So the world population has reached nine billion. The only question to ask now is how long before Armageddon? It won’t be a physical battle or any of the other weird and wonderful beliefs (I’ve just looked it up on the internet) of the various religions but simply that the world will run out of resources, they’re not infinite, and as the population is destined to grow even faster, that time can’t be too far off. Science-fiction will come into its own when mankind, what is left of it, has to find another planet on which to survive even if artificially. It is estimated that the UK population over the next ten years will increase every year to the extent of populating a city the size of Leeds. Mentioning Leeds reminds me of that wonderful old Music Hall, City Varieties, that has just reopened after refurbishing. It is definitely not as grand a theatre as the Bolshoi which has also undergone a facelift recently but it is nevertheless another piece of theatrical history saved from the wreckers. Now, hopefully. Wilton’s will be saved, especially after the BBC made a programme called Michael Grade’s History of the Music Hall in which Chris is featured as George Leybourne, Champagne Charlie. It has been well received and he has had dozens of messages saying as to how much people enjoyed it. Of course, here in the wilds of Crete and not being in a position to afford a way of getting the Beeb we haven’t seen it as yet though any number of friends have recorded it and offered to make a DVD for us so I guess we’ll soon get around to it.

Now he is currently working on his lecture/illustrated show he is to give in December to the Society for Theatre Research under the title of ‘The heaviest of Swells’. This was a Leybourne number and also the title of Chris’s book – volume one (see Amazon) – currently working on volume two which hopefully should come out next year.

He and Douglas are much in demand locally as entertainers. Sunday they did a turn or two at the Doulakis Winery that’s fast becoming a venue for social events and early in the New Year they are performing a full evening’s concert of two hours. This follows on by request after their successful Cole Porter programme.

Vamos seems to have become the centre for a lot of cultural events so it’s pleasing that they are in the thick of things especially as Chris really has missed entertaining, especially when it comes to pantomime each Christmas. He’s a bit like Bernard Miles’s old parrot at The Mermaid that sulked the whole year through, even to the extent of pulling out feathers, but came to sudden life as ‘Treasure Island’ went into rehearsal.

As for me, I long ago lost interest in performing so don’t miss it one little bit. The closest I will get to anything theatrical is a workshop I am holding with the local amateurs next month - should be fun - I hope.