Frustrating day in many ways for me, in that I don't seem to be getting as much done as I would like. We start rehearsals in five weeks time on two plays that I have not written yet. I think my lack of exercise, and the psychological barrier of the school holidays is making me slovenly, and I need to snap out of it. I am getting a few bits and pieces done, but nothing of any real significance. Perhaps it is the amount of reading I am doing? I have finished "Kill your Friends", and now started the book I bought yesterday called "Theatre Craft" by John Caird. It is a huge great tome, and it seems filled with excellent stuff. I hope it has the effect that the Katie Mitchell book had on me.
Sunday, 31 July 2011
Friday 29th July
Up early and off to London. Eldest Plugling needed to visit Art Galleries, and was this despatched with Mrs Plug to see the Tracey Emin exhibition at the Hayward Gallery. They loved it, and found it very moving. I took youngest Plugling to the Tower of London. This was not some form of attempted imprisonment, but an educational day out. Not for her, but for me. She regaled me with information all the way around, most of it picked up from Horrible Histories. What an excellent programme it is that fills young minds with so much knowledge and enthusiasm. It was good to visit the sight of my childhood excitement. It was the location of my first proper school trip, and I still feel that surge of excitement when I see those towers. Youngest loved it, and we must have walked for miles. We all met up in the afternoon, and made our way to the V&A, again to look at Art stuff for eldest. I of course headed to the theatre section, and spent far too long with gaping mouth looking at artefact belonging to Judi Dench, Adam Ant, Mick Jagger, Richard Burton, Ellen Terry and Olivier! What a great place, and how thrilling to see all the stage models, and costumes they have there. We ended the day in Wagamamas in Harvey Nichs and ate and drank heartily. In the afternoon we had met up at the National Theatre, and I picked up a book for me and one for eldest, which are excellent. Youngest pleaded for a Quill and Wax set, which I got her, and we expect many beautiful letters and poems over the next few days. On the tube back in the evening we sat next to Simon Callow. He seemed a little preoccupied with his companion, but then behaved rather strangely when his companion left. I said hello, but he just looked at me with horror. Perhaps he was in awe of my looks and talent.
Thursday 28th July
It would seem that the whole family are feeling a little flat at the moment, I think due to the lull in activity after a few solid months of mania. We are planning a day out tomorrow, and we are looking forward to the Summer School and then to our visit to Chez Pops. Eldest has been at "Press Day" for her big show in a couple of weeks. She seems to be less excited about it this year, but I think that is in part because of the show, as well as the familiarity of the process. It'll do her good though. I cannot believe how much I am reading at the moment, and I say this with a smile on my face. I go through phases, but I think the convenience of the iPad has helped. As I have previously blogged, I do tend to be half way through several books at any one time, and this is fine, if a little frustrating at times. However, with the iPad, I can choose whatever book I am in the mood for. Obviously, there is an expense involved in buying these books, and it might curtail my trips to second hand bookshops, which is no bad thing. In fact I am sure Mrs Plug will be pleased about that. In the evening we have a rehearsal for the adult show, and all goes well.
Saturday, 30 July 2011
Wednesday 27th July
I spent a sleepless night thinking about my old bank, and the financial troubles I got into when I was younger. Obviously the meeting had brought back some interesting memories. I think I can safely say that although we are not rolling in it, we are at least in a much healthier position now. I have finished my latest book, and now move onto "Kill Your Friends" by John Niven. It is a fictional account of the music industry in the 1990's and has already made me laugh out loud on several occasions. The interesting part is that the protagonist is such a loathsome individual. I find myself laughing at his nastiness, whcih is perhaps awful, but thoroughly enjoyable all the same. There is a lesson there I think for future writing. Not all lead characters are necessarily people you want to be.
