It's great when you are travelling somewhere and you make all your connections and get there on time, or if you're really lucky even get there ahead of schedule. It really is lovely. When it doesn't happen it's a bit of a bummer. Like tonight for instance. Bus, tube, train. Left work at five past nine. Took me nearly an hour to get to Ealing Broadway. It really is desperately irritating. Had to ring director him and say it was a no-no. Eventually got home about 15 minutes ago.
I think I have finally uncovered the problem with our railways though. There was a goods train derailment at Cricklewood a year ago and we got a copy of the findings of the inquiry into the incident today. Not that an exciting read to be honest, but there were some recommendations for future policy at the end.
The final one is the most important... 'Ensure that someone competent is in charge.' I kid you not. There in black & white. And following that it says: 'If that person is not there ensure that someone else has been briefed to the relevant level of competancy.'
So if you ever doubted it, it's now official. Our railways have, hitherto, been run by incompetent people. But then if you examined the timetable of the line in and out of London from Langley and saw the size of the trains and the conditions in which people have to travel, you would know that for sure already.
Thought for the day: 'If God had meant us to fly, he would never have given us the railways.' Link between the sketch 'By Air' and the song 'Slow Train'. Michael Flanders. At The Drop Of A Hat. Flanders & Swann
Monday, January 29
Sunday, January 28
Sign of the times
Secretary's part as Doorknocker is pretty funny. Having your face made up to look bronze and holding a ring in your mouth with your head stuck through a door is pretty funny in itself. She's made it even funnier with her choice of accent. Or rather choices of accents.
At the read-through and auditions she did it with a west country twang. The she picked me up from the station on Thursday and announced that she was going to do it with a Welsh lilt. It caught director her out for one! There were certainly plenty of laughs as a result. Yesterday she suggested that maybe it should be Irish instead. I'm not entirely sure she was serious...
That said, she played an Australian in three shows during our early years with Cast and by the time it came to the third one the NODA reviewer actually said that she really was Australian.
She only has speaking parts in three scenes according to the script. However she is now going to play a rather irritable sign holder for the Mended Drum pub and the employment agency. We are going to have someone come out, remove the knoocker ring from her mouth and hang a sign there instead. I'm not sure whether it was director him or director her's idea, but whichever of them it was, it is certainly very amusing.
Thought for the day: 'How could you tell the difference between a pub and a brothel in mediaeval times? The signs on the brothels hung flat against the walls while the pub signs hung out at 90 degrees to the wall.' There was no difference in any of the names. The Horn could be a knocking shop or a drinking establishment. Although I reckon it was probably hard to tell the difference with what went on. Then again, I would suggest it could be pretty tricky now.
At the read-through and auditions she did it with a west country twang. The she picked me up from the station on Thursday and announced that she was going to do it with a Welsh lilt. It caught director her out for one! There were certainly plenty of laughs as a result. Yesterday she suggested that maybe it should be Irish instead. I'm not entirely sure she was serious...
That said, she played an Australian in three shows during our early years with Cast and by the time it came to the third one the NODA reviewer actually said that she really was Australian.
She only has speaking parts in three scenes according to the script. However she is now going to play a rather irritable sign holder for the Mended Drum pub and the employment agency. We are going to have someone come out, remove the knoocker ring from her mouth and hang a sign there instead. I'm not sure whether it was director him or director her's idea, but whichever of them it was, it is certainly very amusing.
Thought for the day: 'How could you tell the difference between a pub and a brothel in mediaeval times? The signs on the brothels hung flat against the walls while the pub signs hung out at 90 degrees to the wall.' There was no difference in any of the names. The Horn could be a knocking shop or a drinking establishment. Although I reckon it was probably hard to tell the difference with what went on. Then again, I would suggest it could be pretty tricky now.
Karma - and now we wait
Sometimes things are meant to go wrong just so they can turn out all right in the end. This evening was a case in point.
A few months ago I booked up for a number of us to see a series of shows at the Theatre Royal in Windsor. I have already mentioned our trip to see The Unexpected Guest a couple of weeks ago. On Tuesday we are going to see Martin Freeman and Roger Lloyd Pack in The Last Laugh. The following Tuesday it is the turn of Christopher Timothy and Stephanie Beecham in Hay Fever.
