Our London previews have finished and very well received they were too! We filled out the Karamel Club for four gut-busting performances and people chortled their way merrily throughout. Zut Alors Theatre is now dashing about like a mad thing, carrying out lots of preparations for our week at the Edinburgh Fringe. For my part, I'm re-editing the script, touching up the odd scene and hunting down those gags that failed to raise a titter (there's always a few, damn their eyes).

I understand that my production team have got lots of publicity materials lined up in the weeks to come, about which I'm generally kept in the dark for my own safety. I'm told on good authority, however, that I'll be surprised and delighted. Do I give off the vibe, dear reader, that I'm an anachronistic simpleton, who can barely cope with the rigours of the modern world? Alas, alack, it's true, dear reader, very true. Why, I'm dictating this missive to you right now, and a squadron of Benedictine monks are jotting it down, fiddling with coding, and paying off my Internet service provider. I haven't the funds to reimburse them, nor food and water to spare, and they subsist purely - and telepathically - on my otherwise untapped (and profoundly deep) well of shame and guilt. It'll all be used up eventually of course, and the monks will betray me in time. I must prepare for the worst.

Anyway, this can hardly interest you. I'll leave you, instead, with a very different cry for help. Zut Alors Theatre needs a bit of cash. Yes. £400 to be exact. We're not expecting it all from one person, however, and indeed we're grateful for any donations of any size. You can discover more details, and donate your filthy lucre to us, at our WeFund page right here.

In advance: many thanks, you gorgeous example to us all.

Again, I have been lax in keeping this blog updated. In fact, considering I have a new show in production right now - and performing this very night - I really ought to have been updating this site with lots of juicy details and cast photographs and that sort of thing. I've instead been terrifically lazy, content to stick a link to the production team's website on my homepage, knowing that I could rely on them to oil the publicity machine much more effectively than I ever could. I've not been entirely idle this past month: I'm developing a clutch of short film scripts which may go into production in the autumn, and I've been happily plundering the riches of the Charing Cross Road Blackwell's 50% off everything sale. (I am, at heart, a materialist, and a dull one at that; spending a day's wages on a mountain of books is perhaps the most thrilling experience I've had all year.)

Anyway.

Games of Love and Chance. It lives! And it's on! Tonight! My London début, in fact. Blimey.

The four preview performances are taking place this week at the Karamel Club in Wood Green. It's all looking jolly exciting. We've a cracking cast, some super costumes, jazzy live music, and we're swimming in fictional cocktails. Everybody involved is giving it their all, not least my indefatigable director, Roxy. I've only seen a few rehearsals myself, and those quite early in the production process, so when I watch the first performance tonight it will be with entirely fresh eyes, as a true member of the audience. Even if I could remember much of the script - which I can't, my memory being what it is - there's nothing quite like seeing a cast and crew sticking it up there on the stage and bringing it to life. I'm looking forward to being thrilled and excited along with everybody else. I can't even remember how the play ends. I hope the goodies win.

Tickets are apparently sold out for Friday 11th and Saturday 12th, but Thursday 10th still has a few seats knocking about. There will also be some available on the door every performance if you arrive half hour beforehand. Tickets can be booked at info@zutalorstheatre.com.

Do pop along! It'll be a very funny show.