In Town Today 7th October 2010

In Town Today Thursday 7th October 2010 by Biztalkradio on Mixcloud

So much has happened and so little time to put it together for you my listeners.

Another Opening! Another Show! The Grand Theatre, Swansea is always busy and

Swansea Women is the new musical written, directed and produced by Swansea women with Swansea actors.

Written and composed by Lyn MacKay it is based on life in Sandfields, Swansea during the forties and is based on historic accuracies. Lyn spent hours checking the details and talking with people who were around at the time.

It is the the story of 3 generations and a prequel to Swansea Girls that Lyn wrote 3 years ago.

Directed by Katherine Price, it was an experience just watching her working on the fine detail for the finale.

Produced by Nia Trussler Jones who was also in the cast along with her mother Menna and son Oliver: probably the first time 3 generations of one family have appeared at the Grand Theatre together. All have appeared in other productions and you'll know Menna from Little Britain.

 

In Town Today are proud to have interviews with others involved in this production including Richard Burman who has appeared in shows in London's West End and our much loved Kevin Johns who we'll look forward to seeing in the pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs again at the Grand Theatre.

The photo on the right shows the cast in the final rehearsal before moving into the Grand theatre. It's a great shame that so much effort isn't going to be staged again in the near future in Swansea or worse in London's est End where it would stand up against other shows there.

Now the pantomime starts at the Grand theatre on 15th December and runs on until mid January.

I was invitd to the Press Call at the Grand and interviewd the cast. Keep listening and you'll hear those interviews over the following weeks.

Whatever your age I'm sure you  can look back to a great show around Christmas. Anyone who hasn't experienced a pantomime is missing out on one of those great British traditions.

There's a great line-up again this year and you can't book early enough so why not phone the Grand Theatre and make a booking - treat the family.

Watch out for some great interviews.

Tm Kelly started painting just six years ago as a hobby and today has an extensive exhibition showing at the Grand Theatre.

The three pictures to the left are digitalised photograhs of Swansea landmarks. Can you identify them?


Tim uses all types of media, takinmg advantage of modern materials and ideas and mixing them with tradition.

 

 Andrew Penhale is a male model. He enjoys playing all Sports, especially Rugby. He has fantastic and some professional modelling experienceworking for Aussie Bum Underwear: Advertising underwear for Aussie Bum, Llan Llyr Source: Advertising Llan Llyr Source bottled water (Water originates from a source in Lampeter, Wales and is sold in hotels in L.A.), Powerade: Recently filmed an advert for Powerade Sports drink with British Lions and Wales Rugby star Shane Williams. (Due to go onto the Powerade website and waiting for images), LAB Series: Worked with Debenhams, promoting Estee Lauder, LAB Series Skincare for men range. Photographs taken by www.lifephotographywales.com and mattreardonphotography.com, Olorun and Engage: Advertising for a new up and coming Rugby Sportswear company called Engage and Olorun. Since Canterbury Euorope have gone bust, Olorun and Engage's orders for kit etc has gone through the roof! Debenhams: Catwalk modelling in a charity event in Swansea Rugby Club arranged by Debenhams Swansea using a range of different outfits that are sold with in the store.

He works with Model Click: Recently featured in the new Style Wales magazine out in South Wales representing Model Click. Swansea Life Magazine: Modelled for Swansea Life Magazine in the February issue on the Valentines feature they published with another female model. Recently shot for the Swansea Life Calendar 2011 which will be for sale in December. He had to enter a competition then be chosen by six judges from the Shoot Swansea event out of over 40 finalists.

 He is currently shooting with a cosmetics company known as: Renew U ( Health Solutions ). They have contacted me to be the face of the Men’s side of the company. Advertising the range of treatments available for Men. Swansea One Card: He is one of the faces of the new Swansea One Privileges Card that has recently been launched in Swansea, Wales.

He has worked with a range of professional photographers: (Life Photography Wales, Ajay Fotography, Christopher Barroccu Photography. LindsPics.com and mattreardonphotography.com ).

