30 Days of Gratitude Day Eighteen #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today I am grateful for music. I love music and it is very rare that there is not some background music on in our house. I don’t have a favourite type of music. In fact, I don’t think anyone does. If a song is good, who cares what genre it is? Music can make us happy or sad, it can get us going and it can lift us up. Nothing evokes a memory like a song, some songs I cannot even listen to anymore because they bring up a bad experience, others make me smile. So today I am grateful for music. Here are some songs I love at the moment.

Catch up on other days:

Day 1.
Day 2.

What are you grateful for?

Song of the Skylark by Erica James Reviewed by Frances Colville

Posted on March 18, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Song of the Skylark is Erica James 20^th novel and having read all the others I can confidently say that it doesn’t disappoint. Telling the stories of Clarissa Dallimore before and during the Second World War and Lizzie Moran in the present day, this is really two books in one, but there are enough links between the two to make the story flow and the plotting work well.

Lizzie has a reputation for attracting bad luck and the story begins with her ending a relationship, losing a much loved job and being compelled through lack of money to move back to her parents’ home. Against her better judgment she begins a temporary job and meets Mrs Dallimore who is also reluctantly having to adjust to a new situation, in her case old age necessitating a move to a care home. A friendship develops between the two as they learn about each other’s past, and try to adapt to their present situations.

Both main characters are well-drawn and easy to identify with, as are the other more minor characters in the book. And Erica James has a delightfully fluent style of writing which draws you in and means that you don’t want to stop reading. If a good story and the feel-good factor is what you are looking for, I recommend this wholeheartedly and the same goes for all Erica James’ other books.

Song of the Skylark: Orion Books – available in hardback from 17 March 2016, with paperback and ebook editions to follow.

30 Days of Gratitude Day Seventeen #30daysofgratitude

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Today I am grateful for nap time. I love my son of course, but sometimes I really need his nap time to get some work done or recharge. Parenting is hard and any break, big or small, can make all of the difference to the day. My son always looks gorgeous when he is sleeping. The family cat, below, is almost as cute but not quite.

Catch up on other days:

Day 1.
Day 2.

What are you grateful for?

Magnitone BareFaced Vibra-Sonic Daily Cleansing Brush Review

Posted on March 17, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

I am going to be honest, since the baby came along I have been a bit lazy with my beauty routine. These days washing my face and brushing my teeth sometimes feels like an achievement. I feel I am holding up relatively well, but boy do I look tired a lot. But bit-by-bit I am slowly putting myself back together. Things have gotten easier now the baby can entertain himself in the cot for a little while, so mummy can put on some BB cream and not scare strangers. I don’t tend to wear a lot of make up. I am all for personal choice but I think wearing loads of make up tends to make one look like a doll. When I was a teenager I wore a lot of make up because I was insecure about how I looked. Of course, now I look back at those pictures and think: you were beautiful you idiot! You will never look like that again! I think also being an actress means I just cannot be bothered fussing around day to day. You tend to get your hair and make up done so much that it gets old. Nowadays some BB cream and lip balm is what I usually wear. Sometimes I will add mascara because although my eyelashes are long, they are brown, not black. Which brings me, finally!, to the matter at hand. The Magnitone BareFaced Vibra-Sonic Daily Cleansing Brush Review.

I have only used it once so far as I have been so busy, but I will update this post as I go. In the end I hope to be happy with my barefaced glory. The Magnitone firms and tightens your complexion. It is a cleansing brush that gives a deep pore-cleansing action, leaving skin radiant and refined. It effectively exfoliates the skin’s surface to eliminate excess oil, dead skin cells, dirt and impurities, whilst improving the absorption of moisturising and skincare products.

It has a soft brush that is gentle to skin. To put it technically: “the innovative, double award-winning Vibra-Sonic™ technology combines energising sonic oscillations and electromagnetic pulsed vibrations to boost micro-circulation and tone skin for a plump appearance and healthy-looking glow” It is completely waterproof, the brush features an on/off button, wireless USB charger and has a Pulselift™ Toning Mode.

