Tuesday 3rd, Wednesday 4th May, Solihull Arts Complex.
Today is the start of our final run of the season, although not quite the last show, and we leave our comfy beds at 7.00am to start the journey to the Midlands. Pen makes her way to the A64 in Leeds to her pick up point. Nina has an even earlier start to get to Colin and Marie’s house for the 7.00am departure. Siobhan, Fay and Helene make their way to Wooley Edge services on the A1 ready to be collected by Bill. Steve and Colin are together discussing the final days of Sunderland’s football season and whether manager Steve Bruce should be sacked or not.
Today is quite an exciting day for Marie and Colin as John and Judith from the Retired Greyhound Trust (http://www.rgtmidlands.co.uk/) where Maisy the Greyhound was rescued from. Since getting Maisy they have formed a great friendship and this is the first time they have managed to come to see one of the shows. Naturally a meal is planned afterwards.
The shows go according to plan, John and Judith are suitably impressed and a nice meal is had.
This is another venue where we have the luxury of two days, and therefore on the second day we have no load in task, no ironing, and a lie in bed before we arrive at the theatre around 1.00pm
No sooner does it seem we arrive there, we are loading the van at 11.00pm and looking forward to a drive to
Ipswich, some 3 hours away in preparation for a matinee show in Felixstowe.
Thursday 5th May. Spa Pavilion Felixstowe.
Record ticket sales for us at this venue and we are so grateful to all of the people who come to see our shows on a regular basis. There is a major recession out there, and there are so many companies in our position who have already bitten the dust.
By now everyone is on automatic pilot at every show. Set up, costumes, sound, light, preparation and performance. After 32 dates, that is pretty normal.
A normal day at the office is followed by a 4 hour journey up to Barnsley in Yorkshire, ready for 2 shows at Penistone Paramount tomorrow.
Steve and Colin take the monumental decision to purchase KFC on the journey, and the cast have a
respectable arrival time at the Travelodge to have some chill time.
Friday 6th May. Penistone Paramount.
Our penultimate show. Two weeks off after today, then just one matinee at Potters Bar and that is the tour over.
Many of the cast have quite a few family members coming to see the show today. Jen has her Gran, Auntie and a few others coming, while Fay has half the population of Penistone coming, as it is her home village.
As always at Penistone we have Jen’s dad, Jim, as a backstage helper. It is always great pleasure to have him with us, and I’m sure he enjoys his ‘work’ days with us.
Job done, and here we go with a two week break before our last show of the season.
No comments:
Post a Comment