Andrew says " I am an experienced model who loves to contribute with my own ideas to a shoot / job and always give 100% so a job is finished with perfection. I am friendly, easygoing, hard working and very reliable. I am available for all types of assignments from my various areas of interest. I am very experienced, even at a professional level (with the companies i have worked with above) and enjoy advertising products. I do not mind negotiating with photographers/companies ,but generally work for pay"

In Town Today 23rd Septermber 2010

Another Opening! Another Show! The Grand Theatre, Swansea is always busy and

Swansea Women is the new musical written, directed and produced by Swansea women with Swansea actors.

Written and composed by Lyn MacKay it is based on life in Sandfields, Swansea during the forties and is based on historic accuracies. Lyn spent hours checking the details and talking with people who were around at the time.

It is the the story of 3 generations and a prequel to Swansea Girls that Lyn wrote 3 years ago.

Directed by Katherine Price, it was an experience just watching her working on the fine detail for the finale.

Produced by Nia Trussler Jones who was also in the cast along with her mother Menna and son Oliver: probably the first time 3 generations of one family have appeared at the Grand Theatre together. All have appeared in other productions and you'll know Menna from Little Britain.

In Town Today are proud to have interviews with others involved in this production including Richard Burman who has appeared in shows in London's West End and our much loved Kevin Johns who we'll look forward to seeing in the pantomime Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs again at the Grand Theatre.

In Town Today Thursday 19th August 2010

Sandra Dickinson is an American-British actress. She trained at the Central School of Speech and Drama in London. She has often played a dumb blonde with a high-pitched voice in the UK – notably commencing in the St. Bruno TV advertisements in the early 1970s.

Her roles include:

Trillian in the television version of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy

Sandra Dickinson said in an interview in The Making of The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy that when she heard that she had been suggested for the role of Trillian, she thought it completely mad - Sandra Dickinson was blond and fair-skinned, and in the Hitch Hiker book, Trillian is described as dark and looking "slightly Arabic". However, during the screen test, Douglas Adams was sufficiently impressed with her acting skills that when Dickinson suggested wryly, "I've got to get my Union Jack lenses in" (i.e., practice my English accent), Douglas Adams asked her to use her natural voice and accent. Dickinson later returned to the "Hitchhiker's" universe to play Tricia MacMillan in the fourth and fifth radio series produced by Above the Title for BBC Radio 4.

Emily in A Man for Emily in The Tomorrow People

Tina in the sitcom 2point4 children

A stage production of The Owl and the Pussycat, where the leads were herself and her then husband Peter Davison.

Barefoot in the Park - London stage production from 1984, again with Davison as a pair of American newlyweds adjusting to life in their new high-rise apartment.

A parallel universe version of Trillian (AKA Tricia McMillan) in the Quintessential Phase of the Hitch-Hiker's Guide radio series.

Zelda in Cover, a 1981 drama series from Thames Television, set in a recruitment and testing agency for the spy service.

Maggie in the 1996 Doctor Who BBC radio serial The Ghosts of N-Space.

Both Dickinson and then husband Peter Davison appeared together in former Doctor Who producer John Nathan-Turner's production of the holiday pantomime Cinderella in 1983.

Dickinson has also appeared in an episode of HBO's Tales from the Crypt series, also starring Malcolm McDowell as a neurotic vampire who prefers bloodbanks to actual victims.

Made a guest appearance in the BBC1 drama Casualty in February 2001, playing Debbie Hall, a tourist who arrives in Holby City Hospital with her husband, who has been stabbed by a mugger.

She has played Queen Camilla in Carlisle pantomime production of Snow White & the Seven Dwarves in 2007, and in 2008 she played Fairy Godmother at the Towngate Theatre Basildon's production of Cinderella & once again played Fairy Godmother in the Harlow Playhouse theatre production of Cinderella in 2009 alongside her now husband Mark Osmond.

