La Trav

I’m currently sitting on the floor at Euston Station, waiting for a the Northern Line train which will take me to Highgate. 

I’ve just been to an early-doors screening of a BBC film about La Traviata, which was presented by an old university friend of mine, Tom Service. It’s a charming film. I don’t actually know the opera. I’d never seen it before, and if I’m honest I tend to avoid opera these days because I can’t really get my head around the ghastly sound of women shrieking their tits off and “schmackting”. People seem to think it’s sublime for some reason. The same people love Shakespeare for the sake of loving Shakespeare. It’s rooted in snobbery, of course. But the film actually touched me very deeply. It was fascinating to hear the story behind the piece, and Tom is a very engaging presenter; gloriously gauche in his delivery!

I chatted a lot to the production team afterwards. I am so awful at schmoozing. My instinct is always to hide in the shadows, which probably comes across as aloofness rather than crippling shyness. 

Today was all about relaxing. I met my old mate Matt Lucas for lunch at Wagamama on Wigmore Street and we caught up on about six months of chatter and gossip. It was so great to see him. He’s such a lovely man. I realised today that our friendship goes back to 1999, which feels like another world ago. 

I took myself up to our gym in Kentish Town for a swim after lunch. The time has come to get back into shape. A sharp mind is fed by a well-conditioned body, so it’s back onto fresh fruit and vegetables, lots of soup and daily exercise before I’m too old to haul my sorry ass down a flight of stairs. 

I reclaimed the Brass soundtrack today. A few days aural rest, and a successful edit was all I apparently needed to realise what a wonderful album we’ve made. I had a lovely time listening to the Prologue sitting outside a cafe on Carnaby Street whilst waiting to go the screening. I am now officially excited to show it to the world.

Loose Women update: apparently some of the panel were hypnotised by a dog today. Serious journalists these women!