Originally written by Otway and Paul Bradley (Eastenders, Holby City, Young Ones) it has a rich comedy history having been produced by the late great Rik Mayall. 40 years on, after supporting John Otway at a festival, Actor and Comedian Tom Johnson was given a free hand to rewrite and revive the show in his own way.
 

Both Otway and Johnson have worked closely on reviving this comedy musical originally written in 1984, with Tom keeping the spirit of irreverent and anarchic comedy well alive in his writing. 

 

After a successfully received run at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024, it is now going on tour around England…

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The story of how the play came about - and its highly unlikely return - is one worth telling when you see who else was involved. In 1977, Otway had a big hit with Cor Baby That’s Really Free, but dreams of stardom weren’t going to plan, so he turned to the stage, despite zero acting experience.  “Write a play for myself to star in and take it to the Fringe” - a classic Otway idea.

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A minor role in a production of George Orwell’s Down And Out In London And Paris led him to fellow cast member Paul Bradley, whose future roles would include Nigel Bates in Eastenders and Elliot Hope in Holby City.  Bradley twisted the arm of the late Rik Mayall to invest as producer, and Edinburgh beckoned after a week-long run in Nottingham which Otway hailed as an artistic success and financial failure.

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"I loved the idea that anyone with enough enthusiasm could find a stage and create something” he wrote.  Otway also wanted a set that could be put up and taken down in 20 minutes and came up with the off-the-wall idea of seven-foot tall pop-up book for different scenes.  It had to have everything from a bedroom to a pub bar, living room and a garden.  It too has been revived 40 years on.

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The play also features some of his own songs as it tells the story of a photo-journalist who logs his hopes and dreams in a daily diary which is then read by his flat-mates, including the girl he has a crush on.  Tom Johnson and Georgie Harriet-King, who plays Cheryl, are very engaging at the heart of this show.  James Little plays the role of aspiring poet Tristram Debris, while Alex J. Carter has two roles as flatmate and editor of the local paper involved in a never fully explained feud with a councillor.

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Otway fans will enjoy the references to the legend - the pub is called the Bunsen Burner, in honour of one of his classic songs - and anarchic game changing comedies that once conquered our screens in this production.

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And it is down to Johnson that this revival ever happened.  “After Edinburgh and a few odd outings, I thought that was it for Verbal Diary,” Otway wrote.  “I never thought for one moment I would meet someone as mad as me.”  After a meeting in a pub, Tom was given a free hand to do with it what he wanted.  “I can’t wait to see how it has turned out,” said Otway. “I hope he and his cast have as much fun and success with it as we did all those years ago.”​