New page for voice acting, minor changes

I’ve added a skeleton page for Damian’s voice acting; it lists ads, but mostly the VGs he was involved with. There are titles, dates and links; please note that most of those games are suitable for +16 only and that your date of birth will be asked for. I’m not responsible for the content of external links and you click at your own risk.

DAMIAN O’HARE: VOICE ACTING

I also updated the biography and corrected a gazillion of typos and incorrect translations in the German version of the website. Thanks a lot to Andreas S. for the information on the video games as well as for German-betaing.

“The Magic Toyshop”: Education Pack

I got a heads-up about “The Magic Toyshop”. Shared Experience has a new version of the education pack for this play online, which contains more information and a small interview with Damian (who got lots of praise for his role as “Finn”).

Note: The website of Shared Experience points out that “The purpose of the PDF is a printable resource, not an online readable resource.” I changed the link on the website so it does not link directly to the file anymore. Same with the link below; please scroll and save the theatre costs on bandwidth.

THE MAGIC TOYSHOP – Education Pack

As for “…and have a look at the step-by-step guide to write a review…” – heh! I’ll try my best.

Urgent charity appeal: Earthquake in Haiti

Disclaimer: this is a charity appeal by the webmaster.

I’d like to ask everybody who can spare a quid or two to help and support those who try to get some sort of order in the terrible chaos and devastation caused by the earthquake in Haiti. People are in desperate need for help.

The following organisations will take your donations:

MEDECINS SANS FRONTIERES/DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDER

INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS

Thank you.

“Taking the Flak” goes Down Under: Damian O’Hare on Australian TV

I’m interrupting my daily scheduled snow-shoveling to remind you that “Taking the Flak”, the BBC’s dramedy will start its run on Australian telly today. The show will be aired on Thursdays, 10pm, on ABC2.

Taking the Flak on ABC

Damian won’t show up before episode three, but that’s no reason for missing the start of the series; it’s really good.

“(…) Sharp, witty, political and relatively fresh, so of course it’s on at matchsticks-holding-eyelids-open time. Programming genius. (…)”

“(…) It’s 100-mile-a-minute comedy with a witty script and fantastically funny British and Kenyan actors. (…)”

Damian O'Hare as Rory Wallace and Doon Mackichan as Jane Thomason in "Taking the Flak"

You can find the schedule for “Taking the Flak” and other TV series / movies Damian’s been in in the

CALENDAR

section of this blog. The listings are not complete (solely based on google alert), though.

Happy Holidays – and a Charity Appeal

Usual disclaimer: this is the charity of choice of the webmaster.

There have been several offers all through 2009 by fans of Damian O’Hare to support this website financially. Thanks again for your generosity, but the site really doesn’t cost much (remember: we bought it at IKEA).

However, if you should have some money to spare, I’d be very grateful if you’d send a quid or two the way of

ACTION FOR CHILDREN

We live in a society that’s surrounding children either with paranoid overcaution or hostility born out of fear. We’re all quick to lament neglected children, but drag our feet when it comes to prevent or stop neglect and abuse. That goes for the government, but also for each of us personally. Because we are the relatives and neighbours who should notice.

If parents, for whatever reasons, neglect their children, we have to take action – before the next “WHY?” headline in the tabloids. As long as we ignore the problem, neglect will happen. So please – don’t look away. Thank you.

ACTION FOR CHILDREN: BLOG

And the winner is…

“What is Rory Wallace’s (Damian O’Hare) job?”

That was the question, and everybody who participated in the

BIG YULETIDE CONTEST

knew the answer: Rory is a cameraman.

Now the lucky winner has been drawn, and it’s…

*drumroll*

Chris Fitzroy!

Congratulations! The DVDs of “Taking the Flak” and “A Christmas Story”, along with a marvellous scented candle from L’Occitane and delicious choccies are on their way to Surrey.

Thanks to everybody who participated!

Damian O'Hare as Rory Wallace and Doon Mackichan as Jane Thomason in "Taking the Flak".

Ambarussa’s Big Yuletide Contest!

Not too keen on 600+ hours of repeats?

Then you should enter our

BIG YULETIDE CONTEST!

Your friendly neighbourhood Webgnome’s favourites are all you’ll need for a canny night in:

1 x DVD “Taking the Flak”
Martin Jarvis, Doon Mackichan, Bruce Mackinnon, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith, Joanna Brookes, Lydiah Gitachu and of course Damian O’Hare in the excellent dramedy about a BBC news team reporting from a civil war in a fictional African country.

