Daniel Jones Diary

The Crab, the Fox and the Canterville Jesus

Alice and the Crab

A long, long time ago, in a place far, far away, I used to go on holiday to a town called Prestatyn in Wales. It was in Prestatyn that I managed to catch crabs. Oh what a joy it was, climbing around the rocky mounds while looking for a vicious monster that would bite my head off – if it could. I was as scared of crabs as I am of spiders, and yet on those windy holidays I was forced to venture with my Uncle Terry and face my fears head on.

My Uncle Terry showing off his crab skills. Photo © Daniel Jones

Despite trying to be brave I was rubbish, while my Uncle on the other hand was a crab master. Of course, I never thought any of these experiences would help me in later life, as fishing wasn’t an interest of mine, and I had no intention of having anything to do with crabs as soon as I became a free man. But, twenty years later, English National Ballet announced they were to do a new production of Alice in Wonderland, and the casting revealed that my role in the show would be that most famous of Lewis Carroll characters – the crab.
The crab?

Me, showing off my crab skills. Photo © Daniel Jones

Come and see English National Ballet at the Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff from April 17-21 and you’ll see. I did my research years ago and didn’t even realise how useful crabbing would turn out to be. May I take this opportunity to say thank you to Sue Blane – the designer of Alice in Wonderland - for making my claws not too uncomfortable and my head not too heavy. Thank you.

Christmas Punch

Christmas is a time of Nutcracker, it’s a time of celebration, it’s a time of giving, but it’s also become a time of drunkenness and violence. For the last twenty two years I have had the pleasure of performing a Christmas ballet in central London, and while central London has a way of attracting people to feel the Christmas spirit, there seems to be more people every year that turn up to just get Christmas drunk. This does appear to lead to more random acts of violence and this year, I had the bad fortune to bump into a group of Christmas drunks. These intoxicated thugs saw me as a human punch bag, which I was obliged to go along with. And so, on December 22nd, I got bashed by bashers. I would have been fine had I not have gone over my ankle while I tried to remain standing. And so, for the last few weeks I’ve been in recovery and I can’t wait to get back on stage.

The Canterville Jesus

In February and March I will be performing The Canterville Ghost in High Wycombe, Stoke on Trent, and Sadler’s Wells. A horror comedy ballet with words.
Canterville Ghost has been a pleasurable experience ever since I discovered I was to play the house butler called Lane, and a mummified robotic zombie. I have a lot of respect and admiration for William Tuckett, the choreographer, who has a wonderfully animated way to show a dancer a step. He doesn’t just describe the steps that he wants, he also morphs the movement with his face. Somehow it works and it becomes easy to know what he wants by watching his eyes roll, his mouth twist and his chin sprout.
I also have very fond memories from when I was in a production of Jesus Christ Superstar at the Royal Ballet School. William played the part of Jesus and I find it difficult to look at him without remembering him bite into those blood capsules in the final moments of the show, while he screamed ‘It is finished!’. He was an intense Jesus.

A Foxy week

Following the Christmas season I had a free week. Instead of flying off to some desert island for sun and surf, I decided to try something different. And so, on a Monday morning, I settled down at my own desk in the development department of Fox Television studios. It was an amazing week and I got to work with a fabulous team of creative individuals who made my week an absolute pleasure. The time flew by as I listened, researched and gave input to some incredibly exciting TV projects. It was an eye opener and now I have absolutely massive eyes.

Now I can see everything. Photo © Daniel Jones

A Musical Tribute

2007 is a special year for my family. It is the 30th anniversary of my mother’s dancing school – The Marilyn Jones Dance Centre in Newcastle-under-Lyme. To celebrate I am producing a mini musical called Showtime ’77, which will be the final part of the school’s annual show. From June 27-30, there will be four performances at the Mitchell Memorial theatre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent which was the first theatre I ever performed in. I even experienced my first kiss backstage and I’ve never forgotten that moment when I was jumped on by a girl who was four years older than me. Shocking.

Daniel Jones and Janine Pottage living the childhood dancing dream. Photo © Daniel Jones

I’ve already started writing and rehearsing and so far it’s going great although there is a long way to go. I’m working on the music with my long-term music writing partner, Jonathan Still. I’ve also managed to get Murray Gould involved who I recently saw supporting The Who at Bristol football stadium. It’s a great project to be involved in.

Jonathan Still and Murray Gould in the middle of a musical moment. Photo © Daniel Jones

As that successful burger/salad/milkshake take away restaurant once said - I’m loving it.

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