Alex Knox (second from right) playing John in  2013 Stage Production of Risen! at Holy Rood Church- also from left to right – Mariatu Conteh (Mary Wife of Clopas) and Nicola Poustie (Mary Magdalene)

Martin Connor staring with Ken Shearsmith (circa 1930!) in “The Pirates of Portsmouth” at Northern Parade Junior Boys School , Portsmouth

“This Is Not Heaven” sung live by Fiona Poustie during ” His Story”production at Ferneham Hall, Fareham.

I know I said that this week I would tell you about our CD “Precious” and how my mum became a Christian aged 101 but our musical Risen! hit a landmark yesterday and that was when the last of our vocals were recorded; a process that has taken four years!  So I thought this week I best focus on these recordings.

In  the last few weeks Joffy, our MD recording engineer, mixer, arranger and just about everything else  has been working overtime,  re -recording some parts and recording some new material. Ben Morris, who plays Jesus (see blog July 17^th) Nicola Poustie, who plays Mary Magdalene (see blogs May 25^th June 6^th July 17^th )and  Dan Scott, who plays Cleopas all came back to “tweak” their previous recordings.  We also had brand new recordings from Chloe Brokenshire.  Nicola was not available to play the part of Mary Magdalene in the Easter 2014 concert production of Risen! (see blog May 1^st)) as she was getting married to Michael. However Chloe stepped in and did such a fantastic job that we asked her if she would record the part of Mary, Sister of Lazarus and Martha.  Her performances are so moving – I can’t wait for you all to hear them!

We wrote into the script the role of Susanna , who, Luke tells us, was a follower of Jesus and who  supported Him out of her  own means.  Ben Morris recommended a fellow member of the cast of the West End’s “Phantom of the Opera”- Lyndsey Garniner.  She too has a beautiful voice; you can see and hear her sing on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB1_7VTvdjI&sns=em   Incidentally you can also hear Ben Morris sing on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvxpvT0RMlk

Then yesterday Alex Knox came down from London to finish recording the recitative of John “the disciple who Jesus loved” (or more correctly- especially loved) How I met Alex is, I think a lovely story which I thought you might like to hear.

When, at the age of nine  I moved from Gillingham in Kent to Portsmouth I went to the Northern Parade Junior Boys School. I have to say I did not like it at all – the teachers used the cane- something that I had not come across at all in the delightful Forge Lane Mixed School I attended in Gillingham.

Anyway one classroom teacher, Mr Thorpe was keen on amateur dramatics and each year would produce a show,  usually one which he had written himself based on a Gilbert and Sullivan classic. I particularly remember “The Pirates of Portsmouth” in which I played a pirate “Mizzen Mast Martin”  (I’ll let you pick me out in the featured pic) The star was a guy called Martin Connor who was in my class and who had been one of the few people who had been nice to me when I first went to Northern Parade. Martin is stage centre in the pic with a hook for a right hand (only make believe!)

In those ancient times we had to sit the 11 + exam to determine whether you went on to Grammar School or Secondary Modern. In Portsmouth there was also a “half -way house” – the Portsmouth Technical High School.  Well to cut a long story short Martin and I found ourselves both at “The “halfway house”.  We were also in the same form, the infamous 1B.  Martin went on to become Head Boy – I did not.

I knew Martin had gone on from school to pursue a career in acting, but on leaving school I had lost contact with him. When I was looking to cast for the role of John I needed someone who could both act and sing. All of Risen! is sung and I particularly needed someone who was expert in  recitative as this  holds the storyline together. I decided to try to locate Martin to see if he was still in the world of acting so I googled his name (what else!) and there he was m Head of Acting at the Prestigious Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London.  I knew it was the same Martin as there was a pic of him on the Guildhall’s website and he had not changed a bit. (spit!)

I emailed him and we met up at the “Coach and Horses” pub which is right opposite our old school. We talked and laughed non -stop for hours, picking up on all the old Tech School life as if it were yesterday. Anyway yes Martin did have someone in mind to play the part of John – Alex Knox. Alex had a degree in Music from Manchester University – he also had a Masters in Singing from Guildhall and was now taking the Guildhall’s Masters Acting Degree- he would be perfect. So I took the train up to London to meet him at the Guildhall. I sang Alex the John parts in one of the Guildhall’s studios, so I suppose it could be said that I have sung at the Guildhall School of Music and Theatre!  For a classical trained singer it would not have been normal to learn a part warbled by some PE teacher,  but that is what happened and Alex has now played John  brilliantly in three consecutive Risen! productions and, of course sings the part in our forthcoming Risen! CD. Alex has become  a great friend  and I would like to take this opportunity to thank him for all his amazing efforts for Risen!

With all the continued trouble in the Middle East I thought it appropriate this week to feature a song of hope- “This is not heaven” sung live by Fiona Poustie of the Mustard Seed Soul Band at a production of our first musical “His Story.”

Blog should feature “Precious” next week but knowing me…….