1 x DVD “A Christmas Story”
Peace, harmony, comfort and joy? Maybe next year. Ralphie Parker desperately wants a Red Rider BB gun for Christmas, but his mother refuses, fearing he’ll shoot his eye out. But neither his mother, Santa Claus nor the neighbourhood bullies can destroy Ralphie’s dream… hilarious Christmas comedy, set in the 1950s and one of my favourites.

1 x L’Occitane en Provence: Bougie parfumée “Cannelle Epices”
Spicy cinnamon scented candle from L’Occitane – this will turn your home into winter wonderland. L’Occitane is a French company, known for cosmetics of best quality. They support local production and don’t test their products on animals. C’est le pied!

And because Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without sweets, you’ll also get some chocolate!

And what do you have to do to win this smashing Yuletide package?

Just send an email to

webgnome at ambarussa. net

and answer the following question:

“What is Rory Wallace’s (Damian O’Hare) job in ‘Taking the Flak’”?

That’s all. Even I could answer that!

Deadline: 15 December, 2009, midnight GMT.

Please read the following rules before you send off your mail.

RULES:

1. By participating in this contest, you confirm that you have read, understood and accepted the rules.

2. You have to be at least 18 years old to participate.

3. Please be fair: only send in one mail per person.

4. No cash pay-out of your prize.

5. No correspondence will be held over the outcome of the contest.

6. If you are the winner, you’ll have to provide us with your name and address.

7. We’ll send your prize out asap, but have no influence on postal services. We hope the DVDs will be with you before Christmas, though.

8. Should, for any reason beyond our control, one of the prizes not be available, we’ll replace it with a different prize of the same value.

“Taking the Flak”/Charity: DVD signed by Tira Shubart up on ebay

Desperate finding the perfect Christmas present?

Look no further and bid on a “Taking the Flak” DVD which has been signed by Tira Shubart, co-creator, co-writer and co-producer of the show. Not only will you get a great DVD, you’ll also support a good cause:

This lot is being sold as part of Save the Rhino’s 15^th Birthday online auction; Hornucopia.  SAVE THE RHINO fundraises for the conservation of endangered species of rhinoceros by supporting community and education programmes in key wildlife habitats in Africa and Asia.

LINK TO AUCTION ON EBAY

“Taking the Flak” in German

Something positive following the downer that was the BBC’s axing of Taking the Flak.

I managed to find ZDF_neo, the German TV station which is showing “Taking the Flak” (“Reporter auf Kriegsfuss”), and from what I can tell, the dubbed version is really good, the voices match the characters, especially the ones of Joyful and Margareth. Nothing travels as badly as humour, but the jokes have been adapted in a way that actually works for a German-speaking audience. Some of the changes are strange, though. (Or very clever; depends on your point of view.)

Remember that one scene in “The Past is a Different Colony” with the beading soldiers? There’s a lady who whacks one soldier on the head when he points his gun at the BBC crew and confiscates the weapon. I can’t remember all of the dialogue, but if I remember correctly, Rory makes a comment that they could use someone like her in Ballymena (?). In German, it was “could use someone like her when we play poker in Belfast”…

The official German website calls Rory an “… alpha male who manages to talking his way out of even the most difficult situations”. Don’t tell David, he’d be shattered.

Damian O'Hare as Rory Wallace in "Taking the Flak" - Reporter auf Kriegsfuss

Reviews of “The Grapes of Wrath” tour

Here are the direct links to the reviews of the various performances of “The Grapes of Wrath”. Directed by Jonathan Church, the co-production of the English Touring Theatre and Chichester Festival Theatre in summer/autumn/winter 2009 featured Christopher Timothy as Pa Joad, Sorcha Cusack as Ma Joad, Oliver Cotton as Jim Casey and Damian O’Hare as Tom Joad. You can find a cast list here.

CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE
10 July – 28 August

NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE
1 – 3 October

THEATRE ROYAL PLYMOUTH
6 – 10 October

KING’S THEATRE EDINBURGH
13 – 17 October

BIRMINGHAM REP
20 – 31 October

WEST YORKSHIRE PLAYHOUSE
3 – 14 November

HALL FOR CORNWALL
17 – 21 November