Wednesday, 27 July 2011
Tuesday 26th July
The meeting went well! This was a shock to me. I came out clutching a joining pack, with that dreaded banks logo on it, and I felt like I had got away with something. Eldest came with me, as she is now an official of the business, and I think she was suitably impressed that she was now named at Companies House. Of course, I could be dreaming, and she finds the whole thing tedious. The Bank man seemed suitably impressed by our offering, and we await news of our shiny new account very soon. In the afternoon, we went swimming. Well, Myself and eldest sat in the coffee bar watching the others swim. I was struck with the fact that sitting there for an hour revealed much to me about the human body. I am working on a new play about body image, and I think today will be very useful. There was not a single body on display that would have made it onto an advertising campaign. Not one. There was every conceivable shape and size for all to see, some quite self conscious, others clearly couldn't care less. I think I found this quite liberating really. For years I was unable to strip in front of anyone, for fear that my own physical "Imperfections" would be there for all to laugh at, but clearly, that was nonsense really. I also noticed quite how many tattoos were on display. I have always expected to end up with a tattoo. The lack of one is perhaps down to indecisiveness rather than Of all the tattoos on display today, none of them particularly floated my Ink based boat. Not that they didn't look good on others...in many cases they did. I also learnt a new phrase. The tattoo that is so regularly seen on young ladies at the base of their back, is apparently known as "A Tramp Stamp". How delightful. In the evening, we threw caution to the wind and had a roast dinner. I felt wild and rebellious, as it is only Tuesday. We also drank champagne to celebrate the formation of the business, and I had a relaxing evening in front of the iPad finishing Emma Kennedy's book and starting a new one called "Grow Up" by Ben Brooks. It seems, on first reading, to be rather funny. It was billed as "What Skins would be like with real people in it", which I think on the basis of the first few chapters does it a disservice.
I have avoided writing about Amy Winehouse, as, to be perfectly honest, I always felt awkward watching her. When she was performing she reminded me of a toddler trying its first steps...you so wanted it to succeed, but knew that eventually it would end up falling. She had a beautiful voice, and a spirit that I so often admire in others. The fatal flaw was of course her addiction, and that is always difficult to understand or explain. On Twitter, when the news broke, many were being admonished for expressing sadness at her passing. Think of the poor people in Oslo, the poor innocent people who were gunned down. Well yes, I understand entirely, and it was a deeply tragic incident. Amy Winehouse though, had in some way entered our hearts I think. She wasn't a faceless X-Factor winner, she was a glorious car crash of talent, individuality, and frustration. I make no apology for ruing that loss of her, and would remind people that if they truly believe that I cannot be sad about Amy because of the number of deaths in Oslo, that they should be ashamed of themselves for not mourning the far greater number of deaths in Sudan. It is a stupid argument.
Monday 25th July
The first official day of the holiday. Both Plug Juniors laid in for too long, and eventually I was driven to actually having to wake them up. This is a great shock to me as usually they leap athletically and enthusiastically from their pit to embrace the challenges that every day brings. We didn't really do very much all day holiday wise, but this is not necessarily a holiday for all of us just yet. I spent the day looking at figures and cash projections and wondering where the old me had gone. It is with no regret that I make this statement I should hasten to add. I was preparing for a meeting with the bank manager on Tuesday. The particular bank that we are opening an account with has some very dark memories for me, in that I used them for my very first bank account. This account was the first rung on a ladder of debt and worry. After a matter of months, the account was taken "Into control" or some other such scary phrase. The manager basically took over the account, and gave me an allowance each week. I had to go through the frustration and humiliation of doing this every Friday for some time. I eventually closed the account and vowed never to go back, as if it were their fault in some way. Of course, it was my fault for being a total arse....but I was only a young whippersnapper. It is with a sense of foreboding that I have an appointment with them tomorrow. Perhaps they will remember me after 27 years? Perhaps I am still on some list that means I will be chased from the building by bank clerks wielding pens and cash bags. Perhaps I need to calm down a bit. Anyway...we now have a strategy, a plan, and projections and all of those other buzz words that tend to make me pass out with boredom, but for some reason are making me quite happy at the moment. I hope that it all pans out as we want it to.
Monday, 25 July 2011
Sunday 24th July
Time seems to have lost all meaning for a day or so. This is a good thing I feel. We had another lazy start to the day, and in my semi conscious morning state I agreed that I would join the girls going to see the final Harry Potter film. We arrived in Luton, and spent more on drinks and pick and mix than we did for the actual movie. I was, if I am being totally honest, not looking forward to it. I read the books, up until the last one, and could never be bothered to read it. So the final film held no lure for me. I find Daniel Radcliffe dull, Emma Watson insipid, and the string of celebs cast to make it have that authentic blockbuster feel a bit tiring. The Deathly Hallows part one left me cold, and generally, I could have taken it or left it....but...I thoroughly enjoyed this one. It was well paced, there was not enough time given for the less able actors to demonstrate their limitations, the special effects were excellent (In particular the dragon) and all in all it was thoroughly watchable. The ending, was of course dreadfully insipid, but, it's a children's book....it HAD to have a happy ending like that. To do anything else would have been a betrayal.