Tonight was Treats. Starring Billie Piper. When I booked to see the show, it suddenly hit me like a lightning bolt from the blue. She should be our Honorary President!
Hayley Mills took on the role about 12 years ago, but as she now lives permanently in New York we never hear from her, and about two years ago the search began for a new person to take the role.
Well I say search. What I mean is that we spent an awful lot of time sitting around at committee meetings trying to come up with an idea of who we could ask without ever agreeing.
The chairman - previous director - fancied Natalie Imbruglia. He also quite liked the idea of having her as Honorary President when she was living in Windsor. We talked about Anna Friel as she was local. Rolf Harris even. Then someone hit on the idea of Euan McGregor. None of these people really fitted the bill.
With the launch of our junior section, CAST Academy, we needed someone who was known and liked by our members as young as eight to ones as old as me. It was obvious when you think about it. She can sing, dance and act. She has the Dr Who following, the pop star past and now the serious acting career to make her everyone's prime candidate.
I put it to the committee that I should try to get hold of her agent to send a letter. They said yes, and I got on with it. Could I find her agent? No chance. So it came down to basics. A letter to her at the theatre.
Our party for the show tonight consisted of secretary and producer, set man, box office, director him, high priest and summer producer. The plan was that I should drop off a copy of the letter to the theatre before we all had a pre-theatre meal at Pizza Express. Then, armed with a second insurance copy, we should go to the stage door and the bar to try to see her and check whether she had seen the first copy and maybe get a chat if we were lucky.
But secretary and I hit problems. Serious problems. Printer problems. Having given our old computer, scanner and printer to my parents at Christmas and bought our three-in-one new Hewlett Packard, we of course hadn't got round to setting it up. We also had problems with the letterhead and charity logos which she emailed to my mac and... it's all to complex for words. Then we couldn't get the computer installed on my laptop as it doesn't have a high enough operating system, blah, blah... so I had to email the text of my letter back to secretary and then she had to reformat it and then install the printer on her laptop.
This all took a ridiculous amount of time. We ended up having cheese on toast at home rather than getting to Pizza Express to eat with the others. Finally we printed out two copies and wrote on the front 'Ms Billie Piper, c/o Theatre Royal, Windsor from Colnbrook Amateur Stage Theatre'.
We drove to Windsor and went to park in the car park near the theatre. As we drove past I saw two people outside the alley which leads to the stage door. Someone to hand a letter to, I hoped. We parked. We had to get change for the ticket machine. We had to put the ticket in the car.
We spotted summer producer walking down from the front of the theatre and I left secretary with her to stride off towards the end of the stage door alley. There was someone with a camera. I walked to the end and Billie was standing there signing autographs. She had one last photograph taken and turned up the steps to go in.
I called out 'Billie, can I just give you this' and she turned and I handed the envelope over people's heads into her hand. She smiled and said thank you in an almost surprised tone, and turned to go in, looking at the envelope and seemed to do a double-take as she looked at the words on the front. She looked puzzled - maybe. Intrigued - certainly. Likely to open the envelope and read the letter - I reckon the chances were at least 50-50 if not better.
Mission accomplished. I walked back to secretary who was flabbergasted. Then we went round to the front, where everyone else was waiting outside. I told them and director him said it was definitely karma that we had had so much trouble during the afternoon. I was meant to be there at that precise moment.
I have done my bit now and put the letter in Billie's hand. The rest is down to her. Secretary wonders if she gets this sort of request all the time or whether no-one has ever asked. I think we are a relative rarity in having a famous Honorary President as it is. And I think most groups would pick someone far older and less cool. Let's face it, we are exceptional in so far as our membership is so young and that we want a figurehead to represent that.
Finally, one thing surprised me. She is actually very, very pretty. I have always thought of her as strikingly good looking, but not pretty in the obvious normal sense of the word. She looks quite different to the character of Rose and the pop star persona which we all saw so many times. Pretty and polite. I instinctively liked her and having met and interviewed quite a few names over the years as a journalist there are an awful lot of 'celebrities' who definitely do not fall into either or both of those categories. Yes, I really hope she agrees. She would be great.
The play was good too. Cleverly constructed with the relationships between each of the three of the characters examined clearly. You got a chance to study them on their own as individuals, interacting as pairs, and playing off one another as a threesome. The performances were all very good as well. Not a bad night all in all. Just say yes Billie... please!
