Having been in amateur dramatics for so long I know far more drama occurs backstage as it were than ever appears on stage. Non more so than when the production dates appear over the horizon. Tempers run short and nerves run frayed.

Ah you say then why offer yourself up for such agony? Well anybody involved in amateur dramatics will tell you the positives outweigh the negatives by far and the elation experienced on play nights makes it all worth by a mile.

Understandably nerves play a large part as play nights draw near, this week we have had a cast change due to unforeseen circumstances which doesn’t help however we are always awaiting the unexpected.

Some years ago we had to postpone rehearsals for Neil Simon’s ‘The Last of the Red Hot Lovers’ as the leading lady discovered she was pregnant. This was absolutely true and funnily enough was reported in the Peterborough column of the Daily Telegraph. How they found out is still a mystery.

Had a great Halloween night at the Fir Tree pub in the Iffley Road Friday night. Decorated throughout with the old witches and warlocks theme and the landlords dressed up beyond recognition plus good beer and friends made it a real pleasure despite the place being rammed full.

Here’s an inkling of what it is to be getting on. Six of us were at the pub, the same six that were together last Saturday night when we had all agreed to go to the theatre to see a particular play. “What was the play I was going to get tickets for I enquired?” Blank looks all round. Nobody, out of six people could remember which play it was.

Is this creeping senility or what? Make the best of it, senility will be visiting someone near you soon enough.

Anyway, really good night…..Great pub……..Great beer……Good atmosphere…..All right I confess my son is one of the landlords.

Returning to our play ‘The Accrington Pals’ by Peter Whelan, tickets are bound to be in short supply so don’t forget to call Betty on 01865 820375 for yours PDQ.

Play dates 27th, 28th, 29th November.

I watched a programme last night on BBC2 about the deaths in the last minutes of the Great War and if that didn’t sum up the madness of War I don’t know what does.

Generals sending their men into battle to gain a few more yards of ground when they knew the armistice was to be signed in a few hours has got to be the ultimate obscenity. The last allied soldier to be killed was shot at 10.59am, one minute before the end of the War, how unlucky is that?

Lightening up a tad, I was pleased to see Russell Brand, who is as funny as a broken neck, and Jonathan Ross partly got their come uppance this week. Common sense wins again. Comedy? Yeah right.

Enough whingeing, little story here that happened to my cab driving mate Trevor who picked up a nun on Friday night.

She got into the cab, and noticed that Trevor wouldn’t stop staring at her.

She asked him why he was staring.

He replied: 'I have a question to ask you but I don't want to offend you.'

She answered, 'My son, you cannot offend me. When you're as old as I am and have been a nun as long as I have, you get a chance to see and hear just about everything. I'm sure that there's nothing you could say or ask that I would find offensive.'

'Well, I've always had a fantasy to have a nun kiss me.'

She responds, 'Well, let's see what we can do about that: #1, you have to be single and #2, you must be Catholic.'

Trevor was very excited and said, 'Yes, I'm single and Catholic!'

'OK' the nun said. 'Pull into the next alley.'

The nun fulfilled his fantasy with a kiss that would make a hooker blush But when they get back on the road, Trevor started crying.

'My dear child,' said the nun, 'why are you crying?'

'Forgive me but I've sinned. I lied and I must confess, I'm married and I'm Jewish.'

The nun said, 'That's OK......

My name is Kevin and I'm going to a Halloween party.'