Saturday 23rd July
It felt rather odd not having to rush out of the house this morning and go and run a session. We did the whole lie-in thing, got up late morning and generally had a relaxed day. We had some lovely people coming around in the evening, and it struck us that it had been nearly two years since we had seen some of them. That's too long in anyone's book. One of the plans for the next year is to become more organised work-wise (We will have to be), and ensure that we plan more social events! We decided on Curry and Beer, which seemed to be ok! I feel like we are waking up after a long time...I don't want to compare the last year to a nightmare, but it has certainly been a strain. It was So nice to see our friend J after all this time, and she seems to be happy, and we have always said...if anyone deserves a little happiness.... It was a lovely way to start the holidays, and makes us look forward to the Lakes even more. It also made me realise how much I miss baby bumps! S looked fabulous, and you just know they will both be fantastic parents!
Saturday, 23 July 2011
Friday 22nd July
Ah the feeling of end of term. I still get that little frisson of excitement even now, knowing that Alice Cooper will be sung by many people today to pronounce that School is "Out". Of course, it is not quite as exciting for a slightly older whippersnapper such as my good self, but nonetheless, it is still a good feeling. I spent the day writing emails to try and get some more projects off the ground, and generally feeling like I might need a break. This will not be forthcoming however, as I have a list as long as my nose to complete. New Website and domains are on the way, DVD's of recent shows to sort out, and writing the next ones as well. We have also got lots of plans that will be announced over the next few weeks, so it's all exciting. We had our final session of the fifth year tonight, and we said goodbye to four of our members who are off to Drama School and University. There were tears of course, as expected, but it fills me with such joy and pride that we have helped, in however small a way, to shape them. I shall miss them. Off to the pub in the evening to play darts, and got absolutely drenched on the way home.
Friday, 22 July 2011
Thursday 21st July
Feeling far more awake and ready for life. We have got huge plans for the next few years, and I have attacked them a bit more today and feel a lot more positive by the end of the day. The most flattering thing about what we do is that it seems to be attracting some competition. Maybe we are good at what we do after all? What a shock :-) We had our last Thursday session in the evening, and it was lovely. They are a really strong and talented group, so I hope we can develop them strongly next year. We then stayed on for the adults rehearsal, and started working properly on the Christmas show. It was a good atmosphere, and I think it's going to be another good one. Last session of the school year tomorrow, and we say goodbye to some of our older members. I shall be in tears I suspect. Five years has been a long time, and it's going to be hard to see them go, but I am proud of what we have done together.
Wednesday 20th July
A slow start to the day, and one that continues with a feeling of shall we call it "Delicacy". A really positive meeting that has left me with all sorts of ideas and positivity. Lots to look forward to and lots to do, but all good. However, we celebrated this with three bottles of wine, and today I feel I am working in slow motion! I have achieved next to nothing today, so chose to relax my way through it, and read, and generally play a little. I don't do this enough, and will try to make time to do it more. Emma Kennedy's book gets funnier by the page, and I shall look forward to finishing it in the next few days. The countdown to Summer Holidays begins, and I think we are all looking forward to it. We are especially looking forward to Saturday night as we have some lovely people coming to visit.
Wednesday, 20 July 2011
Tuesday 19th July
Today was the day that the Murdochs and Wade appeared before the Commons Select committee. The news had wall to wall coverage, and syllable by syllable analysis of the events. I was stunned as to how incompetent most of the MPs line of questioning was. Perhaps I shouldn't have been surprised. I finished the second set of After school clubs today as well, and as with the other school, I await news of any renewal of the deal for next term. I hope I can continue. It is not earning us a great deal, but it is worthwhile, and can be a building block for the future. In the evening I met with our new business manager and accountant, and had a thoroughly brilliant meeting. One of my readers will be delighted that after all these years we have finally taken his advice, and formally registered as a Private Limited Company today. It all feels rather exciting to see it there on the Companies House website. A new business plan is being formulated, and I feel that we are now moving into a crucial, and really exciting phase. The first five years pretty much went to plan as far as what we wanted to achieve was concerned. I now have a clear target, and strategy to continue with. I was also delighted to see that my new accountant shares my love of Red wine, and i fairly staggered home after the meeting. It was all very positive, and it made me realise that some people are just really very nice. It's easy to forget that sometimes.