Played Lady Gloria Gransford in New Tricks Season 6 episode 4 "Shadow Show" in 2009

[edit] Personal life

Dickinson was born in Washington, D.C., and grew up in Maryland. Her father, Harold S. Searles, was a psychoanalyst and her mother, Sylvia, was a nurse. In 1969, Dickinson met her first husband, Englishman Hugh Dickinson (whose surname she still uses as her stage name), moving to England with him the following year. They were married for five years. She married the English actor Peter Davison on 26 December 1978, and they were divorced in 1994. Together they composed and performed the theme tune to the 1980s children's programme Button Moon. They have a daughter, Georgia Moffett, born 25 December 1984, (who is also an actress), and a grandson, Tyler Moffett, born 27 March 2002.

Dickinson married her third husband, British actor Mark Osmond, on 16 August 2009. The wedding was filmed for a reality TV show where four couples compete to have theirs voted the best wedding; hers came third. Her grandson gave her away. The wedding took place in Shepperton, where the couple have lived since 2007. Dickinson became a British Citizen the same year, and also runs a theatre school there (which also has a base in Ealing) called the Close Up Theatre School.

Victor Spinelli was born in Cwm, Wales of Welsh and Italian heritage from a grandfather who was said to have walked from Italy to Wales to work as a coal miner. His parents, Giuseppe and Lily, owned the chip shop in Cwm, over which premises the family lived and where Spinetti was born. He was educated at Monmouth School and the Cardiff College of Music and Drama, of which he is now a fellow. Early on he was a waiter and a factory worker

He sprang to international prominence in three Beatles' films in the 1960s, A Hard Day's Night, Help! and Magical Mystery Tour. He also appeared on one of The Beatles' Christmas recordings. The best explanation for this long-running collaboration and friendship might have been provided by George Harrison, who said, "You've got to be in all our films ... if you're not in them me Mum won't come and see them—because she fancies you." But Harrison would also say, "You've got a lovely karma, Vic." Sir Paul McCartney described Spinetti as "the man who makes clouds disappear". Spinetti would later make a small appearance in the promotional video for Paul's song, 'London Town', off the 1978 album of the same name. Spinetti has appeared in more than 30 films, including Zeffirelli's The Taming of the Shrew, Under Milk Wood with Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, Becket, Voyage of the Damned, The Return of the Pink Panther, Under the Cherry Moon and The Krays.

In the theatre his work in Joan Littlewood's Theatre Workshop produced many memorable performances including Fings Ain't Wot They Used T'Be (1959, by Frank Norman, with music by Lionel Bart), and Oh! What a Lovely War (1963), which transferred to New York City and for which he won a Tony Award for his main role as an obnoxious Drill Sergeant. He has appeared in the West End in The Odd Couple (as Felix); Chitty Chitty Bang Bang in the West End; as Albert Einstein in a critically lauded performance in 2005 in a new play, Albert's Boy at the Finborough Theatre in 2005 and in his own one-man show, A Very Private Diary.

One of Spinetti's most challenging theatre roles was as the principal male character in Jane Arden's radical feminist play Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven, which played to packed houses for six weeks at the Arts Lab on Drury Lane in 1969. In 1980 he directed The Biograph Girl, a musical about the silent film era, at the Phoenix Theatre. He has also appeared on Broadway in The Hostage and The Philanthropist. He has also acted with the Royal Shakespeare Company, in such roles as Lord Foppington in The Relapse and the Archbishop in Richard III.

Spinetti co-authored In His Own Write, the play with John Lennon which he also directed at the National Theatre, premiering on 18 June 1968, at the Old Vic. Spinetti and Lennon appeared together in June 1968 on BBC2's Release. During the interview, Spinetti said of the play,

"it's not really John’s childhood, it's all of ours really, isn’t it John?" John Lennon, assuming a camp voice answered "It is, we're all one Victor, we're all one aren't we. I mean 'what's going on?'" Spinetti said the play "is about the growing up of any of us; the things that helped us to be more aware".

He also directed Jesus Christ Superstar and Hair, including productions staged in Europe. His many television appearances on British TV, include Take My Wife in which he played a London-based booking agent and schemer who was forever promising his comedian client that fame was just around the corner, and the sitcom An Actor's Life For Me. In September 2008 Spinetti reprised his one-man show, A Very Private Diary, touring the UK, as A Very Private Diary ... Revisted!, telling his life story.

