Up and running

It's way too late to be starting a blog! I've only just returned to the lodgings which I left at 7.30 this morning. Between then and now I've spoken on Radio Leeds with Robyn who plays Tats in the cast, finished teching the show, done a flash mob on Briggate, watched and noted a full dress rehearsal of Brass, met  Nathan, my brother Tim, my brother-in-law, John, Meriel, Tash, Anthony and my agent, premiered the show which I spent the last year writing, received a bunch of flowers, gone to an opening night party, and drunk tea in a hotel somewhere near the train station.

By all accounts Brass was a triumph. The cast were amazing. There wasn't a single person who didn't raise their game. The orchestra played brilliantly. The audience responded really well. There was lots of weeping, and a fair amount of laughter.

Frankly, I'm too tired to be objective about anything. I feel an overwhelming sense of relief and pride. I'm proud of myself. Proud of the cast.

My only sadness is that the audience wasn't larger. It was an okay sort of house, but when you bother to bring something like Brass away from London - where the critics and audiences are - the region itself has to show its gratitude by actually showing up! Audiences, I'd say, were largely made up of out-of-towners. Boo!

Also found out tonight that our wedding has now officially been shortlisted in the Guardian Edinburgh Film and Television Awards TV moment of the year category. We don't have a hope in hell of winning. We're up against my mate Julie Hesmondhalgh's death in Corrie, the moment when the stammering lad delivers his speech in Educating Yorkshire, Jeremy Paxmon going head-to-head on Newsnight and Conchita Wurst winning Eurovision! We're very much there to make up numbers and it's one of those ridiculous things where the general public has to vote... Still it's nice to have a nomination. For those desperate to vote, it involves down-loading a free app, which you might need to delete again if you don't want information about the festival!

Http://www.geitf.co.uk/geitf/official-festival-app-tellybug