UK Theatre Network

Sorry if you missed this newsletter from yesterday 

In this update
- Happy Valentine's
- At the BAFTA's
- Working with BAFTA
- Stephen Fry Follows Me
- Acting at Royal Opera House


Links We Love

http://www.nevisradio.co.uk - click on Tune-In at 12pm-2pm today
http://www.lovetheatre.com/uktheatrenet - Buy West End Tickets
http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/film-training-london-UK - Contact me for discounts


- Happy Valentine's
Happy Valentines Day to you. I hope you got lots of love coming your way, if not, I'm sending some out to you right now. Big UK Theatre hugs from me to you. 

- At the BAFTA's
My heart was alight last week at the BAFTA Film Awards. It was a fantastic night, and I watched the full ceremony this time as a guest, instead of the excitement of last year where I was filming on the red carpet for my first feature documentary, Making It In Hollywood. This time the pace was pleasant as I walked down the red carpet with my daughter. We casually chatted about how I was on the other side last year and looked confidently over at the array of cameras pointing in our direction. We noticed the lovely Fearne Cotton, who was waiting expectantly for some of the A-listers to arrive.


The Royal Opera House is a grand place and Jonathan Ross hosted events nicely and kept the flow going. It was strange seeing Kate Winslet sitting watching events, as you would've seen on TV, with three cameramen and sound technicians rushing around in front of her for the entire 2 hours.


Grosvenor House is where the after awards event is held and it was alive with the energy of those who won their awards as well as those, like me, who were pleased to be part of such an elite company. Mickey Rourke was being filmed at the entrance as we entered, Christian Slater walked passed me at the gents, Kate Winslet was still "gushy" when she walked downstairs to her dinner table, Meryl Streep casually allowed some guests to take her photograph and then it happened. 

As I was getting ready to go and get our car home, I almost walked into an entourage of people coming towards me from the right. I glanced around and became almost fixed to the spot as Penelope Cruz was staring at me. It was a fiery, moody stare, I was clearly in her path. I quickly stepped forward and received a warm smile which made my brain all putty-like. My head turned 360 degrees to follow her and I noticed how slim she was, from the open back of her dress, as she glided in mid-air towards the Lancome stand to get a bit of facial pampering. My head stayed in that state for the next 48 hours. Sigh !

- Working with BAFTA
I also got great news on Tuesday. Following a meeting last year with the Chairman of BAFTA, David Parfitt, and a subsequent follow up chats with a few board members, I will be working with them to help delivering their strategy for 2009. To start with, I'll be producing a report over the next 4 weeks on all things online, social networking, new media, and events. Not just for filmmakers, but audiences as well, around the UK and the world. You can help too, and I will let you know next week where I would appreciate your support and input. I'm excited to be able to help make a difference.

- Stephen Fry Follows Me
It's true, I joined the twittering twits who titter as they twitter all twinkling day. http://twitter.com/ukfilm - one of the good things is that any of our reviewers magazine article on UK Theatre or UK Film, gets automatically uploaded. Spreading the reach even further. It must've prompted that well known twitterer Stephen Fry to click "follow" on my profile. 

- Acting at Royal Opera House
Right, back to reality and there's a great article from Grainne Gillis who shares what it's like to be performing on the very stage where the BAFTA's were held. There's also some new reviewers who have published to the magazine this week.

Have a great week where you are.

Douglas McFarlane
http://www.ukfilm.tv/magazine.html



----------------------------------------------------------------------


Being an actor – in opera
By Gráinne Gillis

It actually came about by chance that I auditioned for the Royal Opera House. One Friday afternoon, I got a call from the assistant chorus manager, Ruth Mulholland, asking me if I would be interested in attending an audition for an obscure (to me) opera called Die tote Stadt

Read on.....
http://www.uktheatre.tv/magazine/read/being-an-actor-�-in-opera_29.html