Between 1969 and 1970 Spinetti appeared on Thames Television, alongside Sid James, as one half of Two In Clover over two series. A sitcom about two office workers who jack it all in to become farmers, he starred in all but one of the 13 episodes. His absence in episode #3 of the second series was covered by fellow Welsh actor Richard Davies, playing Spinetti's character's brother.

In the 1970s Spinetti appeared in a series of television advertisements for McVities' (now United Biscuits) Jaffa Cakes, as "The Mad Jaffa Cake Eater", a Mexican bandit style character who sureptitiously stole and ate other people's Jaffa Cakes, prompting the catchprase "There's Orangey!" He hosted Victor's Party for Granada. More recently he voiced arch villain Texas Pete in the popular S4C animated TV series SuperTed and has narrated several Fireman Sam audiobooks. Spinetti also starred in Boobs in the Wood' with Jim Davidson, filmed for DVD in 1999.

Spinetti's poetry, notably Watchers Along the Mall (1963), and prose, have appeared in various publications. His memoir, Victor Spinetti Up Front...: His Strictly Confidential Autobiography, published in September 2006, is filled with anecdotes. In conversation with BBC Radio 2's Michael Ball, on his show broadcast on 7 September 2008, Spinetti revealed that Princess Margaret had been instrumental in securing the necessary censor permission for the first run of Oh! What A Lovely War.

In Town Today 29th July

In Town Today 12th August

Award winning actor David Callister was born in Norwich, Norfolk and educated locally. It was while playing leading roles in school productions such as Oliver Twist that David realized his future was to be on stage. With a flare for mimicry, David gained experience performing his own one-man show as an impressionist and as a Pontins Bluecoat before formally training at The Webber Douglas Academy in London. Following his graduation, he quickly won a variety of roles encompassing all manor of performing genre. Theatre triumphs came early as Tom in The Glass Menagerie, Malvolio and Orsino in Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, Max Millar in We’ll Meet Again for Channel Theatre Company and The Actor in the play God by Woody Allen. More success followed as Gorringe in Black Comedy, Josef Kobut in Judgement Day, Mike in Births, Lysander In A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Moon in Sir Tom Stoppard’s A Real Inspector Hound. The early 90’s marked David’s debut on the small screen. While auditioning for a part in a television sitcom, he was offered the role of P.C. Kevin Anderson in the hit crime drama series The Bill, a role he played for eight months.