I have used it once but there is already a visible difference. My skin looks very clean and glowing. I have the pastel orange one and I love the colour. It’s such a joy to use. The vibrations feels relaxing on the face and it really cleans and boosts micro-circualtion. The new, unique PulseLift™ mode aids toning for the face too. You don’t have to worry about over doing it, it beeps to prompt you to move on to a new area of your face. Smart, right?

You use the Magnitone brush with your cleanser and a splash of water. It is suitable for any skin types and it is light to hold. So far I love it.

The features:

Magnitone BareFaced Vibra-Sonic™ Daily Cleansing Brush
Innovative Vibra-Sonic™ technology for deep cleansing
Pulselift™ Toning Mode boosts micro-circulation
Includes active clean brush head
20 second timer to remind you to move to the next area
Wireless USB travel charger and bag
Compatible with all Magnitone facial brush heads
On/off button
100% waterproof

What’s in the Box?

Two Mode Vibra-Sonic™ Facial Brush
Wireless USB Travel Charger
Splashproof Travel Pouch
Active Clean Brush Head
12 Month Warranty
MyMagnitone Membership

Magnitone London BareFaced! Cleansing & Toning Brush is available here.

Digital Marketing Tips

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Catherine Balavage

Digital marketing, it’s a new ball game. As advertising, and, let’s face it, pretty much everything else, moves online, marketers are going to have to come up with a new set of skills. Do not worry however, Frost magazine is here with tips galore to help you use digital marketing to improve performance and your ROI.

Here are our digital marketing tips:

Find out all of the different rules of the various search engines. Google, Yahoo! and Bing all have different criteria and formats. Find out what they are and tweak your campaign for all of them and it will make a difference.

Make sure the URL in your ad is optimised. Make sure it is relevant to the product and service you are promoting.

Include a strong call to action. It helps to tell consumers what you want them to do. People will respond better and know what to do next. Including the word “now” in your ad is also a good idea. Including “free” will also give good results. “Call now for a free consultation” or “Call now to learn more” are both good call to actions.

Write your ad in title case. This means you capitalise the first letter of Every Word Over Three Characters. Do not use all capitals letters because it IS THE INTERNET VERSION OF YELLING AND JUST MAKES YOU LOOK ANGRY.

It sounds basic, but make sure you use the correct spelling and grammar.

Don’t use trademarks you do not own. It is not legal and opens you up to a whole host of problems.

Make sure you use the right, targeted keywords in your headline and copy.

Keep it simple. Do not use any abbreviations that are not widely known or long, complicated words. Never use a big word when a small one will do. Keep it punchy and concise. People have short attention spans and busy lives. Make your ad easy to understand.

Do you have any digital marketing tips?

Top of the Potts: Jason Manford Talks to Vicky Edwards

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Vicky Edwards

Currently starring as Caractacus Potts in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Jason Manford talks to Vicky Edwards about musicals, being a dad and why ibuprofen is his new best friend…

Photo: Alastair Muir

There’s more to Jason Manford than being funny. Warm, articulate and astute, he also happens to have been born into a family of talented singers. Trilling for longer than he’s been cracking gags, the 8 Out of 10 Cats star has notched up some impressive credits, not least playing Pirelli in Sweeney Todd with Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, and Leo Bloom in The Producers with Phill Jupitus, with whom he also stars in a brand new touring version of the classic musical story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

“My family are all folk singers and we have been singing together for a very long time,” Jason explained. “I was always interested in musicals; I was always in productions at school, then at university I directed shows like Bugsy Malone. I wrote a musical, too.”

Offered the role of Caractacus Potts, Jason says that while he didn’t want to over-think the characterisation, he nevertheless gave careful consideration to what he could bring to the role.

“I re-watched the film and what I saw was someone who was not dissimilar to me: a dad who would do anything for his kids. He keeps trying and failing and he’s reached a point in life where he thinks that something just has to go right for him. He really is that heartbroken, lonely, lovely man that Truly Scrumptious sings about.

