November 2016 - The Diary

My busiest month of the year thus far began with a cameo appearance in Douglas King's SUPER NOVEMBER low-budget Feature Film in which I play a crazed soldier. Great fun and lovely cast and crew and nice to finally work with Douglas, who I play football with in the Scotland Writers FC.

Then flew to London the same day for another brilliant COLOPLAST UK live event at the rather lovely Melia White House Hotel with another bunch of lovely actors and another really nice job. Then back to Scotland for more RPM gigs in Glasgow and Livingston to complete another contract as the infamous rum-swigging buccaneer, Sir Henry Morgan.

Back again to London for a final day's further filming on Simon Baker's 90 MINUTES in Hackney and lovely teaming up with the cast and crew on this, including Vauxhall Jermaine and Anton Saunders. With the trailer already having topped 90,000 views some additional footage was bound to be needed! Back in the car from the set and straight back to Glasgow for the start of rehearsals for

Glasgow Arts ALADDIN at Barmulloch Community Centre. Our wonderful cast includes Storm Styler McLure, Andrew Fraser, Maureen Carr and George Docherty, directed by Bill Wright. Two intensive weeks of script, dance & music rehearsals followed as I geared-up to play the Evil Abanazer once again! Here's a lovely shot of me & Widow Twanky, Mr George Docherty...!

Following on from rehearsals it was once again into COPS & MONSTERS mode for filming of our Christmas Special episode, penned by the 'Landgirls' creator Roland Moore and lovely to work with more excellent guest stars such as Jo Harte on this shoot in Stenhousemuir on a cold winter's afternoon! And lovely to have a whole episode devoted to my character 'Norris' as well. Here's me

and Jo Harte in action in 'Astrid's Secret', out during december 2016! Then back to Barmulloch and the start of our Glasgow tour of ALADDIN. Cue much hilarity and hard work but such fun with this wonderful cast and creatives and here's my 'Evil Abanazer' 1940's spiv costume below!! We opened

with 2 lovely sold out gigs at Barmulloch Community Centre, followed by a rather special gig at The Lodging House in the Barrowlands the next day and now the show has truly hit the road! Loving every second of this job!! And so concludes a mad busy, but hugely enjoyable and varied month!

And here is our touring panto schedule...!!! Come along folks, it's a brilliant show...!

Glasgow Arts' touring pantomime is returning to community venues across the city from 29 November - 17 December 2016. This year, we're telling the traditional tale of Aladdin, with a unique Glasgow twist.

Tickets are just £3/£2 concessions.

 

In a market in downtown Glasgow, meet Aladdin, who lives with his wacky washer-woman mum, Widow Twanky. On the other side of town, Princess Jasmine has been kept in the Palace all her life and is desperate to get away. When she disguises herself and escapes, their paths cross, and they embark on a fantastic journey together.

 

Find out if the magic of the Genie will help them outwit Evil Abanazer, in a family show full of laughter, music and granted wishes!

TOUR SCHEDULE - Contact The Venue To Book:

Barmulloch Community Centre

Tue 29 Nov 29, 1.30pm & 6.30pm

46 Wallacewell Quadrant  G21 3PX | 0141 276 0875  

 

Lodging House Mission

Wed 30 Nov, 1.30pm

5 E Campbell Street  G1 5DT | 0141 552 0285

 

Townhead Village Hall

Thu 1 Dec, 6.30pm

60 St Mungo Avenue  G4 0PL | 0141 212 0046

 

Penilee Community Centre

Fri 2 Dec, 1pm & 7pm  

10 Gleddoch Road  G52 4BD | 0141 882 3309

 

Barrowfield Community Centre

Sat 3 Dec, 2.30pm

67 Yate Street  G31 4AQ | 0141 550 0036  

 

Barlanark Community Centre

Tue 6 Dec, 1.30pm & 6.30pm  

3 Burnmouth Road  G33 4RZ | 0141 773 1812  

 

Netherton Community Centre

Wed 7 Dec, 1.30pm & 7pm  

358 Netherton Road  G13 1AX | 0141 954 4250  

 

Geoff Shaw Community Centre

Thu 8 Dec, 6pm

25 Kerrylamont Avenue  G42 0DN | 0141 647 0969  

 

