The London Times in association with FORD Galaxy and production partner classic fm is featuring a Galaxy of Stories with famous voices reading children’s stories for you to download.

The Galaxy of Stories website is accessible in The London Times online website, Life & Style section here

Users can download new stories each week to keep the family entertained at home or in the car.

Richard reads – The Emperor’s Birthday Suit. This was the first podcast of the series. It’s approximately 27 minutes in length and features marvelous background music. It’s highly entertaining for all ages. Richard is a fantastic reader!

The Emperor’s Birthday Suit

The podcast is available to download from their site to listen to with easy instructions. After downloading, you can also burn the podcast(s) to CD to enjoy anytime.

You can also subscribe to the Galaxy of Stories podcasts.

Photo and information from the timesonline website.

SueW.

Exciting news! I just viewed the short film Always Crashing In The Same Car. Vividas is powering the movie short. Here’s what they have to say:

“Vividas powers online movie short starring Richard E Grant and Paul McGann

To celebrate the launch of their new film portal this summer HandMade Films are giving away free viewings of Always Crashing In The Same Car, a movie short starring Richard E Grant and Paul McGann. Viewers who register and encourage five friends to do the same receive a gift certificate to watch Withnail & I free when the full site launches!”

To access the short film go to www.vividas.com
Click on the link where directed or go directly to www.handmadefilmsonline.com

At the Handmade Films new website simply enter your name, e-mail address, check off the agree to terms and conditions box and watch the entire 12 minute short film!

Later this summer HandMade Films will officially launch the new website allowing users to watch classic films from the HandMade Films library including cult films such as Withnail & I, Time Bandits, The Long Good Friday and Mona Lisa, plus many more.

The new site will also bring you exclusive premieres of newly released feature films from HandMade.

To celebrate the impending launch of their site they are giving away a free viewing of Always Crashing In The Same Car. This film is currently only available to view over the internet and is the first time since Withnail & I that these two iconic actors have appeared together on screen.

The short film is unrated at this time.

After viewing, I’d say it’s an intense short film, with incredible performances by the principal actors. I, for one, am looking forward to the full launch of the HandMade Films website and their future offerings!

SueW.

Masterpiece Theatre – Miss Marple Series 3
Nemesis
Airing Sunday, July 22, 2007 on PBS
(Check local listings; dates and times may vary)

(If you miss the first airing, my local PBS station repeats the airing on Tuesday July 24, so check your local guides or your local PBS station website. The local PBS station in my area also airs the Rosemary & Thyme series and usually airs an episode of Posh Nosh right after it ends and before the Mystery series starts!)

Richard cast as Raymond West.

Photos and information gathered from PBS.

The PBS website has more on Series 3 including cast & crew, who’s who, and story synopsis and a preview of the episode (sans REG). To read more go to: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/mystery/nemesis/index.html

Additionally – Miss Marple Series 3 will become available on DVD in the USA in the fall. The approximate date is October 9, 2007.

Sue W.

REG sent me a pic of himself being interviewed by Jennifer Byrne onstage at the Sydney Opera House during the Sydney Writers’ Festival on Thursday May 31, 2007. The event was called “Richard E. Grant in conversation”, where Richard explained how, in making Wah-Wah, he had combined the two aspects of his creative life (filmmaking and writing) and used them to tell a funny and deeply moving portrait of his childhood and his love affair with Swaziland during the last throes of the British Empire.

In other news, Linda B. wrote to inform me that he Miss Marple episode, with REG, entitled “Nemesis” will be airing on American PBS channel’s “Mystery” series next Sunday, July 29th.

Thanks to both Linda & REG.

News in from Beth Jameson of the Leukaemia Research Fund…

Famous actor, director and writer Richard E. Grant has announced that he is to present a one-off concert entitled ‘Music from the Movies: An All Star Celebration’. The concert is a celebration of Patrick Doyle’s most famous movie score creations such as that from Bridget Jones’s Diary.

Taking place at the Royal Albert Hall on Sunday 28 October in aid of cancer charity Leukaemia Research, stars from all over the world will join him in introducing music from some of the greatest Patrick Doyle film soundtracks of all time such as, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire and Calendar Girls. Names confirmed so far include Dame Judi Dench, Alan Rickman, Imelda Staunton, Robbie Coltrane and Sir Derek Jacobi.

The music will be performed by the London Symphony Orchestra and the London Symphony Chorus, conducted by Dirk Brossé and will include the premiere of a violin concerto especially composed by Patrick for the evening.

Patrick Doyle was diagnosed with leukaemia in 1997 but was successfully treated and is now in remission.

Patrick Doyle said: “Being diagnosed with leukaemia was such a shock. I’m very aware that due to the ongoing research and the extraordinary work of the doctors and nurses, particularly at St George’s Hospital in Tooting, I am one of the ones that came through, and am still in remission. The only way to give everyone with blood cancer the best possible chance of survival is to improve treatments, and this can only be done with continued research.

“But research costs money – a lot of money. By organising this concert I hope that we can help Leukaemia Research continue their amazing work and bring encouragement to everyone who is diagnosed with this dreadful disease.”

Kenneth Branagh said: “When Patrick approached me about directing a concert in aid of Leukaemia Research I thought it was an excellent idea and was delighted to help. So many people are affected by blood cancers, yet relatively little is known about them. It’ll be a fantastic evening but it means nothing without an audience. We are determined to pack the Albert Hall to the rafters and at the same time raise essential money and awareness for an important, hardworking charity.”

Tickets start at £20 and are available from the Royal Albert hall box office on 020 7589 8212 or by visiting www.royalalberthall.com

For more information about the concert please visit www.patrickdoyleconcert.co.uk http://www.patrickdoyleconcert.co.uk/ or call 020 7405 0101.

Thanks Beth.