Otway The Movie premiere

What a day. John Otway’s 60th birthday present to himself, Otway The Movie, premiered at the iconic Odeon in Leicester Square yesterday lunchtime. 1500 co-producers (every ticket bought automatically qualified the purchaser to be listed as a co-producer of the film) crammed in to this famous cinema to celebrate this cinematic representation of his life. Following in the footsteps of the likes of Harry Potter, and James Bond amongst thousands other films that have been unveiled here, the great man himself thoroughly enjoyed larking about on the red carpet, even somersaulting on it for the benefit of the TV cameras and hilariously losing the contents of his pockets in the process.

Otway makes his mark on the Odeon

In yet another example of his guerrilla marketing tactics, of which he is a founding father, he subverted the ODEON sign changing it briefly to OTWAY as my picture captures before the authorities suggested it was returned to its original state. As with many premieres a number of people dressed up in formal black tie attire. I myself decided to adopt the eccentric writer persona that sits so easily on the shoulders of a successful author. Salmon pink trousers and handlebar moustache carefully waxed seemed to please some and I like to think that any abuse was light-hearted. There was a brief moment of tension when sprog 2, who was clearly too young to know, upon hearing that the nice lady decorator was wearing her classic 60’s Biba jacket exclaimed Justin Bieber?”. One laser beam look was enough.

The film itself in a documentary style was very funny and at times quite moving. I think my favourite piece was an interview with his mother about John’s first hit record in the 70’s in which she said “he hasn’t got a singing voice at all, I don’t know why they even kept him in the choir.”

Channel 4 news carried an interview and news story on their evening bulletin and more coverage was apparently likely but as I write I know of nothing else yet.

There was a short adjournment to the pub before heading down to the after show party where “The Otways”, his version of The Oscars to reward people whom had helped him through his career. My paying for his first recording in 1972 was sufficient for a nomination and I had my acceptance speech planned; thanking god, my family my friends and bursting into pre-arranged tears of emotion but sadly my speech was not required. Maybe next time.

What do you do when you have spent the whole day celebrating and the party is over, but it is only 7pm? You go to the pub of course and so a motley crew of Otway acolytes including Otway himself did so. It was a little later in the evening when sprog 2 managed to knock a full glass of red wine over that nice lady decorators yellow trousers. The only good news about this is that it was not me that was responsible.

It seemed a good time to head to china town for a bite to eat and so we happened upon the famous Wan Kei fast food joint where I explained to that nice lady decorator that the waiters were often very rude but the food is good. When they were quite polite she asked one why he was not being rude. He said they were only rude on Friday and Saturday nights. So that clear them.

And so it is all over, I have some work to do in London this morning when my activities in support of Currencies Direct will be re-invigorated after which a return to Arundel to prepare for the expedition up north.

Chris France
@Valbonne_News