Second read through of You Can Choose Your Friends (it's a long title which I suspect people will shorten to simply "Friends"- can't see a problem with that).
Alas despite my rash promises I am unable to reveal the cast to you yet. Next week my beauties. But here are some clues. The team includes:
One of the "Absolutely" gang,
Someone who appeared in my favourite Mike Leigh film,
Two of the cast of "Lionel Nimrod's Inexplicable World" (I am one of those two),
The person who I watched
"Kinky Boots" to check out,
Someone from the brilliant TV show "Outside Edge"
And the grandparents are played by a couple who appeared in a notable ITV sit-com of the 1980s,
I will offer a prize of my copy of the latest draft of the script to whoever can guess the most cast members from those clues. When I am done with it. Email me at herring1967@googlemail.com
Anyway the whole cast were together for the first time (not all parts cast at time of last one) and the script had come on a long way, though is too long and needs some work. I was probably more nervous about it this time. In December it had all been about the script, but now things were closer to being right I was a bit more self conscious about having to perform alongside all these proper actors. They had all earned their parts due to their talent, whilst I had cleverly got myself the role by writing the script and making my character (Ian predictably) so like me that I was bound to get it. It's a move of genius. That's how to get work all you unemployed actors out there. It's easy.
But even though nerves took hold a but today and I tried a bit too hard, I think being in such illustrious company will help me to raise my game.
The actors I talked to were very complimentary about the script, which is a good sign, and they all seem to get it and are, if I say it myself, very well cast. We managed to cast people who were the best at the parts, rather than being forced to put in the kind of "names" who seem to crop up in things whether they are right for the part of not. I am pleased for example that I didn't end up with Grant Mitchell playing the uptight older brother.
Anyway, it's all moving in the right direction. Will keep you up to date. Get your cast guesses in. My decision is final.