“The setting is 1919 and my idea of him was that he was in the Navy but that he had to leave when his wife died to look after his kids. I like his journey. He’s optimistic, although he has his darker moments, and he’s a man who doesn’t like confrontation. But then suddenly the kids are taken by the Childcatcher, Grandpa is kidnapped and the car is stolen – everything that he knows and loves about his life is gone. He has to man up,” said Jason, who while mindful of driving himself bonkers by fleshing out a complex character history, knew that he needed to give Caractacus a back-story. (“You need that weight otherwise it’s just a musical about a flying car.”)

Although Jason is perhaps better known as a comedian than he is for his musical theatre talents, in terms of being the source of all things comedic, Chitty gives him a bit of a breather.

“What’s nice for me is that no one is counting on me to be funny. If I’m funny it’s a bonus, and Caractacus does have some funny moments, but you’ve got the spies and the Baron for laughs. I just have to play the heart and soul of the piece to keep it interesting and I love that.”

As for Chitty’s enduring qualities, Jason cites the film rather than the original book as being responsible for inspiring such huge affection across the generations.

“The biggest thing for me isn’t the Ian Fleming story, but the Roald Dahl film adaptation. The original book is actually quite linear; quite similar to his writing for James Bond, and there was no Childcatcher or Truly Scrumptious. But the film is much more magical and for many the Childcatcher was probably the first time you were scared by something on the telly. Nostalgia and magic is what I think does it for people.”

It is a highly physical show for Jason and he confessed that the number Me Ol’ Bamboo, in particular, is a bit of a killer. Part manic Morris dance and part frenzied tap routine, it is certainly breath-taking to watch and, one suspects, leaves even the fittest dancers out of breath.

“I’ve lost a stone and a half – it’s unbelievable!” he said, shaking his head in disbelief. Joking that he has thought about releasing an exercise DVD based on Me Ol’ Bamboo, he added: “It takes a lot of work but it’s so spectacular and to get it right is just brilliant. It’s the one moment of the show when I take the applause and let the audience clap until they stop.”

Does such a frenetic routine result in a few aches and pains? A heartfelt groan said it all.

“My poor knees and lower back! Ibuprofen is getting me through and I have to go for a swim between the matinée and evening shows because if I sit down I seize up,” he sighed.

And when he staggers off the stage and back to his digs he’s got fellow cast member Phill Jupitus [who plays Baron Bomburst and Lord Scrumptious] to look out for him and, it transpires, to rustle up some top-notch grub.

“We’ve been pals a while and we enjoy each other’s company. He’s also a great chef and cooks some brilliant meals. We look after each other. You need that when you’re away from home.”

Talking about being away from home, with a partner, and five children, Jason’s got plenty to miss.

“The thing about this show is that it’s all about family and the kids in the show [three pairs of Jeremy and Jemimas tour with Chitty] are roughly the same height as my two oldest girls. At the end when I’ve rescued them and they run over to me for a big hug there’s that moment every night when my kids flicker into my head.”

And it’s home and family that is part of the reason that Jason is taking a well-earned break from Chitty between 4 May and 18 September, when Lee Mead will be playing the part of Caractacus Potts.

“Having young children you can’t be away too much, but as well as the children I’ve also got to write my own tour for 2017 and then I’m writing a sit com and also a musical. It’s lovely to know that I can do all that and then come back to Chitty.”

Touring the country, working on several writing projects and keeping his successful comedy career on the boil, not to mention family life – it is certainly an impressive juggling act. How does he find the energy and stamina to sing and dance his heart out at every performance of Chitty? Shrugging, he referred me back to his friend ibuprofen, although just being in such a stupendous show seems to be the real spur. Even if it does mean that his joints creak like an old banger in need of the oil can.

“A lot of effort goes in but it’s a great show so it’s really worth it,” he told me as we said goodbye.

And so it is. Prompting standing ovations wherever they go, the audience reaction is unified: “Chitty Chitty Bang Bang we love you!”

For more information, visit www.chittythemusical.co.uk

Facebook: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Musical

Twitter: @ChittyMusical / #chittymusical

Vicky Edwards

Thetford Open Gardens

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Margaret Graham

Thetford Open Gardens

10 am – 5.pm: Sunday 26th June 2016

Frost is really pleased to hear that Thetford Open Gardens are swinging into action again in June 2016.

