So, today was the day of my headshots photoshoot and, yes, I have to confess to feeling like a kid at Christmas when I woke up!

After a brief flap at Paddington over whether I was going to Chippenham or Cheltenham (don’t ask!) and a 20-minute delay I was on a train cruising through our ‘green and pleasant land’.

At Chippenham (not Cheltenham) station I was greeted by the photographer, Claire Newman-Williams. We jumped into her car and were off through the Wiltshire countryside to her studio, which is located (as I found out afterwards) in a former tannery.

After a short fashion show – going through the various tops I had brought to wear – we settled on a white shirt and black v-necked jumper. Then after the stylist restyled my hair and applied a little make up – no, there weren’t any prosthetics required before you ask – I was ready, as they say, ‘for my close up’.

Claire started by briefing me on what she wanted me to do, which (as with all photographers) involved doing a number of different and somewhat un-natural things all at the same time. However, almost as soon as we started the test shots the reasons for her instructions became clear and felt very natural.

She immediately put me at ease and whilst the early shots on reflection were nowhere near as good as the later ones I felt instantly comfortable in front of the camera – good thing really given my (hopefully) new chosen profession!

After a couple of hours we had all the shots we needed and despite only seeing them on the camera’s screen they did – if I do say so myself – look amazing (and that’s before post-production).

I am writing this on the train as I travel back to London, which has given me a chance to reflect on the last month or so. Yes, there have been frustrations but it is great to have made another important step forward on my journey and, while I know there is still a long way to go, it really feels that things are moving in the right direction again.

The contact sheet comes through on Monday – can’t wait to see what the photos look like!

As a younger man, I was (if I do say so myself) a pretty good singer with a solid baritone/tenor voice and a reasonably good ear for music.

The question I had though was ‘how badly had my ten year sabbatical affected my singing voice?’ This was something I needed/wanted to find out.

It isn’t that I haven’t sung since hanging up my acting shoes. I have continued to belt out showtunes in the shower (as most people do, right?) and in the car – which my kids love by the way (there aren’t many four year olds that can sing Naughty from Matilda!). I am also quite partial to a rousing ‘Hark The Herald Angels Sing’ at Christmas.

However, as with so many things, I haven’t done it formally for quite a while.

So, when the recommendation of ‘West End Warm Up’ (http://www.westendwarmup.com) came up on Facebook it seemed the ideal environment to put my voice to the test. After all, it was a 20 minute ‘gym’ session for singers – so worst case scenario I would be trapped in a room, totally out of my depth, for just over 19 minutes!

This was not, however, the case. Instead, it was a fantastic session with vocal coach Lisa Olsworth-Peter and, while my higher range may be a little rusty, my singing voice and breath control still seemed to be in good shape.

I have to say that it has been incredibly heartening as my journey continues, to find that many of the skills I had ten years ago haven’t departed me altogether. And, with some hard work and commitment on my part they can once again be honed.

Spurred by this positive vibe, I made contact with an old college friend, co-star in Twelfth Night (all those years ago) and experienced MD Tom Attwood.

We met yesterday on the South Bank and, over Tarte Tatin and a rather odd green ‘health’ drink (which tasted of un-identifiable fruits with a potent ginger kick), as well as catching up on life, he also gave me some very useful pointers on the industry today as well as the types of songs I need to have in my arsenal.

Armed with this information, I have already started working on the first new song and am once again heading off to West End Warm Up tomorrow for another session to hopefully continue to improve my voice.

I don’t know whether my wife Suzi is aware of what is coming – as my parents/old flat mate can remember only too well no doubt. Incessant repetition of the same songs to a piano accompaniment as I first of all try to learn the new material properly – it’s always a lot easier with the soundtrack as there is someone to remind you of the next word/phrase – and then actually start to act through song again.

I’m sure she’ll get used to it or – worst case scenario – I’ll get sent to the playroom!

I’ve got an Acting job!!

Yes, you read that right – I am back in at the deep end after just under two months.

‘Where?’ I hear you ask ‘The National…. The RSC….. The West End….. Hollywood?’

Well, Stoke-on-Trent actually!  Yes, at the beginning of September my professional (paid) acting career will begin again with me taking on the role of Anglo Saxon Thane at the city’s Museum for Moonstruck Astronaut Theatre Company.

The opportunity came about purely by chance after my very good friend John Kirk emailed me and I believe a number of others flagging the role.  Whether I was the only one that responded I don’t know but nonetheless I despatched an email and back came a positive response just asking me to check I was happy with project, dates and fees – needless to say I was.