Subsequent TV performances followed in The Chief for ITV, Crime Monthly, Michael Winner’s True Crimes, The Casting Couch and Heat of the Day. He has also appeared in a number of films, most notably as Jerry in Little Big Deal, Steve in Odd One or Two and Mike in The Feminine Touch, which was a multi award winner at The Raindance Film Festival. During this period, David was offered a major theatre break by leading UK producer Ian Dickens whose company he has continued to work with on a regular basis for several years now. In his first season of weekly rep with Ian Dickens, David appeared in 13 of the 15 productions staged, 10 of which were leading roles. He has gone on to become one of the UK’s most popular touring actors today having played everything from Agatha Christie to Alan Ayckbourn. Roles of particular note include; Norman in The Dresser, Bernard in Camoletti’s Don’t Dress For Dinner, Norman in Ayckbourn’s Trilogy The Norman Conquests and George Pigden and John Smith in the Ray Cooney farces Out of Order and Run For Your Wife. More recently he received great critical acclaim for his role as John Barrett in N.J Crisp’s psychological thriller Dangerous Obsession but it is perhaps for his high energy, precision performances in Ray Cooney’s farces that he is best loved and for which he has received consistently rave reviews over the years. David has just completed touring as Rick in the thriller Killing Time and Ernest Foster in Murder with Love, again for Ian Dickens Productions and has just completed a tour as the Rev. Lionel Toop in Philip King's Pools Paradise.. Away from the theatre, David’s interests are many and varied. A fanatical film enthusiast, he boasts a vast collection of videos and DVDs and is constantly looking to extend his library. With keeping fit a priority, he enjoys working out at the gym, eating healthily, relaxing on long country walks and gardening. David is a committed animal charity supporter.  Giles Watling writes:        February 2010. Welcome to the land of me. It's been a while since I edited this and now, after a long hard winter, I feel able to tackle the inter-web once more.  Note the new shots above - both 2009 - very different.  In fact we could do one of those 'spot the difference' things.  One in colour, one black and white.  I bet you can spot a few more. Still writing and doing the voice work - everything from beer to selling office space in China...  Usual stuff.  You can check out a voice sample at:  http://www.crocodilemusic.co.uk/  - click 'Voices' and I'm on page 2.   Very nice people! You might recall my mentioning Brian Clemens' new thriller "Strictly Murder" which I played in at the wonderful Mill Theatre at Sonning.  Well, we did get it on again.  Not in the West End sadly, but a national tour for 2009.  I directed and Ian Dickens produced.  You have to take your hat off to that man, when many others have fallen by the wayside because of all the financial trials and tribulations over the last couple of years, he seems to keep on batting.  The tour was a great success.  The original cast, Nick Waring, Maxine Gregory, Clare Hatfield, the superb Jeffrey Perry, was modified for various reasons; the lovely Maxine was replaced by gorgeous Kim Tiddy, Clare by my great friend Sabina Franklyn and Jeffrey by the thrilling Ben Roberts. I want to work with all of them again... May 2008 I directed Ray Cooney's 'Funny Money'.     We opened to cracking reviews in Lincoln and has toured for the summer and autumn.   It was a national tour for Ian Dickens starring John Altman, my old mate Vicki Michelle, Chris Ellison, Peter Blake, Sally-Ann Matthews and the ever effervescent David Callister.   As an actor I've been back on the road (somebody help!).  A comedy thriller called 'A Party to Murder'.  I've known better pieces.  It read well though and the audiences liked it.   I discovered on the first day of rehearsals that my character is west coast American.  After a few weeks doing a vocal tour of the States I settled down to what has been described as a passable Northern Californian accent.  It's always best to do an accent that nobody is familiar with... Earlier this year I directet a National tour of 'Inside Job' by Brian Clemens. Jeff Phillips is a local Swansea artist holding an exhibition in the hite Room at the Grand Theatre until 21st August. There are two separate themes, one being The Life and Times of Dylan Thomas stretching from the Uplands in Swansea to New York. This is in collaboration with the Dylan Thomas Experience. The other theme is Swansea life through trams, the coal era, steel and railways & trams.

In Town Today 5th August

The Grand Theatre, Swansea,  offers The Inside Job this week with the Summer Repertory. A classic Thriller by Brian Clemens. What starts out as a simple act of theft, rapidly spirals into an intrigue of diamonds, murder, bluff and double bluff. . . three bombs . . .three killers . . . three motives . . . only one outcome.

Photo taken from UKTheatreNet

This week I talked with Matt Healy, Christopher Villiers and Michelle Morris. I also managed to catch  . . . 

Matt Healy was born  David James Healy, and when he was three years old his family moved from Paisley to Oldham, Lancashire, where he was brought up. He attended Oldham College and the University of Salford.^[1] After leaving college he travelled abroad until deciding to take up acting as a full-time career, but admits that he spent a lot of time "resting" and taking on manual jobs between finding roles. When he started acting he used the stage name Matt Healy because there was already was an actor named David Healy. In 1997, he toured in the stage play Girls' Night Out, playing a gay stripper.

Previous television appearances include Coronation Street, The Bill, Playing the Field and Holby City. He was almost considering giving up acting when, in 2004, he auditioned for the role of devious Matthew King on Emmerdale.^[1].

He made his first Emmerdale appearance on the 4th March 2004 as the character Matthew King. He was in the soap for nearly five years and made his last screen appearance on 16 December 2008, when the character was killed on his wedding day.

Between March and April 2009, he appeared as Clyde in The Murder Game at the King's Head Theatre, Islington.

He toured the UK in the comedy The Tart and the Vicar's Wife between July and November 2009.

Matt Healy appeard as Captain Hook in Peter Pan at the Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury, Shropshire between December 2009 and January 2010. He appeard along with Disney Channel's Icon Samantha Dorrance Who played Wendy in the Pantomime.

Christopher Francis Villiers (born 7 September 1960) is an English actor.

