I haven't posted in all of November, how truly disgusting and remiss of me!

A fair amount has been going on.

I spent Halloween night watching the National Theatre Live encore broadcast of Frankenstein starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. Brilliant piece of theatre, enthralling. I hadn't been to an NT Live broadcast before but I'd very happily go to another. I've found the whole National Theatre 50th anniversary stuff  that has been on TV and Radio incredibly interesting. When theatre/music/art are combined with history that pretty much always appeals to me. Especially if stories featuring Laurence Olivier and the like being huge luvvies and creating amazing theatre are involved.

I went to a book talk by journalist and author Jon Ronson. Jon has written a whole load of books that I've been greedily gobbling up over the last three years or so since I happened upon The Psycopath Test at a service station and something about it grabbed my attention (always judge a book by it's cover.) Jon was discussing his latest collection of stories, Lost at Sea, as well as previewing some new writing and then having a lovely Q and A session. I really enjoyed hearing Jon read extracts from his books and fill in some background to the stories. He was funny and disarmingly understated, quite a lesson in maintaining an audience's attention by being still, quiet and extremely interesting.

I also enjoyed Tartuffe at Birmingham Rep. First person on stage was Janice Connolly, a Birmingham based comedian/actor/writer/legend who I performed with a couple of times when I was a student. Good on the Rep for using some local talent!

I went along to Theatre Exchange at The Old Joint Stock in Birmingham, where my friend Nadia was taking part in a rehearsed reading of a new play. Great events these. They are moving to new, bigger venues in the new year http://theatreexchangebirmingham.com/

As for gigs there was a return visit to Gaslight Club in Leeds, and a début at the rather wonderful Crown of Lights in Heckmondwike.

I supported the superb Polly Paulusma at Ort in Birmingham. A gig that had an added feeling of loveliness as we were both celebrating our birthdays that week.

Robert Lane and Polly Paulusma

This week I'm providing music (and maybe acting and singing a bit) for Fog Horn Improv's improvised musical http://www.foghornimprov.com/

Then appearing at Ditch The TV in Coventry on Friday night (details on the "live" page)