It is rather funny but my life seems to keep coming back to Stoke-on-Trent – having spent the best part of the last five years working on projects in the city and now to have my first paid acting job there too.  Maybe there is something symbolic about the city being the place where my two worlds collide; possibly fate decided that it was there that my life’s focus would shift; maybe the stars and the planets had aligned themselves… or maybe it is nothing more than a coincidence!!

Whatever it is I don’t really care, I am looking forward to going ‘up ‘Anley duck’ standing up in front of those poor un-suspecting 7-10 year olds and once again performing to an audience.

It may not be the bright lights of the West End but it is an acting credit, it is experience and it is paid – so all in all pretty good really!

As I wrote previously – before a slight hiatus for Easter – last Thursday saw my first foray back into the practical world of Acting – i.e. actually ‘performing’ for others.

I felt incredibly apprehensive as I let myself through the security gate and walked across the large, dimly lit loading bay beneath Waterloo Station.  A small, illuminated doorway in one of the arches with a simple paper sign attached to the door announced that I had arrived at Network Theatre.

After a nervous (me, not the group) and, if I am being honest, slightly forced start I quickly found my self-consciousness beginning to fade away.  And, as the session progressed through a series of games and exercises I became more-and-more at ease until by the end I was quite happily marching about the stage extolling the virtues of Calor Gas Heaters.

It felt amazing (and, considering my career break, natural) to be standing on a stage and doing something that I love, am pretty good at (he says modestly) and have been hankering to do all these years – even if I didn’t know it at the time.

While the session was a great opening gambit, it did flag up a number of areas that I need to continue to focus on and develop.  Firstly, I need to work on being more open to my own ideas and not blocking myself by always focusing on being right – I know from experience that I can learn a lot more from my mistakes (I just need to remember that!).  Also, my competitive streak sometimes got the better of me – I don’t always need to win (as anyone who knows me overcoming this is going to be a real challenge)!

As I sat on the train home watching the Central London skyline slip into the distance I reflected on what had gone before.  It completely reaffirmed why I want to get back into this funny old business and that this is where I want to be in the future – I just need to keep working towards that goal until (hopefully) I can get there.

Fortunately, the confirmation of my Actor’s Centre membership also came through last week and, having paid my subscription, a world of new courses is now available to me.  So, this evening I will be going through the programme of workshops and courses to select the ones I want to attend.

I am sure that as I approach the next workshop/class I will feel just as nervous, however, having got the first one out of the way I’m confident it will be a lot less daunting.

It is fair to say that up until this point almost all of the activity to restart my Acting career has been primarily administrative – whether it is setting up memberships, investigating agents or researching and learning potential audition speeches.

While all this is important, I feel that I also need to get out there and actually do something practical – after all, other than a storytelling workshop last autumn, my recent performance credits are somewhat sparse.

Unfortunately my Actor’s Centre application is still being processed, which would have provided the obvious solution.  However, through the wonders of social media an opportunity presented itself via a post from a fellow Bruford graduate Mark Johnson about a Improv workshop this coming Thursday. ‘Why not?’ I thought – it is an ideal opportunity and also has the distinct advantage that I will actually know someone there.

With a degree of trepidation (mainly caused by self-doubt) I completed the form and booked my place.

So, on Thursday I will dust off the cobwebs and will once again do daft things in front of others – can’t wait!

Last week, while I was out with one of my PR clients, I happened to find myself having drinks at the Dean Street Townhouse. Table service was shockingly slow so I opted to head to the bar.

Having order my drinks I struck up conversation with a chap who was sitting at the bar (I can’t for the life of me remember how or indeed why). He mentioned that he had just come from a private viewing of a new film by a well-known US studio (which, incidentally, rhymes with ‘box’) so I casually mentioned my return to Acting. By the time the drinks had been poured and I returned to my table, I was in receipt of his business card.

Naturally, once back home I popped his name (I’m not going to be so crass as to ‘name drop’ here) into a well-known search engine and up came his Wikipedia page, which says he is an award-winning film producer.

Armed with his email address and a verbal agreement to get in touch I dispatched an email.  Not that I have much to offer – a (very) dated CV and a short but succinct cover note. Nonetheless I felt getting in touch quickly was better than waiting until I had all the necessary collateral/credits etc. So, off the email went into the ether.

From everything I have read (and from my previous experience) I wasn’t expecting to hear anything. You can therefore imagine my surprise when I found in my inbox an email asking me to keep him posted of my progress!!

I will naturally do so and who know what will come of it. It does, however, go to show that you never know where, and indeed when, you might meet someone that can help your career….