Monday 18th July
We woke up still quite exhausted from our long day yesterday. I finished the Caitlin Moran book and am now deep into Emma Kennedy's book, which is equally excellent. The iPad kindle app is proving to be a real winner for me. We popped out to do some banking and to get some toners for the printer. I was amazed to see that I could buy a barns new laser printer for less than the cost of the toner on my current model. I will persevere though, it has been a good servant. There is a real end of term feel to the house at the moment, which is all well and good, but we all have lots to get done this summer, so I will be the grumpy old git who continues to nag. It was my last after school club at School A tonight, and we were moved out of the hall into a classroom without any warning or notice. It wasn't the most positive way to end the run, but to be honest, all that matters is the kids and they were delightful. I haven't had it confirmed that I can continue next term, so I have sent a letter to the parents asking them to nag the school to book me again...I hope it works. We then moved onto our Monday night session, which was noisy and fun and a great way to end the year for them. I cannot believe quite how big the group has grown, it's a real boost for us all. In the evening, I sat laughing heartily at the continued news coverage of the hacking scandal. It seems to me that we are almost becoming immune to the corrupt, undignified way that our press, police and politicians act. I tweeted last week that the two most convincing people in this whole sorry tale were Hugh Grant and Steve Coogan...two people who make a living from pretending to be something they are not. Sadly, the rest of the political world seems to be inhabited by people who are trying to be something they are not, and failing miserably to be convincing. The pathetic bleating about how they are cleaning up their act is reminiscent of the expenses debacle. It amazes me how many of them can try to convince us of their moral reputation after they have been caught.
Sunday 17th July
We were up very early this morning as we were travelling to Ipswich for some workshops with the Royal Shakespeare Company. Myself and Rachael were doing the Directors workshops, and Mrs Plug did the Stage management, Technical and Design. It was a very long, but extremely rewarding day for me on several levels. We got to work with a voice and movement coach from the RSC who was marvelously entertaining, informative, clever and inspiring. I fond myself regretting that we have a six week break before we get on with things again. As with all workshops, my shyness was a barrier initially, but I found myself getting physical and emotional with complete strangers on a number of occasions. I hope that we can continue to get opportunities like this, as it was so useful. From tips of rehearsal room control, being brave, general decision making, through to quite complex exercises and techniques, we were all so disappointed when the workshop came to and end. Next we got a discussion group with the Associate Director of the theatre, and we discussed our common problems and gripes. It was interesting, but I found the attitude of some to be mildly irritating. We were given a glorious opportunity to learn and discuss, and yet still people seemed to treat the day as an entitlement rather than a gift. It takes all sorts I suppose. We got home late to be treated to a veritable feast laid on by the girls. What a treat!
Monday, 18 July 2011
Saturday 16th July
The start of the final working week of the academic year, and we say goodbye to the Saturday group for the summer. We had a lovely session, and I will miss them all for the next few weeks. I spent the afternoon snoozing in front of the tv watching Spurs playing and losing a friendly in South Africa. Tomorrow we are going to Ipswich for a Shakespeare workshop day, and so, instead of an early night I found myself sitting up reading and nodding off and watching crap telly instead of getting my head down.
Friday 15th July
A quiet end to the week with general catching up and planning. I have a calendar set up for the summer and it's looking rather too busy for my liking. Mustn't grumble though. We ran a pleasant session in the evening, and spent the evening with a bottle of wine. Caitlin Moran's book is now finished and comes highly recommended by me. I now move onto Emma Kennedy and her book about camping holidays in the 1970s called "The tent the bucket and me". I am sure I will update the blog with reviews. I actually enjoyed the process of reading on the iPad in the end. Apart from struggling a bit when outside with screen glare, it was great. I will treat myself to a proper Kindle one day I am sure, but I think this will do for the moment.
