Picture of the day: Me posing with my poster in front of the Arts Theatre. In vaudeville days the poster hanging outside the theatre was referred to as a "three sheet". That expressed the actual size of the poster. I think posters sizes are still referred to as "sheets". When performers would stand outside the theater next to their poster to get noticed, they called that "four sheeting", adding one more sheet size to the poster. So here I am "four sheeting"

The Leicester Square festival "West End Live" was open to the public today. There were thousands crowded in to the square to watch the show. To my surprise they really listened and laughed. The TAO girls were handing out fliers and even had to go back to the theatre to get more. They said the response was great. There does seem to be a nice buzz starting for the show.

Tomorrow we will focus lights and on Monday we will start learning the cues. I guess it really is a matter of teaching the cues to a new set of associates. I miss the Wiz, John Ivy, Greg, Suzie and all the people who have steered this show. I'm sure that the "newbeeies" will be able to step up to the moment. But there are times when I just want to freeze the show at the Atlantic Theatre days. But if I could do that, I wouldn't be here now experiencing this moment. After we tech the show it will be full steam ahead for a Wednesday opening, and then it will be a matter of settling in and learning what these audiences want.

For most of the day "the four and only" walked around London's West End with really no clue where we were going. We just explored streets that looked interesting and window shopped. At one point we were at Covent Gardens to watch the street performers. There was a tall unicycle performer, I mean the unicycle was tall, I really couldn't tell how tall he was. The reason for that was he wore only a gold lamé speedo swimsuit. I think he was eventually going to juggle long knives, but I couldn't make myself focus on him enough to to figure out what his act was.

When Sandi and I were here in London in 1974 there was a shop in Covent Gardens called Polloch's Toy Theaters. To my surprise and delight the shop is still there. They sell Toy Theaters and puppets of all kinds. A toy theatre is a large magazine size book printed on stiff paper. If you cut out all the parts and assemble them according the instructions you actually have a full and complete production in miniature of a play. This includes the cast, scene changes and the script. I bought one years ago and put it together and and actually performed it once. The theater was torn down years later to make room for actual children in the family. I still have one or two in unassembled form. Perhaps one day I will build and perform them for grand kids.

They sell paper productions of Cinderella, Richard III, Dracula, Hamlet and a couple of English Pantomime plays. The manager told me that Richard III was their best seller. "I think it is the carnage in the show that is appealing." They also have a couple of Davenport vent figures which have recently been reproduced from the original Ensile molds. They are really beautiful. I love the look of a Davenport figure, I can spot a Davenport in a room full of puppets. They are distinctive by the lip movement. Whereas an American vent figure has a slot jaw that moves much like a Nutcracker; a Davenport has a leather jaw and the lips open with out the slot that is evident in a nutcracker mouth. Usually a Davenport also has a moving upper lip as well. I spent some time there and met the owner and invited him to the show. It is one of the great things about being with Murphy and Paul. In a matter of minutes any person you come in contact with can become a friend and eventually gets an invitation to come and see my show. Simon, the manager, said he would put our fliers on the counter if we brought them by. I really do think he will come. Just a side note. Simon had pixie ears. They stuck out and they were pointed just like the elves in Lord of the Rings.
At first I thought he was going for some Star Trek Mr. Spock affect, but they were definitely a birth day gift.

We continued to walk around the city until we got hungry enough to start looking for a restaurant to have dinner. We ended up resting our feet at Trafalgar Square. There were hundreds of people just sitting, doing the same thing, enjoying the view and relaxing. After we recharged we walked out of Trafalgar down some street that looked appealing. We rounded the corner and suddenly found ourselves back at Leicester Square where we had started our adventure today. Chinatown is a block away so we had a wonderful dinner. Number 6b for four people.

We all laughed a lot today. The best part of doing this show is laughing with the four and only. In fact the best part of my life has been spent laughing. I am blessed with friends, friends who like to laugh. Here is to enjoying life and laughing. The rest comes easy if you can do that.
As you were,
Jay