ICE TIMES SHOW 1 - Brighton

Well we did it. First show away and our lovely audience was standing and clapping as we finished the last routine. Brillliant.

Text comments:

"Hey you well done! Really enjoyed the show, it was fab, really interesting and entertaining. Skating was beautiful, it was great. Louise was great too and looked gorgeous (Debbie and I loved the sparkles!) C U soon. God bless you loads!" Linda

"Congratulations on your opening night good luck for the rest of the tour." John and Jill Philpott (John is based in Brighton and skated the same time as I did competitively.

"Hi Nicky. Absolutely fabulous, great show, really fantastic feel good factor. Louise was great and we all loved it. Love to Christiane." Chris and Natasha.

"I really enjoyed your show last night. It was fun, it was personal, it was factual, it was beautiful. Well done.

If anyone has an interest in ice skating, whether it's Dancing on Ice, Holiday on Ice, watching the championships or ice skate themselves (all apply to me!) then this show is for you!" Tara

"I loved the show Nicky well done." A personal message from Anne Bird whose husband was national historian of ice skating in the UK until his death 2 years ago. She came backstage with her daughter Clare to see us.

For me it was a heck of a day. Video and music items were not in place in the right order for my usual storytelling and some were not there at all, I had to remake the story and deliver a two hour show in that context! If you had seen me at 11am you would have seen a stressed out Nicky. But amazing what keeping calm and working through things can do. It all flowed and hiccups brought laughter as I tried to keep up with moving images.... all in all, thank goodness it worked.

So a public and heartfelt thank you to Louise (Walden) who did a superb job and dealt with changes and surprises in a light hearted way that caused meriment as we went along. To Giles, Ben, Jamie who made this possible, thank you.

Finally to my beautiful Christiane. Wow you are Artistic Director, catering manager and the best support a man could have.

Now - show two next week. This is odd, normally I do all the set up work with teams and then just do one show, different head space to be in now.

And thank you to our first audience of 146 people. What a great achievement of Giles and the team in bringing that many people in to a new show on a Wednesday evening.

The crew guys Matt and Lewis said the show looked great, the sets worked and the lighting and the ice. Praise from people that see all the shows and can sometimes be a little jaded. They were talking of bringing their boots in to have a skate!

The theatre is a lovely space and I felt at home there. It is an amazing privilege to be on the stage, and such fun.

Millbrook (our mascot was present) he stood stage left and kept an eye on proceedings.

Love

Nicky

PRE SHOW ACTIVITY

There are six people in my house including me, all our working on ICE TIMES which premieres (sounds posh) in Brighton at the Theatre Royale tomorrow evening.

Louise and I have five routines of varying lengths put together! My lovely wife Christiane, who used to be dancer and Director of a Dance company, is trying to pursuade me not to make funny faces when I skate - I can't feel it!

We are doing vidoe cues, costume change cues, lighting cues, pool cues - OK not the last one. There's so much in this show.

Victorian skates have arrived - very exciting - Louise looks great on her 1900's skates.

Tomorrow is a huge day. Radio at 8.30am, tech rehearsals and dress rehearsals plus show from 7.45 pm. Wow - we will all need energy in abundance.

But... I having a ball, this is showbusiness and I love it. Practising on our special rink in the church hall where Christiane and I had our wedding reception, on a raked stage tomorrow! Great fun - what a challenge.

If you can make it I can promise you a laugh and some fun and insight into Ice Dancing. I think this show will grow and grow as we gain more assets and video and photos over time. An exciting prospect.

Come along and say Holiday on Ice to the box office and they will give you tickets for £10.

So for now goodnight - I'm off for a bath whilst everyone else continues to prepare! I need my beauty sleep....

Love

n

Eurosport - What Day Is It?

I made the biggest boo boo today ever!

Four hours into our 6 hours of the ladies I was chatting away and viewing our message board. I went back up to a thread and read out a question. I then said OK CHris 'So who do you think will win the men's?" He said "Think about it..."

Fact is the Men's finished yesterday! Ha ha how crazy, And ur what day is it then?

Six hours of live commentary is absolutely draining. Back for more later then driving to Brighton. I'm so whacked I'll be asleep on Dancing On Ice at this rate.

Love

N

Brighton Theatre Tickets - How to get a deal...

