Postcard from Norwich

A-Ha!

The hottest day (and night) of the year. Perfect to spend a couple of hours pacing about nervously on stage in a bright red polyester suit. And then go back to the Premier Inn to find it doesn’t have air con. It’s always nice to meet a fan, but not when it’s standing in your room noisily breathing hot air around. The window obviously only opened a couple of inches to stop me going full rock and roll and throwing the 48inch Panasonic into the street. I know I’ll spend all day saying “I don’t think I slept”.

Lovely theatre, the Norwich Playhouse, for the first show of the tour. A good lot of posters and flyers in the foyer. Airy dressing room. Light bulbs across the top of the mirror, so not the full frame I’d like. But a bit of glamour.

Good crowd. Lots of pastels. Lots of 5 Live listeners. A few who haven’t come over from Times Radio. Traitors.

Have made some cuts and reordered some of the show. But it’s already settling in nice.

Each night I ask the audience for all the small food things that annoy them and l, as on my radio show, I decide if they should be banned or not. Here is what Norwich decided:

BANNED

• Tables by the toilet

• Too little bread when your order pate

• Food served on wooden platters

• Being asked “how’s your meal?” as you’re about to have your first mouthful

NOT BANNED

• Self-service: tills, clean your own table, get your own cutlery

• Pickled eggs in pubs

• Doilies

• Peppers

• Groups of ladies’ nights with shrill laughter (I’m not mad).

Tour manager Harry is at the wheel on the drive to Farnham now, a nice local show near where I live. At least I’ll be able to sleep in my own bed. No air con though.

PS. Disappointing lack of Partridge merch or attractions in Norwich. Had to make do with this image on a pillar in a shopping centre. Which in itself is quite Partridge.

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Making A Meal Of It

• 1st July Farnham Maltings

• 2nd July Bristol Redgrave Theatre

• 3rd July Lyme Regis Marine Theatre

• 4th July Oxford North Wall

• 7th July Canterbury Gulbenkian

• 8th July Newcastle The Stand

• 9th July Edinburgh The Stand

• 10th July Birmingham Glee Club

• 12th July Salford Lowry

• 13th July Cheltenham Town Hall

• 8th November Taunton Brewhouse

• 10th November London West End

Details at tickets at mattchorley.com