He is perhaps best known for his part in the top rated ITV1 soap opera, Emmerdale in which he plays the role of the solicitorGrayson Sinclair. He also played the part of Captain Nigel Croker in Mile High from 2004 to 2005. He appeared in films such as The Scarlet Pimpernel, Top Secret!, Bloody Sunday, Kidulthood and First Knight. In 2003 he co-wrote (with actor/playwright/producer Richard Everett) and co-produced (again, with Everett) the critically well-received British feature film Two Men went to War. In 1983, he starred in Sweet SixteenPenelope Keith and in 1998 he had a minor part in Sliding Doors. He is also a script writer. In 2009 he was seen in the five part drama series Collision for ITV. with

Villiers was born in London and educated at Stowe School. His siblings are Cat Villiers, a film producer, and Jay Villiers, an actor. He is also related to the Earl of Clarendon.

In 1995, Villiers co-founded 2020 Casting Ltd.,^[1] one of the largest film background (extras) agencies in the country. Company credits include: Gladiator, Bridget Jones's Diary, Shakespeare in Love, Star Wars, United 93.^[2] Villiers also appeared in two episodes of Midsomer Murders, The Killings at Badger's Drift and Death's Shadow, in the latter his character burned to death in a caravan.

In 2007, he guest-starred in the Doctor Who audio drama Absolution (having previously appeared in the TV two-part serial The King's Demons, back in 1983).

Michelle trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art graduating in 1998. Theatre

credits include: HELEN AVERY in the award-winning production of THE COLOUR OF JUSTICE - the Stephen Lawrence inquiry, at the Tricycle Theatre, Theatre Royal, Stratford East, West End, National Theatre and National Tour, Christine in ONLY WHEN I LAUGH and Cynthia in ONE FOR THE POT, both at The Mill at Sonning. As a member of the National Youth Music Theatre, Michelle appeared in THE RAGGED CHILD, and the Fringe first award-winning PENDRAGON, performing in New York, on Broadway, Canada, Hong Kong and Taipei. TV credits include: Jes Haworth in THE KNOCK (ITV), BIG KIDS, BUGS (BBC), BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS, THE COLOUR OF JUSTICE (BBC2). Michelle has also presented two videos for Oxford University Press and one for Substance Misuse. Michelle has just finished playing Jack in JACK AND THE BEANSTALK at The Theatre Royal, Windsor.

In Town Today 29th July

Watch this Space

In Town Today 22nd July

Watch this space

In Town Today 8th July 2010

A look back to the best of past shows. I've had several requests to replay the interview with Steve Balsamo so listen in.

And I've set up a contact with the Grand Theatre in Swansea so we'll be bringing you news of forthcoming productions, shows and art exhibitions together with interviews with the stars.

We are pulling the Show intyo a tighter format and broadcasting from a better broadband connection so quality is constantly improving.

Listen to internet radio with Mike Leahy on Blog Talk Radio

In Town Today 17th June SHOW CANCELLED

Please accept our apologies. Tonights Show is cancelled due to technical difficulties. We will be up and running next week and ask you to be patient

In Town Today 10th June 2010

Today we had Andy Pearson, theMediamaster and Ben Cottrall the musical director of Beats and Pieces together with Anton Hunter.

Andy has been in newspapers for over 20 years and now is a PR consultant. During an interview for www.biztalkradio.co.uk I noticed a couple of beautiful books with Any's name on. So we were talking about Andy's venture of producing books and getting published.

The first book is black and white and overflowing with Welsh icons. Plainly a work of love. For anyone who has an interest in the Scarletts  then Faces of Stradey Park are a must!!

Find the band at http://www.beatsnpieces.net

And you'll find links there to their music, Facebook etc.

In Town Today 15th April 2010

WATCH OUT FOR MORE INFO LATER TONIGHT OR TOMORROW MORNING

 

I went to the quarter final of the Welsh Factor Talent Competition at Cwmfelin Social Club. This is largest Talent Competition in South Wales. The Welsh Factor is supported by Wales’s leading Entertainment Agencies and has links to many promotional companies. It has a growing reputation of bringing different groups of the community together on a social basis and people who attend the competition meet and make new friends.