Thought for the day:
'Are you gonna walk the walk of life with me?
Are you gonna see more than you dreamed you'd see?
Are you gonna walk hand in hand with me?
Can you be the one who sets my shadow free?
Are you gonna try and understand with me?
Are you gonna be the best that you can be?
Are you gonna walk the walk of life with me?'
Walk of Life. Billie Piper
A few months ago I booked up for a number of us to see a series of shows at the Theatre Royal in Windsor. I have already mentioned our trip to see The Unexpected Guest a couple of weeks ago. On Tuesday we are going to see Martin Freeman and Roger Lloyd Pack in The Last Laugh. The following Tuesday it is the turn of Christopher Timothy and Stephanie Beecham in Hay Fever.
Tonight was Treats. Starring Billie Piper. When I booked to see the show, it suddenly hit me like a lightning bolt from the blue. She should be our Honorary President!
Hayley Mills took on the role about 12 years ago, but as she now lives permanently in New York we never hear from her, and about two years ago the search began for a new person to take the role.
Well I say search. What I mean is that we spent an awful lot of time sitting around at committee meetings trying to come up with an idea of who we could ask without ever agreeing.
The chairman - previous director - fancied Natalie Imbruglia. He also quite liked the idea of having her as Honorary President when she was living in Windsor. We talked about Anna Friel as she was local. Rolf Harris even. Then someone hit on the idea of Euan McGregor. None of these people really fitted the bill.
With the launch of our junior section, CAST Academy, we needed someone who was known and liked by our members as young as eight to ones as old as me. It was obvious when you think about it. She can sing, dance and act. She has the Dr Who following, the pop star past and now the serious acting career to make her everyone's prime candidate.
I put it to the committee that I should try to get hold of her agent to send a letter. They said yes, and I got on with it. Could I find her agent? No chance. So it came down to basics. A letter to her at the theatre.
Our party for the show tonight consisted of secretary and producer, set man, box office, director him, high priest and summer producer. The plan was that I should drop off a copy of the letter to the theatre before we all had a pre-theatre meal at Pizza Express. Then, armed with a second insurance copy, we should go to the stage door and the bar to try to see her and check whether she had seen the first copy and maybe get a chat if we were lucky.
But secretary and I hit problems. Serious problems. Printer problems. Having given our old computer, scanner and printer to my parents at Christmas and bought our three-in-one new Hewlett Packard, we of course hadn't got round to setting it up. We also had problems with the letterhead and charity logos which she emailed to my mac and... it's all to complex for words. Then we couldn't get the computer installed on my laptop as it doesn't have a high enough operating system, blah, blah... so I had to email the text of my letter back to secretary and then she had to reformat it and then install the printer on her laptop.
This all took a ridiculous amount of time. We ended up having cheese on toast at home rather than getting to Pizza Express to eat with the others. Finally we printed out two copies and wrote on the front 'Ms Billie Piper, c/o Theatre Royal, Windsor from Colnbrook Amateur Stage Theatre'.
We drove to Windsor and went to park in the car park near the theatre. As we drove past I saw two people outside the alley which leads to the stage door. Someone to hand a letter to, I hoped. We parked. We had to get change for the ticket machine. We had to put the ticket in the car.
We spotted summer producer walking down from the front of the theatre and I left secretary with her to stride off towards the end of the stage door alley. There was someone with a camera. I walked to the end and Billie was standing there signing autographs. She had one last photograph taken and turned up the steps to go in.
I called out 'Billie, can I just give you this' and she turned and I handed the envelope over people's heads into her hand. She smiled and said thank you in an almost surprised tone, and turned to go in, looking at the envelope and seemed to do a double-take as she looked at the words on the front. She looked puzzled - maybe. Intrigued - certainly. Likely to open the envelope and read the letter - I reckon the chances were at least 50-50 if not better.
Mission accomplished. I walked back to secretary who was flabbergasted. Then we went round to the front, where everyone else was waiting outside. I told them and director him said it was definitely karma that we had had so much trouble during the afternoon. I was meant to be there at that precise moment.