Bellcraig Community Centre

Fri 9 Dec, 6.30pm  

10 Gorstan Street  G23 5QA | 0141 945 2710  

 

Drumchapel Community Centre

Sat 10 Dec, 6.30pm

320 Kinfauns Drive  G15 7HA | 0141 276 0560

 

Darnley Community Centre

Tue 13 Dec, 6pm

10 Glen Livet Place  G53 7LA | 0141 620 1120

 

Possilpoint Community Centre

Wed 14 Dec, 1.30pm & 7pm  

130 Denmark Street  G22 5LQ | 0141 336 4057

 

Pollok Community Centre

Thu 15 Dec, 2pm & 7pm

134 Langton Road  G53 5DP | 0141 882 5869

 

Castlemilk Community Centre

Fri 16 Dec, 1pm & 7pm  

121 Castlemilk Drive  G45 9UG | 0141 634 2233

 

Shettleston Community Centre

Sat 17 Dec, 2.30pm

54 Amulree Street  G32 7UT | 0141 764 1165

 

 

Aladdin: A traditional Glasgow Panto is written by John Binnie
Directed by Bill Wright | Designed by Brian Hartley

• Follow Glasgow Arts on Facebook

October 2016 - The Diary

Back refreshed and sun-kissed from holiday and straight back into it with a lovely shoot in Edinburgh on ABOUT TIME, a new web series currently in development. Great concept and we filmed in the stunning The Canny Man's bar in Morningside. Nice teaming up with Daniel Campbell in this pilot episode as we were recently cast-mates in ITV drama MUNCIE, which airs in December 2016.

Photo below of director Ross Scott, Producer Gabriel Costa and my co-star Daniel Campbell and my good self as we wrapped for the day on ABOUT TIME. Then back to a cold but sunny Glasgow for more self-tape auditions and the dreaded tax return! Then time again for another 48 Hour Film Festival in Glasgow and lovely to team up once again with Jack Willison, director and his team from last year to shoot the 'sequel' to our entry last year LAUDERETTE.

A long day's shoot but great fun despite awful weather! But really pleased with our short film which was then screened on the wednesday night at the GFT and lovely to see it on the big screen. Our film, POCKETS can now be viewed here: POCKETS - 48 Hour Film Challenge by Drop Shack Films. POCKETS

Although we did not win any prizes on the night Drop Shack Films will be submitting the film to other festivals and personally I was delighted with the results. Amazing what can be done in 2 days! And this was the first sequel in the Glasgow Festival's history and my 6th festival in a row! Roll on 2017.

Another busy and hectic campaign for a certain famous rum brand began mid month with live events all over Scotland once again, so it was back into touring mode and really well received gigs in Fubar, Stirling. Then off to shows in Hush and 30 & Sugar in Coatbridge which were also really fun and the staff, DJs and crowd were on top form! (Photos courtesy of Fubar). I have now been playing this wonderful pirate character for two years and love working with this great, professional team and visiting so many wonderful venues, so long may it continue!

And just when I thought I'd missed the opportunity for a Christmas show, I am delighted to announce that I will be once again playing the evil Abanazzer in Glasgow Art's ALADDIN, which is touring 17 community venues in december, with a great cast and crew. Again, huge thanks to my former agent Daniel Tasker and director Bill Wright for casting me in this exciting and fun-filled production. More details and tour dates still to come, so will post as I get them! Looking forward to playing this part as the last time was in 2000/2001 in Dunfermline's lovely Carnegie Hall with Take Two Productions.

Back into 'pirate mode' for more fun gigs at Glasgow's Shimmy Niteclub, followed by Dundee and Dunfermline. Delighted also to announce that I have joined Patrick Hambleton Management as my sole representation. All enquiries to Carolyn Cutler.

Also this month I caught up with my old pal Marc Pye to discuss a couple of movie scripts and took on the Associate Producer role in an upcoming feature film based on the book DRESSERS and had a fascinating and fun first meeting with the guys behind the story in Motherwell, pictured above!

