Isle of Wight

[Michele Monro]

The Medina Theatre is a community based theatre which plays host to a number of entertaining and varied performances. Seating an audience of 425 the theatre hosts a large number of both local and national plays, concerts, ballets and lectures throughout the year, catering for a large cross section of the community. It is unusual in that there is no stage and the performer stands at floor level which is a great way to do a show especially as the people in the first row are just a few feet away. That makes it very intimate and matt was able to build a fantastic rapport with the crowd.

I am happy to report it was more of a crowd rather than a sprinkling and for the sake of being boring and repetitive it was fantastic and Matt received another standing ovation. I have taken the mickey out of Matt every day when he has come home and told me how fantastic the show was and me telling him - but you say that every night - best one ever etc etc! So Matt actually rang me from the theatre just after rehearsals with a prediction for that night. I expected some dire news but he laughingly said "I had the best time in rehearsals, the acoustics were fantastic and he thought it was going to be a cracker. In the meanwhile he was going to the pub with the musicians for a much needed beer!

Matt enjoyed seeing Anne & David Holden and Babs & Bob Roberts on the Backstage Tour, I hope they had a fantastic time. We did something slightly different and served them wine while they watched the band call, I think it went down well.

It was Matt's first visit to the island and he couldn't have asked for a nicer welcome. The Isle of Wight's premier disc jockey John Hannan popped into to see the show and this morning we were chuffed that someone rang into BBC Radio's Terry Wogan Show saying they were a huge fan of Matt Monro and had gone to see MM Jnr in concert. They went on to say it was fantastic and suggested that anyone listening should go and see it. (I promise you it wasn't mealthough I wished I'd thought of it!).

Matt had a line of people after the show and he still insisted on signing everyone's brochures and programmes even if it did mean he made the ferry with only FOUR minutes to spare. Actually it was a great deal with the ferry, £30.00 a car which included up to four people free of charge so it was decided to save on costs that Colin and Pam would travel over with Matt - that was great until Colin came back after the show to find his car parking charge at £20.00!!! Can you believe it.

One thing that was a shame is that we were approached by a company called 'Heaven Sent Productions Ltd' and in a nutshell they wanted to make a deal whereas they would tape the show and deliver to us a 60 minuted edited concert that we could use as merchandise in subsequent shows and they would be allowed to use it for their newly launched internet television station. Unfortunately because of a lack of communication we didn't receive the paperwork until Wednesday night and there just wasn't enough time to clear it with the musicians - this is when the musician's Union is a pain in the arse. Too many rules, regulations and 'i's to dot. We are hoping we can do it the next time we are on the island.

The show was fantastic, so were the audience, the theatre and the musicians - so what was Matt upset with when he came home. The fact that the KFC was closed and he couldn't have a Zinger, which he had his heart set on - these stars are so temperamental!!!!

[Michele Monro]

(Written to Tony Clayman's Office)

Dear Sir,
 
Many thanks for your show at the Medina Theatre, Isle of Wight, last night 5th.November. The show went with a bang and was very much appreciated by us Islanders. Matt Jnr. responded to the audience participation and applause and said although it was his first visit to the Island he hoped he would be back again.

The addition of the brass section was supurb and made a big difference from when I saw the show at the Kings Theatre at Southsea in 2006. Colin Keyes is the master with his Pupil.
 
Thanks again
 
Brian Humphryes

[ANNE & DAVID IOW]

A wonderful evening at the Medina Theatre IOW.........

Well Matts first visit to the Island proved to be a most sucessful one.
How well Matt worked the audience , It was a pleasure to see a first class entertainer go about his business..the inter-play twixt Matt and Colin was a total joy.. Our thanks to Matt , Colin , The boys in the Band and a special thanks to Pamela for looking after so well with the Back-Stage visit.

Anne & David IOW

Ps....One more special thanks to Matt from Anne for Mr Bojangles !!!!!!
Will i never learn !