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A Christmas message
Posted Monday, December 25, 2006
Hi everyoneJust want to say thank you and God bless to everyone for keeping the faith this year. I hope you have a fantastic Christmas and an even better New year with big shiny brass knobs on. Don't forget to come and check me out when I come to your town, the new show is going really well -it's being written by myself and Kim Fuller, Lenny B and Nick Doody and it's called Where You From? It feels very funny and fresh and lively and that's what we want baby...So I'm Schlepping from Jan to early April, come see me. Listen out for Will and Me act 2 on radio 4, Check listings for details but it's on just before Christmas . It's me and Adrian Lester, Judi Dench, Sir Peter Hall, Trevor Nunn, Hope and Keen, Orville (without Keith Harris) and Mongo from Blazing Saddles, discussing how you take Shakespeare from the page to the stage . I get to work with Barry Rutter from Northern Broadsides -a very inspirational, exciting person to be around. I had to learn the last scene from Othello (of course) and then recieve a masterclass in Shakespearean acting from Mr Rutter. I had to lie down at the end, it was totally exhausting.
I got my degree from the Open University - which means I now have a BA Hons in English literature! Wooh Hooh! The wife's been calling me an 'utter brainbox' for most of the week since we found out. I'm dead chuffed. Big shout outs to everyone who cared and helped out- you know who you are..
I wrote a film with Kim Fuller this year called Berry's Way. I loved working with Kim on this show -it won't be a series, because it was not meant to be -but still, i thought for my first go it wasnae bad.
The big delight for me this year has been getting in and amongst the people for Lenny's Britain- this documentary series I've been filming recently. The crew of Kate (director) Sacha (co director) Mike (cameras) Tommy (sound) Rebecca ( associate prod) Nicky (associate prod and flatulence) and Barbera (total organisation a speciality) have been a joy to work with. I've had a major laugh doing it and met some extraordinary people. I think the most moving experience was being present at the birth of Julie and Matthew's child - in at 7am out, out at 1 pm. And this was a doddle compared to the birth of her first child which was 26 hours in labour and 6 HOURS OF PUSHING!
Any bloke who thinks he can match the pain and determination and grit it takes to deliver a baby should try slamming his willy in the car door for several hours and see how he holds up... The most fun was working at Tunnocks tea cake factory with a whole crew of women called things like Clare Bear, Polly Doodle and Ali Bongo.
Although they do a repetitive job, they
make it fun, have the craic and get through the day absolutely wetting their knickers. I was taken care of by Betty in the morning -she showed me around, got me packing and taping. The big nightmare was working on the fast conveyor belt, getting teacakes into a little box, four at a time . It took hand /eye co ordination, it took precision, it took mental strength -it took them all of ten minutes to realise I couldn't do it (the word shite was bandied around) and then I was gently eased to the side, like a big jessie.
I'm working on a project for radio 4 called 'The Making of Slavery', because it's the 200th anniversary of the abolition of slavery so Peter Jukes (In Deep ) and I spit balled an idea to celebrate. I think the cast so far is: Adrian Lester, Brian Blessed, and Me.. for starters - I'll fill you in on who else is taking part nearer the time.
I'm also doing this Lennyhenry.TV thing which is a tv show that looks at clips that have been made by the general public for the internet.
It's very funny and it's on Boxing night BBC one at 10 35 . Look out for 'testicles' man...that's all I'm saying.
As to next year - who knows, the tour is going to be hard work, but it will be funny and creative hard work so that's all that matters.
cool things that happened this year:
got my degree
two of the kooks proposed to my daughter.
bought big gun to fend off kooks
did Lenny's Britain.
read On Beauty by Zadie Smith.
I met Nancy Aronie Slonim and learned how to write without being worried. (Yay!)
Went up the Baggies and watched them beat Burnley 3-0 (boing boing etc)
Continued to be astonished by the writing of Brian Michael Bendis and Ed Brubaker and Warren Ellis
Was blown away by Adam Hothschild's Bury the Chains was reminded of just how inspirational Richard Pryor used to be and learned a whole heap about his up bringing and life circumstances both positive and negative that led to his genius (thanks Carlton, thanks Bob)
I really learned who my friends are (Thanks everyone, love you)
And I downloaded E Annie Proulx reading from The New Yorker festival...
Sublime.
Also -more people hooked up with the site and we stepped up our game.
There's still lots to do and I'm on that like Christopher Biggins on a free buffet.
But, look - you guys are great -keep coming and I'll keep doing my thing.
I love you guys
Peace.
Len
See you next year.
Note from the site editor, I'd already left for my Christmas break before Len sent this so sorry everyone!
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