September 2016 - The Diary

September continued in a similar vein with more auditions for commercials in London. Delighted to report though that my last trip proved successful with an offer to play Stanley in new football tv drama OFFSIDE with The Colour Network and looking forward to working with this fine cast below!

Off to Saltire Radio for an interview about webseries COPS AND MONSTERS with the lovely Kevin Hall. You can give it a listen here: Simon Weir On Saltire Radio . Delighted also to report that this online drama series has now won the 'Best Web Series Award' at The Los Angeles Film Awards !!

Spurred on by this success we recorded another episode this month and nice to work with the familiar team and cast on this, my 20th collaboration with director Fraser Coull. News also that there is to be a Christmas Special episode featuring my character Norris Fletcher in the works and a crowd - funding campaign will begin next month.

Again it was another quick and fun shoot in Govan, followed by another Podcast recording of THE SECOND SET playing a wide variety of characters and dodgy accents! Training then began for another series of RPM gigs around the country before finishing off an industrious month with more auditions and shot a showreel scene for actor Mark Barrett, my CLEEK & DON ALFONSO CHADWICK co-star, shot in Glasgow City Centre.

I attended the much awaited screening of Jay Spence's short film MIRIAM at a packed out Glasgow Film Theatre. I play a Defence QC in this film, directed by the brilliant Luke Aherne and was delighted with my scene which opens the film. Really classy piece of work this and looking forward to watching it's progress in the festival circuit in coming months. Huge congratulations to all involved. Photo of us onstage at the Q&A courtesy of Chris Quick and Jay Spence.

Then off to London again for a COLOPLAST UK roleplay and stay at the beautiful Cavendish Hotel and another fun and successful gig the following day. Flew back to Glasgow immediately after just in time to catch the Press Night of Irvine Welsh's TRAINSPOTTING revival at The Citizens Theatre, courtesy of Mark Barrett and nice to catch up with some familiar faces again.

This wrapped up a busy month and time for a holiday, so popped off to Greece for a well-deserved break and much-needed sunshine...! Been over 3 years and 120 jobs since I've been away, so I think I needed it!

And there's nothing quite like riding horses into the sea, now is there...? See you next month!

Biography

Award-winning Scottish actor Simon Weir is best known for playing series regular Paul Lafferty in STV's HIGH ROAD from 1995 - 2003 and as Graham MacLaverty in BBC Scotland's RIVER CITY. Other notable television appearances include MONARCH OF THE GLEN, HOPE SPRINGS, TAGGART, CASE HISTORIES and WATERLOO ROAD. His film work includes playing Tambo in Irvine Welsh's THE ACID HOUSE, as well as POSTMORTEM with Charlie Sheen, FAST ROMANCE, A SPANKING IN PARADISE and THE FOOTBALL FACTORY. He has over 50 short films under his belt and wrote & directed GET SHIRTY for the Virgin Media Awards. He will next be on our screens as Charlie Tallis in the hotly-anticipated MUNCIE in December 2016.

August 2016 - The Diary

A lovely start to August with a brilliant day's filming on MUNCIE with World Productions and filmed in the old Victoria Infirmary in Glasgow's southside. Great to finally work with Martin Compston as we  were previously team mates in the 2008 Scotland v England Pro-Celeb game at Wembley. Lots of familiar faces on the crew and a brilliant cast, directed by "Line Of Duty's John Strickland.

Interestingly our costumes were used previously in PORRIDGE and were authentic to the period. Again really pleased to be a part of this show and to be playing another real-life character, that of Charlie Tallis, a well-known villain in Scotland's underworld in the 1950s. He has been a rather fascinating figure to research of late and featured heavily in the Peter Manuel trial in May 1958.

Other 'real' characters I have been fortunate to play in my career have included James Stewart (Earl Of Moray), Alan Breck Stewart, Sir Henry Morgan, Benjamin Pritchard, Albert Morrison, Rev Jenks, Unterscharführer Hans Fleischer, William Wallace and Andrew Carnegie and it is a part of the job I love, investigating these people's lives and trying to morph myself into them as best I can. And there is always an added responsibility to get it right!

Next it was back to radio work and voice overs for Borders Radio and Westsound for THOMPSON SOLICITORS. Another couple of self-tape auditions for television and an audition for another web-series in London. Delighted also this month to get more headshots done by the lovely Sonja Blietschau in sunny Falkirk at the excellent Studio Q.