Friday, 15 July 2011
Thursday 14th July
A driving lesson, followed by a dash to a big local theatre to discuss some proposed projects. It was nice to speak to someone at the theatre who is clearly as passionate and excited about such projects as I am. Whilst I doubt that they will all come off, I feel sure that things are moving in the right direction. I'm not sure that I would have had the confidence to even thunk about making a pitch to a theatre lime this a year ago. Here I sat today making four. In the evening, we ran a small Thursday group session, and then started the rehearsal process for the adults Christmas production. I was tired and not looking forward to it, but in the event it was good fun, and I look forward to getting on with it.
Wednesday 13th July
Today I was invited to the UK Carnival centre in Luton. It was a celebration of the project that I was part of at the lower school recently. I had been aware of the building for a while, but had never visited it, and perhaps because of my disinterest of carnivals, it had never been high on my list of places to visit. However, the chance to have a look around came up and I was very impressed. It cost over seven million pounds, but looked to be an amazing facility. The building seemed to exude fun and creativity, and just felt like a happy place. I'm all for that. I was slightly naughty, but felt that I had to point out that it was part funded by the EU, just to irritate the fervent Daily Mail readers I am acquainted with on Facebook. It was sad to hear so many people feeling so down about the current climate. The arts really has been attacked violently, and I couldn't believe how many practitioners seemed ready to lie down and give up. At least two that I spoke to seemed to be ready to give up their current creative lives. Perhaps I am naive , but I think that now is the time to try even harder. Young people seem to be more politicised and there is more to kick back against. Surely now is the time to create more than ever? I did meet some positive people as well, and was surprised to hear that we had become quite well known in certain circles. It was good to hear, and rather flattering. I think today might lead to some interesting projects in the future.
Tuesday 12th July
I ended up waking up during the night and was unable to get back to sleep. As a result, I sat up and read a lot of Caitlin Moran's book. More of the book in a moment, but the experience of reading on the iPad was quite new. Even though the iPad 2 is lightweight and portable, I found that after holding it for any length if time, that reading became uncomfortable. Basically, you need to find a comfy position and prop it up in some way. That said, when you do that, there is the obvious danger of dropping off to sleep. However, the cover come stand does help. What of the book itself? Well I have loved every minute. It is in part a memoir, and in part a feminist handbook, but don't let that put you off. The columns that she writes, and her contributions to twitter are always good value, so if you like them, then the book is a must. I tweeted her to say thank you and got a lovely reply, so I was a happy person about that. In other news, the world seems to have gone crazy for the phone hacking scandal, and it seems far more important than the current desperate situation in Africa. It does make me despair at times. I love politics, and I love the fact that this current scandal is making that idiot Cameron squirm, but I do scream out for some perspective at times.
Monday 11th July
Today I have been mainly working lots. We have decided that we are going to turn the business into a limited company. We are then going to expand it to the extent that Mrs Plug will, for a year, be working a number of new sessions. I hope this is the right thing to do, and it certainly feels that way. I know that one of my readers will be pleased as he has been telling us to go limited for a long time. Our new business advisor/accountant is confident that we are doing the right thing, and it has been something we were talking about for some time as well. These are difficult times, but I think our approach is the right one. I have started another book. This adds to the list of six books that I am currently "finishing". The lure of the kindle app on the iPad was too great, and as a result I purchased Caitlin Moran's book..."How to be a Woman". Some might say, rather rudely that I shouldn't need any advice on that. I shall report back on the book itself, and the experience of reading a book on the iPad. I am not sure I will enjoy it. After School club and evening sessions went well and after the busy day, I fell asleep on the floor after news night.
Sunday 8th July
The whole debacle about the News of the World, phone hacking and News International in general has given me a difficult decision. I have been a subscriber to the Times online for a while now, and it perfectly complements the iPad. However, my moral side is now telling me that I should be avoiding it like the plague. After a lot of soul searching, I have decided not to quit just yet. Having spoken to an old school friend who is, how shall I put it, well versed in all things media, I decided to wait a while. His suggestion was, that if I quit buying a newspaper on the back of the corruption, illegal practices etc etc, that I might end up with no paper at all. He suggests that there is more to come, and not from within the Murdoch camp. I am also a subscriber to the Guardian, who broke the news, so I am working on the principal that they even each other out. This is, I am sure, a cop out. Having said that, I sound much of today reading the Sunday Times anyway.