The Brighton Theatre has advertised my ICE TIMES show at £17 - we want more people to come and have several offers that enable lower ticket pricing.

However - If you do not ask for the rates they will charge the price they have set. Apparently they are unable to change website pricing as I have requested!

I'm cross that you can't see what's available nor have a range of ticket prices. Seems like the theatre sets its own agenda here. Very frustrating.

So to help you. If you mention any of the words below you will be able to get £10 tickets.

Holiday On Ice

Argus Offer

3 Generations £10 each

Please pass this on.

All the best

Nicky

ICE TIMES - My new skating partner - Louise & Nina?

Skated with Louise on Friday - we had a blast and made up a routine for the show next week. I'd blocked a lot of the choreography and we added bits together. I was pleased to see that she too found the ice surface a good workout and that it wasn't just me.

Christiane and I went to see Kyran in HOI in Brighton on Saturday - great seats - thank you Robin. Kyran is skating with a gorgeous petite East European girl. Next day I found myself having a lesson on lifts from Mark with Nina (the girl Kyran was skating with). I did my first press lift - with a little help! Wow.

It's amazing that ICE TIMES is growing in its content to include much more skating. I find I love to be on the ice and it will be super to be performing again.

The challenge of course is a raked stage and artificial ice as well as a new partner! No problem at all then.

Show Wednesday - so much still to do! Oh my goodness....

N

Eurosport Commentary Marathon

Zagreb - European Figure Skating Championships.

Yesterday Chris and I did six and a half hours live commentary over a twelve hour period. All the 35 Men's short programmes at the Europeans and a compilation of the Pairs. Probably the longest we've ever done in a day. Crazy. But some very good skating and great new talent emerging in the men's.

Original Dance today and Men's Final today - in at 10.15 finish 1 am! THankfully we get a break for dinner.

Chris and I - as ever are having fun. But I hope baby doesn't decide to say hello whilst I'm busy.

My schedule for the next few days is too hectic think I'll need to have my eyes kept open with sticks by Dancing on Ice on Sunday.

love

n

FRIDAY - GMTV and BBC! and Daily Mirror!!!!

I'm knackered - technical term for tired. Well bodily at least. Off for a nice hot bath soon to soothe the muscles. Good feeling though I've been skating a lot this week on my new ice pad.

I was on GMTV this morning and bless him Andrew Castle cut me off from talking about ICE TIMES my show. I sit a bit peeved about that this evening. He didn't tell me he was coming to that item first and closed it down quite strongly. Shame really as it was a chance for me to tell people a little about the show. Ah well next time I won't let him close me down then! You live and learn.

Anyway I was there for DOI comments as well which I hope you enjoyed if you saw them and it was nice to see Michael on the ice.

Got back from London and to Crowborough to be practising by 11.30am. Ice is getting better as I skate it in but my boots are nearly gone as I put them through a lot on the special synthetic ice we're using. It's really great to have it but, because it is much less slippy than real ice, it is also very hard work physically and takes it's toil on boots - and my ankles. No matter though I'm starting to get more and more used to the surface and I'm encouraged by what more could be possible. It will be brilliant to have it on a stage but I'm just hoping I don't get too excited and fly off into the audience. When I first went on the ice it was brand new and quite tough, now I'm starting to flow more. Much better...

Did a piece with Penny Evans for BBC SE this afternoon on the ice to be broadcast this evening, Tim was the cameraman. We had some fun with Penny on her red skates.

We're seeming to be battling with form filling for authorisation of my skating partner. Strange that you have to pay these days for eligible skaters to take part on top of paying them. It's a funny old world.

Daily Mirror's been offering my ex wife money for her story - 'substantial amounts'.... Ha ha how crazy is that? They will have paparatzi outside Millbrook Garden Centre as I practise next...

We advertised in the Brighton Argus for the Brighton show today with a special ticket rate so hope you saw it and can get a great deal. If you're not in Brighton quote Argus ticket offer and get £10 tickets - for an ice show! That's great value.

I've been developing more content and I'm still not sure what I'm wearing for Act 2 yet?..... I want to do loads of costume changes but I need to stay miked up and linking things through so this needs to be worked through. And lots of music to be sorted.

I'll have my laptop back tomorrow so can get on with more of this and pass it on to the team.

Feels like life is very fast at the moment.

And baby is kicking and I'm told can come along at any time now. No pressure at all then....