Back on the audition trail again with self - tapes for 2 US television series and a trip to London to audition for a football - themed tv pilot and now the waiting game begins! More voice-overs for radio commercials followed, sealing an industrious month!

July 2016 - The Diary

Bright start to July with another couple of self-tape auditions for two really exciting projects, followed by a trip to Perth and another fun PETER VARDY corporate appearance as 'Fun-Time Freddie', then back to Glasgow and then to Leeds for our final COLOPLAST UK event of this run.

Pleased to return to the character of Norris Fletcher in COPS AND MONSTERS webseries this month and great fun working with our new cast members, Rachel Teate (Wolfblood) and James Payton (Harry Potter) and our familiar crew from previous episodes.

Recorded a second episode of podcast THE SECOND SET in Glasgow, before sitting in on the edit of feature film CLEEK as it was cut this month with Mark Barrett and director Gary Hewitt. Release now looking more like 2017 for this one!

More voice -overs at Radio Clyde for THE SCOTTISH SHEEPDOG TRIALS, PAUL LAWRIE MATCHPLAY, KILMARNOCK FC and a series of ads for WE LEASE ANY CAR rounded off another productive and fun month and nice to catch up with fellow ACID HOUSE cast mate, Ewan
Bremner this month in Edinburgh, pictured above!

June 2016 - The Diary

Back to 'pirate' duty with Captain Morgan gigs in Durham's Love Shack followed by another day's Feature Film work and yet more RPM live gigs in Uddingston, Wishaw and Dumfries and delighted to have completed another really successful contract and already looking forward to renewing it in September. Great team, Event Manager and venues this year and a real pleasure donning the pirate costume once again on this tour of bars and nightclubs in Scotland and the North East of England.

Delighted to see the first full cut of last year's Feature Film, CLEEK at The Grosvenor Cinema, Glasgow and to meet up with the cast and crew again. Then it was back on the train and another great COLOPLAST UK event in Cardiff again with the usual gang and then back into the gym to train hard for my upcoming television role as Charlie Tallis in MUNCIE, shooting this month in Glasgow.

This 3 part drama for ITV follows the story of Scotland's first reported serial killer, Peter Manuel and the policeman who eventually caught him and starts Martin Compston and Douglas Henshall amongst other fantastic actors in a really top drawer cast, so priviledged to be a part of it and a huge thank you to Danny Jackson for casting me. As 'Charlie' was a real character I am now in the period of research

into his life and crimes, which is for me the really interesting and fun part of landing a new role. Looking forward to working with this team, who were behind the excellent 'Line Of Duty' recently. Short film, FANATIC, in which I play Alistair Dunbar Mills has been screened to great success at SeriesFest in Denver and director Duncan Airlie James is currently still in The States in talks about

the future of this superbly-crafted potential television series. We also managed to garner more local press with great coverage in The National newspaper in Scotland. It is so nice to be able to sit back and enjoy the work I put in last year now coming to fruition and finding it's audience. Really proud of FANATIC and wish it all the very best in these crucial next few months.

Back to Radio Clyde for more voice over work before heading to London and a brilliant double header of COLOPLAST UK gigs at the Holiday Inn, Regents Park over two days with the usual cast and film crew and the end of another corporate contract for me. Hopefully we will be going again in september, but really enjoyed these last 8 roleplay sessions all over the United Kingdom.

I managed to catch up with the KIDNAPPED cast in Soho and bumped into my old pal Andy Stanson and much fun had by all in The Coach & Horses! Even squeezed in an interview on the EU Referendum with Cara, a German journalist filming a documentary on how Britain was to vote! Sadly this vote did NOT go as we hoped...!

Train back to Glasgow and managed to book some more corporate work for July as well as another game for the Scotland Writers Fc against the Comic Creators in Glasgow. In monsoon conditions we played really well, running out 18-1 victors, narrowly avoiding a mauling from 2 Weedgie dogs that ran on to the pitch and burst a ball! Great fun and the Scot Comics lads took their defeat well, in this their first match. Great to meet up with my old pal David Lumsden from 'A Spanking In Paradise' again!