I have done my bit now and put the letter in Billie's hand. The rest is down to her. Secretary wonders if she gets this sort of request all the time or whether no-one has ever asked. I think we are a relative rarity in having a famous Honorary President as it is. And I think most groups would pick someone far older and less cool. Let's face it, we are exceptional in so far as our membership is so young and that we want a figurehead to represent that.
Finally, one thing surprised me. She is actually very, very pretty. I have always thought of her as strikingly good looking, but not pretty in the obvious normal sense of the word. She looks quite different to the character of Rose and the pop star persona which we all saw so many times. Pretty and polite. I instinctively liked her and having met and interviewed quite a few names over the years as a journalist there are an awful lot of 'celebrities' who definitely do not fall into either or both of those categories. Yes, I really hope she agrees. She would be great.
The play was good too. Cleverly constructed with the relationships between each of the three of the characters examined clearly. You got a chance to study them on their own as individuals, interacting as pairs, and playing off one another as a threesome. The performances were all very good as well. Not a bad night all in all. Just say yes Billie... please!
Thought for the day:
'Are you gonna walk the walk of life with me?
Are you gonna see more than you dreamed you'd see?
Are you gonna walk hand in hand with me?
Can you be the one who sets my shadow free?
Are you gonna try and understand with me?
Are you gonna be the best that you can be?
Are you gonna walk the walk of life with me?'
Walk of Life. Billie Piper
Saturday, January 27
Sofa, so good
It's not really relevant to the show, but we did spend a lot of time talking about it...
Tonight, or rather last night as it is now, a few of us went out to celebrate goodie-goodie yum-yum's birthday. Just producer & secretary, director her & previous director and scud. We had food and drink and goodie-goodie yum-yum had presents and we had more food and drink and then we went back to her mansion and sat around on the floor. Well half of us did. Because she won't buy another sofa. Even though she could fit about ten in her lounge. She wants a chair. Three of us can't sit on one chair. Ah well, never mind. Don'tcha just love her.
Thursday night's rehearsal was great. We did the first four scenes of act two. Town crier kicks it all off and is hilarious. Secretary has now decided that she should be Welsh as the doorknocker. That's hilarious too. I got to do my drunken bit and get seduced by a woman in the street. I also got to do my scene with previous producer playing Mrs Keeble in the Job Centre. And The Ginger One, alias Mort, Albert and Ysabell got to do their fantastic scene where the story of Alberto Malich is revealed. I think director him and director her are enjoying it too. Lots of fun. We are having fun. Isn't it all fun. What fun.
Thought for the day:
'Sofa away from me,
Sofa I just can't see,
Sofa away from me,
You're sofa away from me'
Sofa Away. Mark Knopfler. Brothers In Arms. Dire Straits
Tonight, or rather last night as it is now, a few of us went out to celebrate goodie-goodie yum-yum's birthday. Just producer & secretary, director her & previous director and scud. We had food and drink and goodie-goodie yum-yum had presents and we had more food and drink and then we went back to her mansion and sat around on the floor. Well half of us did. Because she won't buy another sofa. Even though she could fit about ten in her lounge. She wants a chair. Three of us can't sit on one chair. Ah well, never mind. Don'tcha just love her.
Thursday night's rehearsal was great. We did the first four scenes of act two. Town crier kicks it all off and is hilarious. Secretary has now decided that she should be Welsh as the doorknocker. That's hilarious too. I got to do my drunken bit and get seduced by a woman in the street. I also got to do my scene with previous producer playing Mrs Keeble in the Job Centre. And The Ginger One, alias Mort, Albert and Ysabell got to do their fantastic scene where the story of Alberto Malich is revealed. I think director him and director her are enjoying it too. Lots of fun. We are having fun. Isn't it all fun. What fun.
Thought for the day:
'Sofa away from me,
Sofa I just can't see,
Sofa away from me,
You're sofa away from me'
Sofa Away. Mark Knopfler. Brothers In Arms. Dire Straits
Thursday, January 25
Football
Set building is very important. Let's face it, be it a pantomime or a Pratchett, Godspell or My Fair Lady, Stags & Hens or Outside Edge, the actors need somewhere to perform. From my point of view, there are very few excuses for not turning up to do what we call 'stagework' on the three Sundays before the show.
For some of us, with the complex nature of what we do, this now also includes the Friday night and Saturday of the last weekend as well. Two stag weekends have interrupted my participation in the past, but there is only one other thing as far as I am concerned which is allowed to get in the way. Football.
