Why Chilling Out?

I’m often (well, never, actually) asked where the name Chilling Out Theatre came from. Well the following message Ingot on Facebook messenger last week explains all:

‘Hi there Peter. I hope you don't mind me contacting you like this 'out of the blue' via Facebook, but I'm wondering if you might possibly be able to help me solve an almost 30 year mystery!  Allow me to explain....  My name is Ade ***** and many, MANY years ago  (c.1995), a school pal and I set up a film production company called ********** Pictures Ltd. We were 17 at the time and it was chiefly so that we could get ourselves invited to London Movie Premieres at Leicester Square and the like..., but as time went on and the idea of possibly having to do a 'proper job' began to scare us more and more, we started to embrace the idea of actually looking to produce something. To cut a long story short, our London PO Box would be inundated with scripts from various agencies, most of which I will confess were absolute drivel - the sort of thing the monkeys would churn out on their way to eventually typing out Shakespeare.... Anyway, there was ONE which has stuck in my head all this time and I have a vague, VAGUE feeling it was called 'Chilling Out' and it was by one Peter Briffa. Could this be you...? Having recently been made redundant after 25 years as a Drama teacher, I had some spare time on my hands, so decided to indulge in some Googling down Memory Lane.... When I came across your website, and saw the 'chillingout....' handle, it felt too much of a coincidence not to be so. I cannot remember too many of the details about the plot - it has been almost 30 years since I last saw it - but I do remember something about a guy discovering a severed head, frozen in an ice box/in a freezer. Or am I completely making this up?  I would be hugely, HUGELY indebted to you if you were able to put me out of my misery/curiosity after all this time and help put to bed my nigh-on 30-year 'Was it....?' Thank you for taking the time to indulge me here and my very, very best to you, either way. With kind regards, ***’

I replied:

‘It was actually a full body! But yes, that was mine. I had expressions of interest from three different companies, selling it to one who led me a merry dance, involving no money and endless rewrites. It is one of the scripts I intend to take another look at. But I am pretty chuffed that you actually remember it. Do come to the play if you fancy it, best, Peter’

I hope he comes.

Jonathan’s Biography

Jonathan is thrilled to play Peter Lawford as he is someone he really 'gets'.

Having had a 'tough paper round' himself, (make of that what you will), an ex addict and alcoholic now 11 years dry, he has really enjoyed bringing this extraordinary man to life.

Luckily he found a way out. Peter never did.

Jonathan now practises Nichiren Buddhism and Vipassana Meditation. He recently did his second 10 day course.110 hours of meditation. After his first he gave up alcohol.

It's powerful stuff.

He has also written a one man show about his own journey, "Peter Cook saved my life" and is also working on a movie version.

He believes you need three things in life.

A backbone

A wishbone

And most importantly 

A funny bone.

You have to be able to laugh at the dark side.

Comedy is terribly important.

Now the showbiz stuff.

TV

Eastenders, The Crown, Lost Women Spies. Hapless, Porters, My Family, Hotel Babylon

Film

Time Travel is Dangerous, In the Grip Of Terror, Bogieville, Catching A Thief, Breaking The Bank

Theatre

Until She Sleeps at the White Bear, Vodka With Stalin Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Round The Horne No 1 Tour, The Libertine in the West End, Northanger Abbey No 1 tour and Peter Cook in the successful play he co wrote, Goodbye The Afterlife of Cook and Moore.

He was in a male/ female  double act for 9 years where he played up to 20 characters a night, a Hackney Empire New Act of The Year finalist twice, and is an award winning offie nominated actor.

Enjoy the show 

Meeting Mr. Hansler

 I first met Johnny almost thirty years ago. He was in my play Night of the Fox. Since then he has been a constant player on the London Fringe scene. Not surprisingly, as he is a phenomenal talent. I don’t think I’ve ever known an actor who immersed himself in every role. Indeed, while it was writing the play I realised Johnny had to get first dibs at playing the guy, I didn’t write it for him exactly, but I knew he’d be ideal for it. He recently posted on Facebook a list of some of the famous/notorious people he has played.

“So in no particular order

Kenneth Baker

Stalin

Hitler

Gene Roddenberry 

Oscar Wilde

Peter Cook

Paul Foot

Josef Mengele

Peter Mandelson

George Harrison

Brian Mathew

Jack Good

Bill Pertwee

Hugh Paddick

John Cleese

George Sanders

Montaigne

Groucho Marx

Shakespeare

And next and perhaps most interestingly 

Peter Lawford”

He might be right.

Jonathan Hansler

 

It Started With a Tweet

On November 20th 2023 Beatles biographer Ray Connolly tweeted:

“Looking forward to seeing May Pang's version of John Lennon's Lost Weekend. Nice lady.  She once showed me a bedroom in Peter Lawford's former home where she and John were living, and where Bobby Kennedy & Marilyn Monroe had once enjoyed each other”.

This got me thinking. I’d always like writing plays that use only one set. And a small cast. And famous people.

How about a five hander, with RFK and MM in the first act? Then, ten or more years later, it’s Lennon and Pang with Peter Lawford popping in and out. Maybe have the ghosts of the first two dropping in too, and maybe a fantasy scene where Lennon and MM not only survive but have an affair. Maybe end in 1985, with Lennon wondering whether to accept an invite to reform the Beatles and play Live Aid.

That sort of thing.

I even wrote a few lines. I researched RFK and the others, watched the May Pang documentary. The last person I looked at was Lawford, about whom I knew nothing. Quite honestly, I’m not sure I actually knew who he even was. So I ordered a second hand copy of his only biography, and waited for it to arrive.

Once I read it, I knew. This was the guy. What a story! And how come only one biography? Marilyn must have had dozens. Same with Lennon. And RFK. But Lawford? Married the President’s sister, last man to speak to Marilyn before she died. Multimarried. Alcoholic, survivor of child sexual abuse. And, in my opinion, a brilliant actor, who seldom got the roles he deserved. The more I researched him, the more I wanted to do a one person show. 

I even knew the actor I wanted.

Pic 11

Pic 10