talk at the Belfast Book Festival.  On that occasion he was covering for BBC Radio Ulster's Alan Simpson on the afternoon show.

I was nervous but after a handshake and a brief chat while a record played (Kim Carnes - Bette Davis Eyes), I felt much calmer and the 10-minute interview went well, according to friends and family who had tuned in.

I had known about Gerry Kelly for years via radio and TV shows and it was a great opportunity to meet him and get a little taste of his calm, conversational style of broadcasting.

He is best known for his long-running chat and entertainment show "Kelly" that ran live on prime time Ulster Television from September 1989 to December 2005 - (recipe - "topicality, music, audience participation and celebrity") - a show that attracted huge, loyal audiences and boasted a guest list to die for in nearly 600 shows.

The book gives some background on Gerry and his family (a narrative about his father leaving the family home chilled me because much the same thing happened with mine) and soon embarks on a CV journey include school teaching, journalism, television reporting and presenting.

But it's the "Kelly" show that dominates. It took up a huge chunk of his life and he was devastated when it ended.  Sadly, for career reasons, I was working in England during these prime years and missed a lot of great television but I caught some of the shows during visits home.

Kelly: A Memoir filled in a lot of details about the trials, tribulations, joys and delights of live TV. You'll get a flavour of the man and his work from this link I found - http://www.thekellyshow.com/profile1.html - but if you can get hold of a copy of the book, so much the better.

It is informative and entertaining, sometimes opinionated but always sincere and honest.

Gerry Kelly is an outstanding broadcaster with a professional and personal style that should be a template for some of the upstarts who think they can just wing it on TV and radio.  He is a gifted man with a great story and he tells it very well indeed.

I'm glad I got to shake his hand and answer his questions.

For the uninitiated, Gerry can be heard currently on Fridays and Saturdays on BBC Radio Ulster doing what he obviously enjoys - playing great music, chatting to great guests and championing Northern Irish talent.

FOR YOU, THE WAR IS OVER BY SAM KYDD

For You, The War Is Over

by Sam Kydd

Futura Publications paperback 1974

Let me start with a link to a post on this blog in which I profiled Belfast-born actor, Sam Kydd.

http://droppedthemoon.blogspot.co.uk/2015/02/remembering-sam-kydd-born-100-years-ago.html

When I was researching his life and work, I discovered that he had written a book, a memoir of his time (nearly five years) as a prisoner-of-war. (Note, the story stops in 1945, so Kydd's screen acting career is not covered, except for recollections about several prison camp productions.)

I have read several books about war but nothing like this one.  It is a pacy account of some very harrowing experiences in various prison camps in Germany and Poland as detainees fought to survive as best they could.

Everything from starvation to boredom to hard labour to hopelessness is covered and no punches are pulled in writing about the challenges of incarceration. But, the book is brimming with humour and cheer that should be at odds with the grimness and despair of the core subject matter.  The odd couple blending of tragic accounts and funny stories give the book honesty and heart and allows the reader to understand the horrors of prison camps whilst hearing the chirpy voice of someone who chose to recall his POW experiences with more than a fair dose of retrospective lightheartedness.

I suspect some of the yarns about capers here and there to dupe German guards are exaggerated but I found the book to be emotional, entertaining and an informative insight into the man who would eventually become the jobbing and busy actor Sam Kydd.

Kydd wrote in a lively way, as if he couldn't wait to get the words down on paper. It works a treat. Sadly, he did not get round to writing about his cinema and television career. It would have been a great autobiography, I'm sure.

For You, The War Is Over is out of print but can still be found on Ebay and other sites.