The Show was compered by Helen Ensor Morgan of Bay Radio fame. As usual she was an impressive and difficult act to follow, opening the show with a musical number she made her own and showing the contestants how it should be done. She played the audience in style.

Above from left to right Ashley, Bethan Davies, Bethan Hillier, Bethan Payne, Craig Kiley, Hannah, Jacqueline, Nicky, Leah and Neverspoilz all gave professional performances. Some had only performed on stage once before so well done.

In Town Today 1st April 2010

This Thursday I played a short with words by Sharon Bainbridge and melody by Jakson Lee.

Watch for more tomorrow

This is about a book and a creation through a bed-time story

In Town Today Thursday 4th March 2010

Starting with an empty canvas it's time to look for material for next week's show.

If you have anything that you feel would be interesting for our listeners then call or text me on 07976 364681

Iris Gower was born in Swansea, where she still lives. The mother of four grown-up children, she has written over twenty bestselling novels. She received an Honorary Fellowship from the University of Wales Swansea in 1999 and has been awarded an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Cardiff.

Her latest book Bomber's Moon is set in Swansea in 1941 and once again sets her as a world best seller.

Iris kindly spoke with me on Tuesday and she was a joy to listen to. It must have been a challenge to write with 4 young children around her. She told me that she put them in the playpen together so she could get on with her writing.

I went to Castle Square in Swansea on Saturday to enjiy the St David's Day celebrations. There were some old friends to chat to and plenty of new faces to talk with. I've tried to capture the even with a few remarks given on the day.

Carol Watts (left) is wearing her gran's shawl which is over 100 years old and James (right) is drinking a cup of his own Company's Swansea tea. He gave me a mug so watch out for another mugshot. He'lll be at the Dylan Thomas Experience launch on Thursday 25th March. I had a cuppa and it was really delicious.

 

Yes! It was something else!! Michael Roberts singer with The Somethings was a great entertainer. And the lady on the right is wearing the costume her daughter. Linsay Thomas, should have been wearing. was it a cope-out?

Plenty of food to try and buy. It was a great morning out.

I asked last week if you were comfortable with British Gas making such an obcene profit when thery have hiked prices up dramatically and everyone has had to use extra resources to keep warm in the coldest winter for 32 years. What do you think?

And the Royal Bank of Scotland making a further loss of £3.5 billion  yet paying out more than  £1 billion in bonuses. Does that make sense to you? And if you have wanted to borrow and been refused, felt that charges were back again with a vengence or that the real bank robbers were the banks themselves then lt me know.

In Town Today 25th February 2010

CONTACT US  BY E-MAIL, TEXT, PHONE, LETTER OR COMMENT ON THIS PAGE. YOU CAN SEND IN AN MP3 RECORDING OR WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU

Telephone or text 0797 63 64 681, e-mail to ask@mikeleahy.com, comment at the bottom of this page!!!

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LISTEN ON THURSDAY EVENINGS  7 OR LISTEN ON DEMAND AT ANY TIME. YOU CAN DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN ON YOUR iPOD.

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All About Swansea

Today Councillor Chris Holley, Leader of the City & County of Swansea spoke about the cuts introduced this week when their budget was dramatically cut by the Welsh Assembly Government. 

Your views are welcome. What would you ask Cllr Holley or any of his cabinet if they were standing right in front of you now? Write your comment below or don't you have a view?

I spoke with Cllr Holley on Tuesday, the day after the decision meeting sandwiched between two meetings so the door is open to have a longer discussion if you want to know more.

Have you heard of BID Swansea?  Do you know how over 700 businesses in the city are represented? What do you think can be done to make Swansea a better shopping experience?

Do listen to Russell Greenslade, recently appointed new Manager of BIDS who has experience in the local retail sector and is actively working to improve Swansea City Centre as a shopping,  leisure  and pleasure centre. He talks about BID Swansea and subsequently we asked 30 shopers if they had ever heard of BID and only one had. Does that mean BID works or that it has a low profile?

