Winchester: Week 11
Bad Parent:
Oh dear, my poor readers. I do feel as if I have abandoned you recently and have behaved a bit like a bad parent. Out having far too much fun and leaving my children home alone……
Ok, ok. Maybe that's a bit dramatic, but suffice to say that I do feel a little guilty. The only excuse I can give is, whilst I have had a bit of fun, I have also found myself with rather a lot heaped on my plate in the past few weeks - un-tour related, of course so I shall not bore you with that here!
Anyway, enough of my guilt. Let's get you up to speed with everything that has been happening:
Breathe in chaps!
So, last time I left you we were in Bury St Edmunds where we were a little concerned about space, but if you remember, it all turned out rather well in the end and the set was a perfect fit.
We were anticipating a similar situation in Winchester. I'd been there last in 2008 with a company of just nine and I remember it being a bit of a squeeze dressing room wise. And yes, it still was a squeeze, with all the female company in one room and all the male company in another, until the wonderful people at the theatre made their studio space available for half of the male cast. They had a meeting in it the following day and even helped to clear our stuff out and move the boys back again afterwards. I find that it's also good sometimes for everyone to be in together occasionally as it is a good bonding experience. Often, as both and actor or a member of stage management or wardrobe or whatever, you can sometimes feel as if you haven't seen a particular person for ages. Sometimes you may not have many scenes with another actor or your offstage times doesn't coincide, if you're on a completely different level dressing room to them then suddenly you realise that you haven't really seen that person in days! The same goes for me at the prompt desk. If I'm one side I'll have more interaction with certain people than on another. Sometimes I am even boxed in because of sight lines and the cast can't get to me without being seen. Theatre Royal Bath has a little Juliet type balcony where the DSM ops and calls from, accessible only by a steel vertical ladder. When we were there with Birdsong last year, I wouldn't really see another person until the interval. Charlie and Liam would climb the ladder to talk to me but you couldn't hang on to it for long. Don't get me wrong, it had its advantages as well, if you wanted a bit of alone time, for example, and as Arthur Bostrom pointed out, I did look a bit like Lieutenant Uhura from Star Trek at my control station with my comfy chair, headset and glowing LED buttons!! But, as usual, I digress. I'm meant to be talking about Winchester, not Bath!
So, I think that the lads were quite pleased to be together in two big groups rather than in pairs for a change. There was plenty of tomfoolery in the dressing room and even Alastair got in on the action accidentally taking this very saucy picture of Peter (I must add that I have his full permission to publish this - in fact HE insisted that I include it in the blog) - I do warn you that if you suffer from a nervous disposition then look away now……
The set ended up fitting beautifully again and I was pleased to see some familiar faces were still on the crew. Just as well they were there as I seemed to have got a bout of food poisoning and had been throwing up at around 4am (still dry so no, it was not over indulgence!). I think it was some milk that had gone….. Oh, you really don't want to know about this, do you? Anyway, concerned that I might end up contaminating my digs people, Spatz (possibly one of my most favourite technical stage managers) and a lovely lady from the office (whose name I was feeling too rubbish to remember properly - sorry!) were great, sorting me out a hotel so I could be ill in relative peace and not infect anyone (just incase it wasn't the milk….).
Visitors! Hooray!
Woo hoo! We had some more familiar faces come to see us in Winchester. One of the faces that I've been missing most this year is the lovely one belonging to Miss Polly Hughes who was our Lisette and Prostitute last year. Unfortunately she came on the Monday, when I was dashing out the door telling everyone to keep away from me in case I contaminated the air with my mystery bug. However, she had a few drinks with our new company and got to catch-up with Malcolm and Alastair and, of course, had the obligatory picture taken with her counterpart!
Alex Wardle, our lighting designer, and native Winchesterner, also made two visits bringing along his lovely wife and introducing 'Wardle The Younger' - baby Edith who, if you remember, was born just before we opened in Eastbourne. Edith is one of those really happy babies who you just can't help but fall in love with on first sight. Jenny, our associate lighting designer came along too, bringing her parents to see the show, so we were all able to have a bit of a catch-up.
Birdsong the Birthday tour…..:
By mid-week I was wondering if what I had had been an allergic reaction to something as I had now come out in a rash…. Still, I bravely battled on as we had a busy few weeks coming up. It was no longer 'Birdsong' UK tour, but 'Birdsong Birthday Festival….
We are having so many on this tour and May is fast becoming THE month to have a birthday. This week we got to celebrate not only Carolin's, but also Peter's, who was lucky enough to have his birthday falling in-between the Winchester and Exeter AND covering a Bank Holiday (and it was a BIG birthday but shhhhh)!
Carolin was first and was delighted with her present from the company - a voucher for a massage - and Alastair had and otter card specially made and sent (if you remember, that's what Carolin's nickname is). Peter received the slightly more manly presents of a Bob Dylan book and CD, a silver tankard engraved with his 'Horse' joke he makes during the show (if you haven't heard it yet, please be assured, it's hilarious!) and a pink tie-dye wolf t-shirt.
