Funny old world

Yesterday I attended the presentation of the Sheridan Morley Prize for the best theatre biography. On this year's short list was Arthur Miller by Christopher Bigsby, Bloomsbury Ballerina by Judith Mackrell, a biography of the ballerina Lydia Lopokova, Apprenticeship by Peter Gill, based on his diary of his early years with the Royal Shakespeare Company, and A Strange Eventful History by Michael Holroyd, about the lives of the actors Ellen Terry and Henry Irving. As I've long been an admirer of Michael Holroyd, I was delighted he was the unanimous choice with the judges Ruth Leon, actress Patricia Hodge, last year's winner Dominic Dromgoole and publisher and literary agent, Christopher Sinclair-Stevenson. Among the guests at the Garrick Club was one of the barristers who cross-examined me during my trial. It was rather strange to have a friendly chat with him...and he also appeared to be a fan of my books. Funny old world. Could it only happen in England?

I went on to Charles Hendry's fiftieth birthday party. Charles is Conservative front bench spokesman for energy and a man who has been steeped in politics since the age of 15 - as William Hague reminded us in his witty, off-the-cuff speech when proposing Charles's health. I much enjoyed his remark that Charles had joined him as a researcher when he was leader of the Tory Party. "How about that for loyalty," Hague remarked, "not many people join the Titanic after it's hit the iceberg." It was nice to see Frank Field and Ben Bradshaw among the guests, showing that 'behind the Speaker's chair' there's always been a fair degree of bipartisanship between the two main parties. Funny old world. Could it only happen in England?