Memory Lane Theatre Tour

Thursday 24th March. Garrick Playhouse, Altrincham

Hello all, it’s now my turn to write the blog! I am Fay and I am the dance captain, which means keep everyone in check for all movement and dancing aspects of the show and I also rehearse all the Memory Lane Juniors before the show at each of the different theatres. Oh, it’s such a hard job!!

So, after a lovely day off in Newcastle, (which Helene, Siobhan and I spent at Nando’s in the sunshine) we travelled down to Altrincham. I especially was looking forward to this performance as my mum and dad were coming to watch me for the first time this season! Helene’s parents, grandma and boyfriend also came to watch, plus our dance supervisor Alex complete with notepad and pen ready to write notes and corrections! No pressure then! Hehe! However, nerves aside the performance went well, no problems and our families all enjoyed the show. And as our male singer, Steve Paul, would say ‘Happy days!’

Thursday 23rd March 2011

HI everyone, this is Marie writing the blog for this weeks tour (mainly because I am frustrated at losing my voice and decided writing was a better option.) Thankfully my voice is returning to normal and I am on the mend which is great news for Jenni as she can return to singing her normal parts in the show.

This week we have three shows in Scotland which makes for a very very early start on Monday morning as we drive up to Rutherglen for two shows. The drive wasn’t too bad thankfully, though Nina probably does’t remember much of it as she slept (and snored) nearly the whole way.

It is Nina’s birthday today so we have had a little collection and bought her a card and a few bits and pieces. Jenni spent most of Saturday baking a cake for the occasion too.

Rutherglen was great we had two sell out houses and the audience were fantastic, singing in all the right places (which seeing as my voice is still a little sore I was grateful for).

After two shows we had quite a drive to contend with as we were staying the night in Dundee ahead of a matinee show on Tuesday. It was Jenni’s turn to sleep on the back seat of My car because she had a nasty migraine, but thankfully Helene was on hand to talk to Me and keep me going on the drive. Strangely upon arrival at the Travelodge myself, Jenni (who was coming round by now) and Helene found that we were locked inside my car. Now I know this sounds very odd but it’s true – somehow the car had locked itself with us inside ! We turned the engine back on and the doors opened so we did get out eventually.

Tuesday morning and after a good nights sleep (although not long enough in bed!!!) we were up and ready to go to the Whitehall Theatre in Dundee – this of course means a visit to Clarks 24 hour Bakery which Nina and Siobhan are looking forward to as they have never been before.

We unfortunately however, came up against a little problem in the car park of the Travelodge. It would appear our little problem of getting locked in the car last night was the start of a slightly bigger problem. My car seems to have developed an internal locking issue and this time wouldn’t let us in !!!!!!

Now not only did we need to get in the car in order to get to the theatre for our matinee show – but more importantly we had to go get our bacon sarnies from the 24 hour bakery!

I tried pressing the key fob from all angles and pointed it at various areas of the car – it didn’t open.

Jenni tried pressing the key fob from all angles and pointed it at various areas of the car – it still didn’t open.

Helene tried pressing the key fob from all angles and pointed it at various areas of the car – it still didn’t open.

Colin (who isn’t always too cheerful in a morning) got out of the van with that ‘girls are pathetic’ look on his face, grunted and took the key fob off us – he tried pressing the key fob from all angles and pointed it at various areas of the car – it still didn’t open – he got back in the van to watch as he didn’t have any further suggestions !

The only part of the car that would successfully unlock was the boot – and don’t ask me how but Jenni somehow knew that by climbing in the boot you could unclip the armrest that sits in the middle of the back seat.

Next thing we saw was Jenni trying to squeeze herself through the tiny gap in the back seat, reach over and put the key in the ignition, start the car and ‘bingo’ unlock the car doors.

That sorted we arrived at the bakery, parked the car and decided (very wisely I thought) to leave the car unlocked whilst we went in to get the bacon sarnies, just in case there was a problem unlocking the car again.

Bacon Sarnies successfully purchased we returned to the car to find a bigger problem, the car’s internal locking issue had further advanced to deciding (presumably for security reasons) that it would lock itself (seeing that we hadn’t) and we could now not get in again.

Yes you guessed it – in the middle of the car park we had to empty the boot and yet again Jenni had to climb in through the boot, squeeze through the hole in the arm rest and start the car in order to let us all in. !!!!! There were a few interesting looks from passers-by I can tell you.

The show itself went very well in Dundee – a good audience again and other than Steve thinking he had finished his song (when in fact he hadn’t) and randomly going to sit down, the show went without a hitch and we were soon packing the van and preparing for the four hour drive home and a day off before a show in Altrincham. Jenni is hoping that my car is fixed before then as she is getting a little bored of climbing through the boot every time we stop.