I am missing the second setbuild for this show, as I reminded a shocked director her when we went to pick up my mask. Producer, previous director, domefur, virtual dildo and another very special member of the group who is not involved in the show called scud will be in Berlin watching Hertha play Bayern Munich. I met the first four of these people through Cast and my friendship with the other has become reinforced since we have been there, so it is only right that we should all be allowed time off together for the great game. Of course.
Box office, dangerous, high priest, director him and producer geezer are among the many serious footie fans liable to disappear into the bar for slightly longer than it takes to get a drink when there is a big game on. Set man, not a fan, let's us get away with it because he knows we will put in the hours as required. Let's face it, we are the ones who will be doing the work at 1.30am once most of the rest are long gone.
But this isn't really anything new. It started back with Grease. With Albert and producer sneaking off like a pair of naughty schoolboys...
There we were, June 14 1992, banging some nails in to fix an 8x4 sheet of hardboard to a frame in order to build the side flats for the set:
'I can't believe we're here doing this and our second European Championships game kicks off in 10 minutes.'
'Do you think anyone would notice if we went off for a couple of hours?'
'Where would we watch it though?'
'I'm only down the road in Slough.'
'Right.'
Off we went - very quickly. We made it in time to sit down for the kick-off. England were as dull as possible. France were not a lot better. It ended 0-0. But the important thing is that we got to see it. After all, as the great Mr Shankly said: Football isn't a matter of life and death, it's more important than that...
Thought for the day: 'Chris WOODS, Stuart PEARCE, Martin KEOWN, Des WALKER, Carlton PALMER, Andy SINTON, David PLATT, David BATTY, Trevor STEVEN, Alan SHEARER, Gary LINEKER.' Hmmn there's a couple of worrying names in that list...
For some of us, with the complex nature of what we do, this now also includes the Friday night and Saturday of the last weekend as well. Two stag weekends have interrupted my participation in the past, but there is only one other thing as far as I am concerned which is allowed to get in the way. Football.
I am missing the second setbuild for this show, as I reminded a shocked director her when we went to pick up my mask. Producer, previous director, domefur, virtual dildo and another very special member of the group who is not involved in the show called scud will be in Berlin watching Hertha play Bayern Munich. I met the first four of these people through Cast and my friendship with the other has become reinforced since we have been there, so it is only right that we should all be allowed time off together for the great game. Of course.
Box office, dangerous, high priest, director him and producer geezer are among the many serious footie fans liable to disappear into the bar for slightly longer than it takes to get a drink when there is a big game on. Set man, not a fan, let's us get away with it because he knows we will put in the hours as required. Let's face it, we are the ones who will be doing the work at 1.30am once most of the rest are long gone.
But this isn't really anything new. It started back with Grease. With Albert and producer sneaking off like a pair of naughty schoolboys...
There we were, June 14 1992, banging some nails in to fix an 8x4 sheet of hardboard to a frame in order to build the side flats for the set:
'I can't believe we're here doing this and our second European Championships game kicks off in 10 minutes.'
'Do you think anyone would notice if we went off for a couple of hours?'
'Where would we watch it though?'
'I'm only down the road in Slough.'
'Right.'
Off we went - very quickly. We made it in time to sit down for the kick-off. England were as dull as possible. France were not a lot better. It ended 0-0. But the important thing is that we got to see it. After all, as the great Mr Shankly said: Football isn't a matter of life and death, it's more important than that...
Thought for the day: 'Chris WOODS, Stuart PEARCE, Martin KEOWN, Des WALKER, Carlton PALMER, Andy SINTON, David PLATT, David BATTY, Trevor STEVEN, Alan SHEARER, Gary LINEKER.' Hmmn there's a couple of worrying names in that list...
Wednesday, January 24
How it came to pass
What on earth led me to join this strange organisation. One that can take over your life and have you pulling your hair out. One that can drain and frustrate you. One that han reduce you to a nervous wreck worrying about the financial implications of everything you are doing. But also one that can give you some of the highest of highs and stretch your talents to new levels. And one that can provide you with some of the closest friend you will ever make. And in the case of producer here, enable you to meet your wife.
Well now.....