Thetford Open Gardens has been going for ten years, and this year as a celebration, they are hoping to raise in excess of £10,000 for St Nicholas Hospice Care.

So, how did it all begin?

In 2007 Liz Hodgson had the idea of opening some of Thetford’s lovely gardens to the general public, and thereby raising much needed funds for St Nicholas Hospice Care.

This year about 30 gardens old and new will be open for garden lovers, including one which has opened every year. Although the hospice reaps the financial rewards, there have been many community benefits to the day. Local people are surprised by the amazing gardens hidden behind brick walls, the tranquillity of those running down to the river, and the ability of gardeners to fill a “potted” garden with such variety and colour.

Visitors from further away are surprised and delighted to find interesting gardens and a very warm welcome in the town.

Thetford and Croxton [7 gardens this year] ensure refreshments are provided at strategic locations throughout the day. It is possible to start with a ‘bacon butty’ and coffee, lunch on smoked salmon, sip afternoon tea out of china cups and end up with a glass of Pimms, all the while appreciating the flora and fauna in pleasant surroundings.

It is a great English tradition isn’t it, to saunter about, admiring the blooms, sipping Pimms – given ‘alf a chance. So why not join in.

There will be a chance to buy plants on the day and at the plant sale on May 7th 2016 outside St Cuthberts Church near the market place.

As part of the celebrations, there will be a flower festival in the local Methodist Church on Tanner Street entitled “There is some corner of a foreign field that is forever England”. The flower festival opens on Friday 24th June and runs until Sunday 26th June 10am – 4pm each day.

On Saturday 25th June Lake House, Castle Lane IP24 2ER will be open from 3pm for garden visitors with a programme. Then at 5.30pm the audience will start to arrive for the evening concert with an hour to enjoy their picnic before the fanfare sounds for the music. The Thetford Singers will top the bill, which will include musicians from the Thetford Academy and children’s voices.

‘Pop up’ Spring gardens will be announced on Facebook and Twitter. They will also be in aid of St Nicholas Hospice Care.

There will be a prize draw with 10 big prizes including an inclusive hotel break.

Programmes for the open gardens can be bought for £5 from Thetford Garden Centre (01842 763267) and Thetford’s Great Information Centre (01842 751975) and Hospice Shops. On the Sunday they will be available in Kings House Gardens in the centre of town.

Thetford Open Gardens is organised by Rachel Woods, Sue Norman and Jen and Brian Farrell. @ThetOpenGardens

Such a great cause, such great gardens, and lead Frost Magazine to the Pimms, please.

Not just a pretty ‘chu-chi, woo-chi, ooo-chi, coo-chi’ face

Posted on March 16, 2016 by Vicky Edwards

Kicking up her heels in Vulgaria rather than kicking people out of The Rovers, Michelle Collins tells Vicky Edwards how she loves playing alongside the most famous flying car in history…

Photo: Alastair Muir

Michelle Collins should be in a musical about an express train, not a flying car. Currently on tour with a brand new production of the family favourite Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, in which she plays Baroness Bomburst, her passion for the show and life in general is so animated that it’s hard to keep up.

“The Baroness is such an iconic role, but initially I wasn’t sure,” admitted Michelle, as we chatted in her dressing room. “But it is a really great fun part and I see myself more of a character actress now, so it was a chance to reinvent myself a bit.”

Any concerns she had about the show “going down the panto route” were swept away when Michelle discovered who the production’s creative team and other cast members were. A co-production between Music & Lyrics Limited and West Yorkshire Playhouse, the show had already been a smash-hit in Yorkshire. With Phill Jupitus, Martin Kemp and Jason Manford (and Lee Mead in Jason’s place for a section of the tour) also signed up, Michelle was instantly reassured and set about throwing herself into the role. Or rather roles. Plural.