Speak soon

Love

Nicky

PUBLICISE THE SHOWS - BRIGHTON IN PARTICULAR!

Hi everyone

Well 14 days to go and we need to get the word out about the show. So far posters are not up in the town and we have press next week but not this. So can you help.

Please email your contact base with the link for our email flyer below?

http://www.louderthanwords.info/images/icetimes/IT-E-flyer.html

Book your tickets - we have great special rates for groups and individuals now?

It would be great to see you there.

Ice is being put down today in a practise venue and I'm a bit nervous about how it will be. We shall see.

Excited about show development - some funny scripting moments were coming to me last night, well I thought they were funny you will have to decide.

And I have a partner for the first set of shows - brilliant! She will be unveiled - metaphorically speaking shortly!

Love

Nicky

ICE TIMES.....progress....

Trying out with a partner for the show tomorrow - 16 days to go before show 1 so no pressure at all then!

Ice surface to practise on being installed Wednesday, we'll get some pictures up of that. I've had my blades sharpened to razor edges. Tomorrow though I'm going to skate on real ice which will be a bind - they will grip too much.

Life has accelerated somewhat crazily as I expected. Good though, amazing what you can get done when the pressure's on. Providing I don't explode in the meantime.

I've gone dairy and wheat free to see about getting fitter. Seems to be working, on Friday I ran without being out of breath at all and feel much lighter - goats milk rules and I'm getting acquainteed with nuts as a snack, rather than cappaccino and chocolate biscuits!

BRIGHTON SHOW 30TH JAN

Group Booking rates for Brighton in place and churches special. If you know any churches please make them aware of this. Posters on website have some links please call box offices if you want tickets it would be great to see you at the show.

No blogs then three in one day - hey ho - it's like buses arriving.....

Love

N

DAILY MAIL

There I was in the Daily Mail last Friday doing a set up piece for Dancing On Ice.

My great friend David Shafik didn't know this and picked up a Mail that someone had left on the train and started to read through and found my piece. Ha - love it...

It's great to have another place to expand on and communicate what I'm thinking about what we see as judges airtime is obviously tight.

I'll try to remember to remind you when next one comes up!

love

n

SARAH'S POEM!

DANCING ON ICE ONE - DONE...

What a tremendous start to the series. I'm thinking Jason could be brought down in the chandelier next week instead of Chris and Jayne.

I was inspired to write a poem for Sarah because I'd met her on tour and I knew how much she wanted to skate in the series. So the words 'Throw away the years came to mind' - from that my ditty developed for her but.... actually today I'm thinking it's not throw throw away the years it's roll away the years (must have heard it from a song?).

So here is the poem developed:

Sarah, dancing on ice for you
I think it's a lot between the ears
So, I invite you,
To roll away the years
Throw away your fears
Enjoy every moment
And we'll see laughter (happy every after)
Not tears..

I think the Happy Ever After's a bit twee but it might work with music. The basic idea of taking ourselves back - those of us that are older - to a younger mentality of being able to do anything is - of course - a valid premise for a song. It will be developed later.... Nothing new under the sun here but I'm always surprised how inspiration can strike.

Sarah asked for a copy of the poem - I'll write some more for her now. Something like...

So soon you had to leave us
Sad.... but,
You've new friends on ice in Slough
Where you can laugh, enjoy a social skate
And practise your snowplough

So though we will miss you
We wish you happiness as you go
Slip gliding away
Dancing on ice
In a beautiful way
Oh yes...
And thanks for being part of the show

Ha ha, maybe I should stick to my day job?

Love

Nicky

HAPPY NEW YEAR - ICE TIMES ON WEBSITE

Happy New Year, here's to a fun and prosperous 2008.

I've just come out of being ill over CHristmas, my body was clobbered, today is my first full day of having energy again - feels great to be back in action.

I've updated my website with details of ICE TIMES hope you like the treatment - it's a simple page structure but I hope you get the gist...

The show is 28 days away! And I need a partner - ha, my own reality ice skating programme.

Hope you like the new site, please pass on the news of the shows and get groups together, create ICE TIMES parties and come and support me.

Theatres are offering Group Bookings - I hope which offer cheaper prices and my goal is to have lots of people at the events.

Thanks for reading and please pass on the news of the shows I aim to make them excellent fun and value for money.

Back on the ice again... wow.

Love

Nicky