Busy Recording Week

 Hi Swantv Viewer

It has been a very busy week here at SwanTV. 

Sunday saw us at the rehearsals for Kipps, the Musical Theatre production that will be live at the Taliensin Theatre on the Swansea University, Singleton campus. This is being produced by the Cockett Amateur Operatic Society and is a far cry from the original Gilbert & Sullivan productions that they first produced. It was a vibrant lively morning with a very enthusiastic cast and we filmed some song and dance clips and short interviews. Live theatre died over the COVID pandemic when we all isolated and probably watched too much TV. 

It's time to get back into live theatre. It will support the theatres remaining open, it will support full-time actors, writers directors and producers, costume and set makers and all of those wonderfully talented people amateurs who want to perform on stage to make you laugh, cry and experience a full range of emotions. If you've not been to a live theatre show then I would highly recommend you give it a try. It can't be compared to a TV production of a show, like you can't really compare watching a sports match on TV or at the stadium, you don't quite get the excitement and thrill sitting on a sofa watching a screen.

Kipps is a re-write of the musical Half a Sixpence, which was on the London West End Stage in the early sixties. I guess younger viewers may not even know Tommy Steele but I remember seeing the show at the Cambridge theatre. And that musical was based on the book Kipps by H. G. Wells 150 years ago. He wrote War of the Worlds and The Time Machine, both which have been made into films and on TV. 

Monday evening we were at Matthew House in the High Street, the Church opposite the railways station to record the choir. The choir is a real mix of singers from all backgrounds who enjoy being together socially and also singing as a group. If you would like to try a session or join up then drop by the church where there will be someone to give you details and welcome you. 

Tuesday came around, St Valentine's Day and we met Capt Beany from Port Talbot in his colourful orange suit, tie and shoes. He shouted his way along the railway station platform and into town where he greeted people and presented them with orange roses. He certainly brightened up the day for some shoppers. Watch out for Capt Beany in future as he becomes a regular on SwanTV.

After a busy morning following Capt Beany it was time to walk to the Golden Bridge over Oystermouth Road where I met Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council. We went into the Arena and had a conversation in the auditorium about the regeneration of the city and the new projects recently completed or currently being build. The interview will be on the SwanTV website very soon. Watch out for it. And any comments will be welcome. I do think that Swansea has dramatically changed for the better in recent years and is a good place to live. You can be on the beach or in the countryside within 10 minutes from the city centre.

Wednesday started early preparing the studio where we were recording our first chat show. Our line up included Paul Evans the Safety Co-oprdination Officer for Swansea Council talking about how safe the city is now, in fact one of the safest cities in the UK. He spoke about the Purple Flag that Swansea achieved in previous years and which is up for re-assessment later this month. Later on Wednesday we filmed in Wind Street as you will read later.

Also on the show we had Capt Beany talking about his Valentine Day esacapade which will be included in the programme. He told us about the Eccentric Club in London and his award. He certainly is eccentric and this has probably helped him as he has constantly raised money for different charities around the area. 

And Finally we had cast members and the Assistant Director and Choreographer, Julie Hemmings, from Kipps the musical who talked anout their experiences and how the show is being prepared. We were fortunate in having Ashton Williams who plays Kipps, Natalie Edwards who plays Ann Pornick and Suzy Hambridge playing Helen Walsingham.   

I feel the show was a success and we are now editing it ready to be on the website in a day or two. This is our pilot show and I expected there to be some clitches but I feel you will find it a most enjoyable programme. We are looking for a name for the show that connects Swansea and a chat show. If you have an idea please send to ask@swantv.com.

Wendnesday Evening saw s in Wind Street talking to representatives of various agencies and groups who are concerned in making the night economy welcoming and safe, including doormen, taxi marshalls, the police, St Johns Ambulance, Bid, the landlords forum, rangers and the CCTV operators. All explaining what they do to make an evening in Swansea enjoyable and trouble free. Watch out for this film, soon on our SwanTV site.

And that rounds up the filming we have done. There were several hours work and now the editing is being carried out, and this is time consuming. So please bear with us for all of these programmes to be aired.

Thanks for reading this post. Keep watch SwnTV and do tell your friends. The app is available and is "swantv" one word. THis gives you the best smartphone experience and it is free.

 Regards

 

Mike Leahy, Direcor Swantv

NHS Experiences

 Hi SwanTV Viewer

I told you about my 3 NHS appointments I had last week. So at the weekend I wore a heart monitor to see if I still neded a heart pacemaker. I returned it about 9.30 on Monday and within an hour a hospital doctor called me and asked me to come to hospital immediately and check in a A&E which I did. There were three ambulances outside with patients inside., I booked into the reception annd explained I had been called by the Cardiac Dept. I had bloods taken within about 20 minutes and then waited an hour before being taken into a side room where an ECG was carried out. The nurse explained that they were waiting for a bed but within 30 minutes I was pushed in a chair the the CCU Department and allocated a bed. 

Nurses checked me and I was given several more tests. THe Department was busy with pacemaker fittings and each day they said they would try and fit me in. I was still waiting on Friday but they had me on the list for this afternoon. The blow fell! My temperature had risen more and I had a chest infection, so no pacemaker. And of course, being Friday no surgery until Monday. I just hoped I recover sufficiently by then. I wasn't clear of this infection despite a course of antibiotics until Wednesday. I had a light lunch, expecting to be called the next day but luck was on my side and I was wheeled into the lab during the afternoon. The small operation was successful and I was kept in overnight and checked out by the doctor next day. Now I am home and apart from having to take it easy for a week, not drive for a month and not do any violent activities for 6 weeks (Oh no! I was planning bungy jumping this week!!) I hope I shall be super fit again.

Meawhile I cannot sing the praises of the staff loud enough. On the first ward there were 4 nurses to 8 patients, high dependancy but I moved on Wednesday to a regular ward and there were two nurses on duty on each shift. They were so willing and nothing is too much trouble. During the whole two weeks the nurses are constantly cheerful and working. I didn't realise, or

had forgotten just how much they do during a shift. There were several student nurses on the ward and they were all given responsibilities under watchful eyes of the nurses and instructed on the practical work managing patients. 

I was particularly impressed by 3 events. One nurse in particular spent extra time and patience with the students explaining not just how by why procedures were carried out: secondly by a doctor who also spend at least an hour on the ward just talking to undergraduate doctors, explaining and answering questions, despite obviously being on a busy schedule: and thirdly a student nurse who had been on the ward the previous day but was in a different area. She went out of here way to come into the ward and talked to each patient for at least a couple of minutes in a really personal way, showing real interest in each of us. I saw it was going the extra mile that makes a good nurse or doctor. 

Time now for the Welsh Assembly to sort out the pay disputes and a plan to make the NHS work again. Nursing was just a vocation, now it's a profession, not charity workers.

I watched The Apprentice a couple of times and feel this is sadly dated and repetitive. Same Wannabys, just more exotic destinations. But I don't think that cuts it. Same cringing

comments by the fired candidate as they leave. Same projects. Same format during the final choice of which of the three to fire. And all the candidates look like they came from the same mould. And finally we see the early morning call "The cars will be outside in 20 minutes" and they all appear impeccably dressed, hair and make-up a shade to perfect. If these are selected as the best of the bunch I hate to think what the rest are like. Time for a shake-up? What do you think?

If you want to present your own show on SwanTV let us know your idea and we'll see if it fits in with our plans. We are interested in crafts, gardening, cooking, comedy, music, sport.

Meanwhile good viewing

regards

Mike Leahy