I'm a journalist. In my early years at the Windsor Express I worked with a woman... let's call her founder in Spain... and she was involved in another group, Riverside Players, in Old Windsor. She used to get me to review their shows for the paper, which included a memorable production of Grease for which I stupidly praised the actor who played Danny Zuko to high heaven. It would come back to haunt me later.
I carried on with the reviews even after she had left the paper. Then founder in Spain vanished. Well she and her husband, founder bloke I'll call him, had upped sticks and gone to Malta. I heard nothing of them for a long while.
Then one day.....
I was by now a sub-editor on the paper and took a call from this blast from the past. 'Hello,' said founder in Spain. 'I thought you might still be there. Can you put something in about our next show.' Having ascertained eventually that no, this wasn't Riverside Players, and yes, this was a new group in Colnbrook, I got a brief history of Colnbrook Amateur Stage Theatre.
She and founder bloke had come back from Malta and got together with another person from their Riverside past, I'll call her founder here, to set up Cast in October 1990. They and a few friends and some colleagues from the Surrey Herald newspaper, where founder in Spain was by now working, had formed a committee, thrown some cash together, written a script, recruited some more actors and put on their first production, Yet Another French Connection, in summer 1991. Among this group of Surrey Herald renegades were the man previously mentioned on these pages as Albert, a gentleman who can only be called domefur and that Danny Zuko I praised, who I have to refer to here as virtual dildo but won't explain why. And your imagination will take you in completely the wrong direction there.
When founder in Spain called me it was January 1992. A planned production of The Boyfriend had been dropped. She wanted me to advertise auditions for their next show in the paper. It was Grease. She told me I should come down.
I probably wouldn't have gone to the audition if it hadn't been for one of the other sub-editors, a bloke, saying we should. Well not just the two of us. The third sub editor, a girl, as well. And one of the reporters, now known here as Town Crier.
I rang her back and said we would be coming. She said it was something about newspaper people. We were all, advertising staff like her and the Surrey Herald lot or journalists like the four of us, natural exhibitionists who loved to be the centre of attention and always wanted to be on stage. Whatever the psychology of it, I am very, very glad she called.
Thought for the day: 'Let's start at the very beginning, it's a very good place to start.' Do, Re, Mi. The Sound Of Music. Oh dearie me, that is both tame and obvious. Memo to self - come up with something a little more inspired tomorrow.
Well now.....
I'm a journalist. In my early years at the Windsor Express I worked with a woman... let's call her founder in Spain... and she was involved in another group, Riverside Players, in Old Windsor. She used to get me to review their shows for the paper, which included a memorable production of Grease for which I stupidly praised the actor who played Danny Zuko to high heaven. It would come back to haunt me later.
I carried on with the reviews even after she had left the paper. Then founder in Spain vanished. Well she and her husband, founder bloke I'll call him, had upped sticks and gone to Malta. I heard nothing of them for a long while.
Then one day.....
I was by now a sub-editor on the paper and took a call from this blast from the past. 'Hello,' said founder in Spain. 'I thought you might still be there. Can you put something in about our next show.' Having ascertained eventually that no, this wasn't Riverside Players, and yes, this was a new group in Colnbrook, I got a brief history of Colnbrook Amateur Stage Theatre.
She and founder bloke had come back from Malta and got together with another person from their Riverside past, I'll call her founder here, to set up Cast in October 1990. They and a few friends and some colleagues from the Surrey Herald newspaper, where founder in Spain was by now working, had formed a committee, thrown some cash together, written a script, recruited some more actors and put on their first production, Yet Another French Connection, in summer 1991. Among this group of Surrey Herald renegades were the man previously mentioned on these pages as Albert, a gentleman who can only be called domefur and that Danny Zuko I praised, who I have to refer to here as virtual dildo but won't explain why. And your imagination will take you in completely the wrong direction there.
When founder in Spain called me it was January 1992. A planned production of The Boyfriend had been dropped. She wanted me to advertise auditions for their next show in the paper. It was Grease. She told me I should come down.
I probably wouldn't have gone to the audition if it hadn't been for one of the other sub-editors, a bloke, saying we should. Well not just the two of us. The third sub editor, a girl, as well. And one of the reporters, now known here as Town Crier.
