Thursday, April 14, 2005

luvvie makes the world go 'round

Soundtrack: Electrelane - The Power Out


I've tried, but I just can't be a luvvie.

I had a recording session yesterday at a studio owned by an actor. I don't really use that studio because it's out in the sticks, but if that wasn't bad enough, this actor's mother seems to live there. And she's as mad as a hatter. She talks incessantly. She collared me yesterday when I went for a pissbreak, doing the whole 'oh I worked for X years and years ago.. do you know so and so? Did you see my son in his play? Oh me and Henry Kelly go way back... blah blah blah'. I finished my job, and went to leave, but not before I had to endure the whole 'Oh do come back and see us again, it would be lovely to work with you again, did I tell you my son can do this and that, blah blah blah'.

One of the actors I was using knew the owner of the studio, so they launched into the whole 'What do you have coming up? Oh I moved agencies and since then I've been in The Bill, Casualty... oh what are you working on... oh lovely, we must do drinks blah blah blah'.

It was quite an enjoyable job, I worked with some very versatile actors and enjoyed directing for once, but I just left with a throbbing head. Try as I might, I know I have no retorts, I know I have feigned interest, I know I have an uncomfortable sympathetic smile.

I just can't ham it up.


What does the verb 'to ham' mean anyway. Is it something to do with Hamlet, or gammon?

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous14:21

    Apparently it comes from American slang. The first time it seems to have been used in British English was in the 1920's. According to the OED the verb comes, bizarrely enough, from the adjective (i.e. a ham actor), which is some sort of abbreviated American slang. No mention of Hamlet, sadly.

    Mwahahaha, even without Bowlie the power of Athens and the OED strikes again ;-)

    ReplyDelete