Tuesday, 12 July 2011
Saturday 9th July
A lovely morning spent with my lovely Saturday group. We received such a lovely thank you letter for the show last week that I was in tears about it. Sometimes I forget how much pleasure this job gives me. The rest of the day was spent relaxing and largely slobbing around. After the excesses of last week this was much needed.
Friday 8th July
Mrs Plug has spent a lot of time out in the studio (or garage as we might call it if we were being common). It is a real relief to see her creating again. I think the girls have relaxed into her being home again, which is a tad irritating but I suppose quite natural after a year. I think that they got used to her doing most of the stuff around the house that Mums do, and when mum was no longer there for the year, they realised that I was not going to do everything for them. This was good for them, and I think one of the real bright things about the year. I hope it doesn't all come to nothing again. We managed to get mist of the costume away into the loft tonight, and had a relaxed, fun Friday session. Half of them were away, which was a shame, and I think we might have a bit of a commitment issue for one or two. I hope this changes next year.
Thursday 7th July
I have finally been paid for all the jobs I have been doing recently which is a relief. The positive mood continues, but we are still wondering if there will ever be a teaching job. Ultimately, we can continue without it, but it seems a waste of a years training and generally a waste of a lot of effort throughout the year. I'm sure It will all pan out in the end. Session tonight was fun again as they always are after a show. I have been asked to speak at a conference next week , and will be paid for the privilege which is all rather exciting. It is connected to that fabulous project I worked on a little while back, and with any luck it will open a good few more doors for me.
Friday, 8 July 2011
Wednesday 6th July
I have been reading a book for some time now called "How to be a Playwright". It is by someone called Tim Fountain who is a very entertaining and engaging writer. I am obviously fairly interested in the genre that the book covers but it is entertaining in so many other ways as well. I realised whilst picking it up again, that I actually bought it over a year ago. I remember taking it to the Lakes last year, and then not picking it up again after getting my first play published. That, in hindsight seems somewhat arrogant I suppose, but it was more down to the fact that I preferred to simply get on with the writing rather than reading about it. I have an impatient nature at the best of times, so it is little wonder that it remains half read. As I was tidying the office today, I cam across it again, and decided to make an effort to finish it, and I wish that I had done this last year. It has so many little pearls of wisdom, and I am now looking forward to the next few weeks to really put it to good use. I am also, whilst I mention it, very much looking forward to seeing our friends in the Lakes again....it seems such a long time since we have seen each other and spoken.
Wednesday, 6 July 2011
Tuesday 5th July
I am still suffering a little from post show lethargy, for which I am excusing myself to a certain degree. Having Mrs Plug home is very pleasant, and although we know that it cannot last as she will need to find employment, we are enjoying it. The Studio is up and running again, and we do not have anything stressful to worry about for some time in terms of shows. I am also trying to make decisions on shows for next year. The last year has seen me stand on my own two feet as far as the business is concerned, and although I am proud of how far it has come, I have missed the sounding board that is my partner in crime. It has been good to bounce ideas off of one another again over the last week. It also gave me the concept for two plays I am writing for next year, so I now need to get writing!
Monday 4th July
We awoke this morning with a sense of relief, pride and achievement. One of the things I love about what I do is the fact that no matter how many times you do something, there is always a new experience to be gained. This weekend was perhaps our most ambitious yet. We had been to this venue before, and had a difficult time of it. This time we tried to be less ambitious, but then when I look back at it all, I think this was perhaps just as ambitious. but just in a different way. To put on two shows with two casts using the same set and the same lighting rig was a great achievement. The project was full of firsts for me. It was my first time at directing and working with Shakespeare. I loved it, and look forward to doing it again. It was my first time trying choreography, and whilst I don't think I will ever win any awards, I was pleased with what I managed to achieve. It was the first time I had genuinely worried that the project would wipe us out financially, but in the event, we found out that we edged into profit! It was the first time I had written a full length production and had it performed. In the event, I was delighted that so many people told me how much they enjoyed it. The laughter was really encouraging. Writing Pantomime is not as easy as it would seem on the surface. I wanted to ensure it worked for the participants, as well as the audience. I think I pulled that off. I was also delighted with the look and feel of Romeo...the music was a real bonus, and I am glad I stuck to the original Western idea. What the cast managed to achieve in just 12 weeks was quite remarkable, Only 24 hours rehearsal to do a full Shakespearean text is not a great deal of time at all....I was very proud of them.