I rang her back and said we would be coming. She said it was something about newspaper people. We were all, advertising staff like her and the Surrey Herald lot or journalists like the four of us, natural exhibitionists who loved to be the centre of attention and always wanted to be on stage. Whatever the psychology of it, I am very, very glad she called.
Thought for the day: 'Let's start at the very beginning, it's a very good place to start.' Do, Re, Mi. The Sound Of Music. Oh dearie me, that is both tame and obvious. Memo to self - come up with something a little more inspired tomorrow.
Tuesday, January 23
Missing all the fun and enjoying the party
Last night was a 'no' on the rehearsal schedule for me. Given my staff situation at work this week it was never going to happen. Got home very cold at 12.40am in the end. Not good.
Anyway, I hate missing all the fun. The rehearsals have been such a laugh so far. Serious work with everyone enjoying themselves. I have been in a couple of shows recently which didn't really fall into the 'fun' category. Director him and I are very strict about having fun. If you don't then it's off to the comedy club with you!
Director him sent out an email today praising everyone for what they have done so far. My sentiments entirely. The Ginger One wrote back agreeing and asking where the after-show party was being held. We all know that means he wants to have it at his place really. A bit obvious that one.
After-show parties are a big thing. Secretary and I have had two at our place; after Honk! and Snow White & The Seven Dwarves. The Honk! one was amazing. We had 42 people in our garden at one point, along with a gazebo which filled most of it and a barbeque which took up the rest of the space. It's not a very big garden...
High Priest holds the record for the highest number of after-show parties now. Two of our wonderful founders held loads over the years, but now he has the record i'm sure. I'll have to ask him. He's very good at keeping records.
All sorts of things happen at after-show parties, some of which will not be mentioned here, but suffice to say a number of relationships have started (including one which has led to marriage) in earnest at these unholy bashes. One or two have seen dramatic splits as well.
Over the years I have seen people in all states of ill-health. I have witnessed a man spend an entire night making guacamole from scratch. I have seen a man fall asleep hugging a large china hedgehog. I have enjoyed a man playing drums on a set of saucepans. And, notoriously, I have discovered that a large number of teenage members have drunk their way through an entire garage full of Smirnoff Ice before the person who they belonged to even got her hands on one.
These are the things which Cast is all about. There is a lot of history. Well sixteen and a half years of it to be precise, and next month I (along with secretary and Town Crier) will have been here for 15 of them. No where is that long service award I was promised five years ago?
Thought for the day: 'Celebration time, come on.' Used in Aladdin, I believe.
Anyway, I hate missing all the fun. The rehearsals have been such a laugh so far. Serious work with everyone enjoying themselves. I have been in a couple of shows recently which didn't really fall into the 'fun' category. Director him and I are very strict about having fun. If you don't then it's off to the comedy club with you!
Director him sent out an email today praising everyone for what they have done so far. My sentiments entirely. The Ginger One wrote back agreeing and asking where the after-show party was being held. We all know that means he wants to have it at his place really. A bit obvious that one.
After-show parties are a big thing. Secretary and I have had two at our place; after Honk! and Snow White & The Seven Dwarves. The Honk! one was amazing. We had 42 people in our garden at one point, along with a gazebo which filled most of it and a barbeque which took up the rest of the space. It's not a very big garden...
High Priest holds the record for the highest number of after-show parties now. Two of our wonderful founders held loads over the years, but now he has the record i'm sure. I'll have to ask him. He's very good at keeping records.
All sorts of things happen at after-show parties, some of which will not be mentioned here, but suffice to say a number of relationships have started (including one which has led to marriage) in earnest at these unholy bashes. One or two have seen dramatic splits as well.
Over the years I have seen people in all states of ill-health. I have witnessed a man spend an entire night making guacamole from scratch. I have seen a man fall asleep hugging a large china hedgehog. I have enjoyed a man playing drums on a set of saucepans. And, notoriously, I have discovered that a large number of teenage members have drunk their way through an entire garage full of Smirnoff Ice before the person who they belonged to even got her hands on one.
These are the things which Cast is all about. There is a lot of history. Well sixteen and a half years of it to be precise, and next month I (along with secretary and Town Crier) will have been here for 15 of them. No where is that long service award I was promised five years ago?
Thought for the day: 'Celebration time, come on.' Used in Aladdin, I believe.
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