“In the first half I play Mrs Phillips, secretary to Lord Scrumptious,” explained Michelle. “She’s quite passive-aggressive and is secretly in love with him, I think. The Baroness, in the second half, is quite clever. I’m not going to tell you who I based her on, that would be unfair, but it’s someone in the public eye,” she teased, adding: “To me the Baroness and the Baron are George and Mildred [of 70s TV sit com fame], but she’s always got the upper hand. He’s just a child who abuses his power and wants to be mothered.”

Agreeing that Chitty bears all the hallmarks of a traditional musical, for Michelle there’s a particular ingredient that makes it extra special.

“It’s the wonderful songs,” she sighed. “Some musicals don’t have memorable songs, but in Chitty every single one is unforgettable.”

But song and dance is not something she has huge amounts of experience in.

“I am definitely not a West End Wendy type,” she laughed. “I did a few tap classes as a kid but I gave it up because I didn’t like it that the lessons took place above funeral directors in the Holloway Road.”

Even though her CV includes a couple of musical credits (Daddy Cool and The Take That Story), for Michelle, neither entailed the epic, high-octane production numbers that Chitty demands.

“I have had to work really hard and I’ve found joints in my body that I never knew I had,” she said, with a playful grin. “But I’m 53 years old and I’m prancing around the stage in my fishnets and heels, so life could be a lot worse.”

When it comes to having sufficient stamina for a show like Chitty, an experience earlier this year made her realise that she’s tougher than she thought: the TV show Bear Grylls: Mission Survive.

“It was seriously hard-core,” she said of her time in the South African Bush. “It was beautiful, but weather-wise it was extreme and we lived off soldier’s rations. For me to even be in it was a challenge, but I definitely found out that I am more courageous than I thought I was.”

Best known on TV as conniving Cindy Beale in EastEnders and feisty landlady Stella Price in Coronation Street, Michelle also has a clutch of impressive film and theatre roles to her name. Not bad for a girl who at 17 was turned down by every single drama school in London.

“I went to quite an academic grammar school. My mum was a single parent and we didn’t have much money, so stage school was out of the question. I started at the Cockpit Youth Theatre when I was 15. That’s when I realised that I really wanted to act.”

Joining the pop group Mari Wilson and the Wilsations at 18, Michelle hasn’t looked back. Of being rejected by drama schools she shrugged. Having achieved success under her own steam it’s not something that troubles her and, typically, she uses the experience as a silver lining to encourage others.

“I always tell young people that positives can come out of failure and not to let it put you off.”

That determination and focus is still much in evidence.

“With two shows a day I have to conserve my energy, but I’m trying to use the time when I’m not on stage constructively,” she said. “I’ve just produced a short film which I’ve written and I’m acting in, and I’ve written a kids’ book that I hope will come out later this year.”

There’s also her ‘Women in Media’ networking group that she created and runs with comedian Brenda Gilhooly. “We set it up as a forum where women can share ideas, inspiration and expertise. We meet monthly and have breakfast, listen to a guest speaker and chew the fat,” she told me.

A real no-nonsense grafter, given her schedule there’s not much time for relaxation, but when she does snatch some free time her needs are pretty low maintenance.

Michelle reflects that touring does bring home how much she misses her daughter, now away at university, her mum, her boyfriend and little pooch, Humphrey.

“Walking my dog in the park with my boyfriend, seeing my mum and catching up with my daughter – simple pleasures are what I love most,” she said.

“I thrive on being busy and being busy makes you appreciate the simple moments more.”

Putting the finishing touches to her make-up ahead of curtain up, we returned to chatting about the enduring success of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

“It is a show that has heart, honesty and truth,” she declared, giving a smile as wide as Chitty’s wingspan. “I’m so excited by how popular it is – we have packed houses at every performance!”

The success is well deserved. The entire cast and crew work their socks off.

As for the Baroness, she’s marvelously minxy. Michelle, on the other hand, with her infectious enthusiasm, husky laugh and determination to work hard but enjoy the ride, is a delightful tonic.

For more information, visit www.chittythemusical.co.uk
Facebook: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang The Musical
Twitter: @ChittyMusical / #chittymusical

Vicky Edwards