Onwards we go, and I was straight back into the after school club. I am getting to know them all quite well now, and I hope to continue into next term. The evening session was delightful, and it was great to see how they have grown confident together. They were SO proud of themselves, and rightly so.
Monday, 4 July 2011
Sunday 3rd July
Off early to the theatre to get prepared for the kids arrival. All went well, but it soon became obvious that full rehearsals would not be possible. We have to balance the fact that the kids need to rehearse with the need for them to eat, drink and be relaxed. The older group came and supported them too which makes me very happy. The show kicked off at 1.30 and went so brilliantly. We had nearly four hundred in, which was a relief, and it also mean that we would get the reaction we needed to make it work. A summer pantomime was a brave choice really, but within minutes it was clear that it would work. The show went on for three hours. We then had a quick break and got straight on with Romeo and Juliet. I was more nervous with this one. We actually rehearsed it for 12 weeks, which is 24 hours rehearsal. The full Shakespearean text. I had to leave them to it by and large and trust them to learn it. In the event it was a triumph. They absolutely tore into it, and the concept of the spaghetti western theme worked so well. The music I chose was, I believe, the perfect complement. I got home just after midnight feeling knackered, proud and happy. The RSC scheme we were on sent a rep to see it, who raved about it.
Saturday 2nd July
After my three hours sleep it was off to the theatre for a long day. The stage was built really quickly, and we found that our day was a relaxed laid back and enjoyable one. We didn't have the kids arriving until five, so we were able to have a relaxed day bearing in mind the scale of what we were doing. When the kids arrived it was great to see their faces light up when they saw the stage and the auditorium. I love the difference in reactions, and it's part if what makes the job interesting. In the evening we went out for a curry with the crew and mrs Plugs mum and dad. It was nice, but I think I just needed bed. I got to sleep surprisingly well considering.
Friday 1st July
I had left all of the sound editing to today, and I have to be honest, totally underestimated how long it would all take. The paperwork and general stuff required for the theatre was all cobbled together easily enough. Meeting with the theatre in the morning, which went well, but also gave me a few ideas for future projects. Our experience of the theatre before was less than positive, so I hope we can get a different feeling this time. There is a possibility of a summer school type event there which excites me greatly. Having started on the sound editing it became quickly obvious that it was going to take a lot longer. We had a Romeo rehearsal first, and by the time I got everything finished it was four o clock in the morning and I went to bed with the birds singing.
Thursday 30th June
Last days rehearsal for the Thursday group, and we have some costume for them to try on, it all looks fabulous. The photographer and video tech is sorted out, and despite a last minute panic over staging, it all seems to be under control. The programme was finished, and we sent it off to the printers. There is now a feeling of momentum to accompany the fear and dread that I am experiencing. Rehearsals went well, and we came home knackered but happy.
Wednesday 29th June
With the shows nearly upon us, I have a programme to finish, music and sound files to edit and complete, and a props list to sort out. I purchased a load of cowboy hats and plastic guns, and my new guardian angel has found a printer. The programme is nearly done. Mrs Plug is on board with the costumes and it is now looking like the impossible might happen. The thing that sits at the back of my mind with all of this is the fact that despite all this work, we might lose money. I know that what I do is creative, but all the same, we need to earn a bob or two. Tickets are picking up, but still we are not at break even point with three days to go.
Tuesday 28th June
Spent most of the day on the programme for the weekend which was a frustrating experience. Ticket sales have still not picked up and I am genuinely worried that we will make a significant loss. I think this is our first taste of the recession kicking in. I continue to nag the kids, but ultimately, if people can't afford it, they can't afford it. After school club was trying. Some of the more confident ones are now fairly well used to me and are pushing the boundaries. I'm feeling stressed and grouchy, and craving next week.
Monday 27th June
The countdown has really kicked in now with far too much to do for the week really. After the excesses of the weekend I really didn't feel like working but needs must. As is nearly always the case I also came up with some writing ideas with no time to really do anything about it. After school club went well again, and I think I might well be in a position to continue it in September. Last rehearsal with the Monday group was good again , and I come home thinking we might just pull it off
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