Once again the question is - what would you like to see in Swansea to make it more attractive to you? You views are important. There have been massive changes over recent months: the new bus station is underway: the new traffic layout has been around for a while now. Are these improvements or a change too far?

A local boy and his helter-skelter success story from being an unemployed musician at the Princes Trust to be projected onto centre stage of Jesus Christ Superstar! Listen to Steve Balsamo in a most interesting and intimate conversation where he talks about the raw emotion of performing great music.

Steve and the Storys will be playing  their last gig at the Grand Theatre, Swansea on Saturday 19th June Box Office 01792 475715.

You'll love this conversation with Steve.

 

Show Notes for In Town Today 18th February

CONTACT US  BY E-MAIL, TEXT, PHONE, LETTER OR COMMENT ON THIS PAGE. YOU CAN SEND IN AN MP3 RECORDING OR WE'LL GET BACK TO YOU

Telephone or text 0797 63 64 681, e-mail to ask@mikeleahy.com, comment at the bottom of this page!!!

  *    *    *    *    *    *    *    *

LISTEN ON THURSDAY EVENINGS  7 OR LISTEN ON DEMAND AT ANY TIME. YOU CAN DOWNLOAD AND LISTEN ON YOUR iPOD.

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NEWS BREAKING INTERVIEW

This Thursday I shall be in conversation with Mike Day, Cabinet Member for Education, talking about the budget deficit and how it's affecting education in Swansea. I'll be asking him about how the cuts might affect our children's schooling this year and how he sees education in Swansea in 5 years. If you have any questions text me before Thursday 10 am and I'll try and include them.

If this works I'll be planning to have live interviews with other City & County of Swansea Cabinet members and hopefully Chris Holley, Leader of the Council, where listeners can ask questions by phoning in, texting or e-mail. So watch this space.

We are all concerned about what services we are going to lose, because there must be a loss, and wonder what they are going to be with immediate effect.

The following was written prior to setting up an interview with Councillor Mike Day.

As I mentioned I tried to get Chris Hollings Leader of the County and City of Swansea Council but I know there has beena huge amount of activity in the Cabinet Room this week and so it didn't happen. I'm trying again because I believe that you want to hear what's happening from the man at the top: you want to be reassurred that you aren't going to lose vital services and that education and social care remain at the top of the agenda.

It is disturbing to hear that we are losing the Tennis Centre and now rumours abound that it might be sold off. That would mean the end for ever of a popular service. If you have comments on this or other possible cuts let me know. Write, e-mail, text or call.

I saw the comment about mis-management in the Council. Do you think there is mis-management? Or do you think that the Welsh Assembly, who has control of the purse-strings, is to blame. Call me and let me know.

James Cameron, a bright young entrepreneur, currently studing law at Swansea University will be talking with me about his new business and the eco-friendly cleaning products he has developed with his scientist father. Will he be a future millionaire? Watch this space.

An odd week because I've not had my car for a couple of days and went into Swansea by bus on Friday. I can't ever remember travelling by bus in Swansea. I was a good experience. I didn't have to wait too long, there were people standing but only for short distances,  there were no hold-ups ad the driver was friendly enough. Coming back to Sketty I found myself sitting next to an old friend so we had a chat and the time went quickly.


Watch for more.


If you have an interesting story call me now 07976 364681.

Accident at Sketty Cross this week. Came aacross about 6-7 police vehicles and ambulance. Took this photos but was prohibited by police from taking any more photos closer even though the ambulance had left the scene. 

The details and a photo were in the Evening Post.


Do you think that taking photographs like the one on the left should be refused by the police? On what grounds would they have the right to make me stop? Would you have just gone ahead and damn the consequences? Was anyone's rights affected - mine for not beinmg allowed to take photos on a public highway when there was no-one involved or car number plate visible - or the parties involved for having any photo taken of the aftermath? What do you think?


Too many questions remain unanswered. Please make a comment.


It snowed again today (Tuesday). Can't wait for the summer. The utilities companies must be rubbing their hands together with glee - joined the bankers in making buckets of money when tiomes are tight fior the majority. Why were these essential utilities ever privatised? To satisfy the government of the day?


Listen on Thursday at 7pm  Please join me then.