Opening the Door

I’m interested in politics and books and theatre. And in walking; in hillforts and henges; in music and poetry; in art, architecture, environment and history.

I became directly involved in politics 30 years ago, when someone knocked on my door during an election campaign, and I offered to help them. I’ve been a borough councillor (13 years), county councillor (4 years), stood for Westminster 3 times, and been Mayor of Worthing (at the time I was the youngest ever, although I was superseded later). I’ve been in two political parties: the Liberal Democrats and the Green Party. Although I’m not on the front line any more, I’m still interested and engaged.

I’ve been a reader all my life. I have just shy of 3000 books (at some point I’ll post a bit about my library at home), but have probably read 5000. I average reading 80-100 books a year. My primary area of interest is speculative fiction (fantasy and science fiction), but I read whatever interests me. Currently that’s Red Star (Simon Kewin; space opera); the Poems of William Blake; and Penguin Critical Studies on Troilus & Cressida.

That brings me on to theatre: I first acted, somewhat by accident, in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream. in 1986. Since then, I’ve done more than half of the Shakespeare Canon, and ventured into other classic drama like Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Bernard Shaw, as well as Discworld and Doctor Who stage plays and a hilarious Flash Gordon pastiche called Crash Morgan.

Other areas of interest will be expanded on, probably.

I live in Worthing, in West Sussex, with my wife, two children, and dog.