Alastair Upton, Chief Executive at the Bluecoat

The papers say 'Contemporary arts can be challenging' and we spent much of last week discussing how the Bluecoat can help people to join in.

I think the team may have found this weekend a challenge. On Sunday I chased 'Donald Sutherland' around the empty corridors of the Bluecoat dressed in a musty overcoat.

As part of our opening show there will be a film shown of re-enactments of famous film chases all of which are being filmed in the Bluecoat. I'm in 'Don't look now' which you might remember is set in Venice. I track more than chase 'Donald Sutherland', building up the suspense, which is heightened with the eerie sight and sound of a flock of pigeons being disturbed. We brought in the pigeons too.

I was a bit disappointed to only be cast as 'anonymous man' given that over the weekend we also had 'Jimmy Stewart' and 'Jack Nicholson' in the building as well as 'Kim Novak'. Bryan our artistic director got the parts of Jimmy Stewart and Donald Sutherland as well as having parts in Marathon Man, The Third Man, and Breathless. Spot on casting though for Mark our architect as Jack Nicholson in the Shining. Who wouldn't be right for that part after more than a year on site managing this incredibly complex restoration and new build?

Still 'anonymous man' beats my part this morning when Kit, my son, cast me as Mr Wobble to his Noddy in an adventure in Toytown.

Alastair Upton, Chief Executive at the Bluecoat