Rounded off this fabulous month's work with a recording of THE SECOND SET comedy podcast in Glasgow with another talented cast and already looking forward to Episode 2 recording next month.

Latest Film News...

Just thought I'd update you on the film projects I have worked on this past 12 months, starting with Gary Hewitt's CLEEK. The first edit of this feature is now complete and will be due out later this year. From the rough cut I saw it is looking and sounding really good and features a great central performance from me olde pal, Mark Barrett as 'Jacob'.

Graham Drysdale's Feature Film WIGILIA is also going through the last stages of an edit and should also be ready for release late 2016. THE BOLANDER GREEN SOCIETY, directed by Andy Sherlow was screened this month in Glasgow and now is prepped and ready to tour the film festivals around the world.

Short Film FANATIC directed by Luke Aherne will be screened at SERIESFEST in Denver from June 22-26th 2016 and again will be hitting the festival circuit, with a view to producing more episodes in the future.

Luke's next film, MIRIAM is currently being edited as is Vito Milazzo's short BIG JOE and both will be released this year. The pilot episode of EDINBURGH BLUE is currently still filming in Edinburgh and be going to interested broadcasters later this summer.

Douglas Sannachan, pictured above, is finalising the last shoot days on his debut feature film STARCACHE and I am looking forward to doing my final scenes on this brilliant and clever picture later in July. The first rough cut is already assembled and Dougie is delighted with it so far!

Principal photography is also now completed on Simon Baker's second feature, 90 MINUTES and is being crafted together at the moment, but may require some more pick-up scenes later in the year. The film is due out in March 2017.

So, in summary, including another feature I am currently working on, I have a full slate of 10 feature and short films due to be released in the next year and delighted that you will get to finally see the fruits of my labours over the past year! Will keep you posted on all future developments on this blog...

May 2016 - The Diary

Completed filming duties on Simon Baker's 90 MINUTES with more improvised scenes with a superb cast and crew and had free reign to really go for it in some memorable exchanges with top actors, all of whom are well-versed in this method, having worked with Simon on his previous film, NIGHT BUS.

I loved every second of this experience and made some great new friends in the cast and crew and already missing them! Returned from Hackney bruised and battered but proud of the work I had done and looking forward to it's release in March or April of next year.

And managed to catch up with my old KIDNAPPED mates Jamie Laird & Stewart McCheyne in Bethnal Green for a laugh and much reminiscing about our touring escapades around the UK in 2014. Just the pick-me-up I needed after a long coach journey down to London from Glasgow!!

Then back on the happy bus to Glasgow, my 43rd birthday and a screening of THE BOLANDER GREEN SOCIETY feature film at The Glad Cafe, Shawlands. Great fun and delighted with the movie and nice to meet up with the rest of the cast and crew. The film will be touring festivals later in the year.

I was then invited onto BBC 5Live to chat with presenter Adrian Chiles about Cathkin Park and my great grandfather John Weir's time at Third Lanark and lovely to catch up with old friends at BBC Scotland after many years! Rehearsals followed for a new Feature Film and then back to 'pirate mode'

and more brilliant CAPTAIN MORGAN gigs in Dundee and Glasgow with my usual glamorous crew and another successful series of live appearances, before heading down to the Hilton Hotel in Sheffield for another COLOPLAST UK corporate roleplay event, which was again great fun and worthwhile.

Train back to Glasgow and another audition, followed by more CAPTAIN MORGAN live events and then started on TV pilot EDINBURGH BLUE with a great cast and crew, headed up by my co-star from COPS & MONSTERS, Chris Bain. I play the mercurial Sgt McKinnon and great fun on this job!

Landed another role in an upcoming tv series, more of which later and ended a brilliant month with an exciting shoot on another Feature Film....all will be revealed in the near future!! Finally bowed to pressure and started my own Official Facebook Page which you can check out here Simon Weir Facebook Official Page

Shooting EDINBURGH BLUE, this photo is courtesy of director Chris Bain. So in conclusion, another fab month of interesting and exciting work and huge thanks to my agent, Daniel Tasker at  Billboard Personal Management for landing me two great roles in fantastic productions this month.