We like you Winchester, we do….:
I've always liked Winchester. I even looked at going to the Uni there back in the day when it was King Alfred's College (I believe that it is now The University of Winchester). There are so many beautiful buildings, housing boutique little shops, a fantastic selection of pubs and restaurants and there's even a Cathedral to have a look round. You're not too far from London, there's a good train service and you're fairly close to historic sites like Stonehenge (don't worry, you're not going to get another history lesson like you did in York). I had marvellous digs that week, for once being in a family home about a 10 minute walk away. All in all (mysterious illness which has never been solved, aside) it was a very good week. We would all get to enjoy a Monday off as we weren't due in Exeter until the Tuesday and so that was a bit of a bonus, actually being able to have a proper day off with no travelling. So we all set off in our various directions on the Saturday night in excellent spirits. Thanks so much to all at Winchester for giving us such a great time (especially the lovely lady who found that hotel for me!).
Surprise!
So, I have a little treat for you. You're going to have a guest blogger for the weeks of Exeter and Cork. I'm having a little break, but don't worry, I'll be back to update you all with the news from Hull.
Oh. You want to know who the guest blogger is?
Tough.
Only joking. I'll be leaving you in the excellent hands of our leading man, Mr George Banks.
Oh dear, my poor readers. I do feel as if I have abandoned you recently and have behaved a bit like a bad parent. Out having far too much fun and leaving my children home alone……
Ok, ok. Maybe that's a bit dramatic, but suffice to say that I do feel a little guilty. The only excuse I can give is, whilst I have had a bit of fun, I have also found myself with rather a lot heaped on my plate in the past few weeks - un-tour related, of course so I shall not bore you with that here!
Anyway, enough of my guilt. Let's get you up to speed with everything that has been happening:
Breathe in chaps!
So, last time I left you we were in Bury St Edmunds where we were a little concerned about space, but if you remember, it all turned out rather well in the end and the set was a perfect fit.
We were anticipating a similar situation in Winchester. I'd been there last in 2008 with a company of just nine and I remember it being a bit of a squeeze dressing room wise. And yes, it still was a squeeze, with all the female company in one room and all the male company in another, until the wonderful people at the theatre made their studio space available for half of the male cast. They had a meeting in it the following day and even helped to clear our stuff out and move the boys back again afterwards. I find that it's also good sometimes for everyone to be in together occasionally as it is a good bonding experience. Often, as both and actor or a member of stage management or wardrobe or whatever, you can sometimes feel as if you haven't seen a particular person for ages. Sometimes you may not have many scenes with another actor or your offstage times doesn't coincide, if you're on a completely different level dressing room to them then suddenly you realise that you haven't really seen that person in days! The same goes for me at the prompt desk. If I'm one side I'll have more interaction with certain people than on another. Sometimes I am even boxed in because of sight lines and the cast can't get to me without being seen. Theatre Royal Bath has a little Juliet type balcony where the DSM ops and calls from, accessible only by a steel vertical ladder. When we were there with Birdsong last year, I wouldn't really see another person until the interval. Charlie and Liam would climb the ladder to talk to me but you couldn't hang on to it for long. Don't get me wrong, it had its advantages as well, if you wanted a bit of alone time, for example, and as Arthur Bostrom pointed out, I did look a bit like Lieutenant Uhura from Star Trek at my control station with my comfy chair, headset and glowing LED buttons!! But, as usual, I digress. I'm meant to be talking about Winchester, not Bath!
So, I think that the lads were quite pleased to be together in two big groups rather than in pairs for a change. There was plenty of tomfoolery in the dressing room and even Alastair got in on the action accidentally taking this very saucy picture of Peter (I must add that I have his full permission to publish this - in fact HE insisted that I include it in the blog) - I do warn you that if you suffer from a nervous disposition then look away now……
 |
| Unintentional nudity……. |
The set ended up fitting beautifully again and I was pleased to see some familiar faces were still on the crew. Just as well they were there as I seemed to have got a bout of food poisoning and had been throwing up at around 4am (still dry so no, it was not over indulgence!). I think it was some milk that had gone….. Oh, you really don't want to know about this, do you? Anyway, concerned that I might end up contaminating my digs people, Spatz (possibly one of my most favourite technical stage managers) and a lovely lady from the office (whose name I was feeling too rubbish to remember properly - sorry!) were great, sorting me out a hotel so I could be ill in relative peace and not infect anyone (just incase it wasn't the milk….).
Visitors! Hooray!
Woo hoo! We had some more familiar faces come to see us in Winchester. One of the faces that I've been missing most this year is the lovely one belonging to Miss Polly Hughes who was our Lisette and Prostitute last year. Unfortunately she came on the Monday, when I was dashing out the door telling everyone to keep away from me in case I contaminated the air with my mystery bug. However, she had a few drinks with our new company and got to catch-up with Malcolm and Alastair and, of course, had the obligatory picture taken with her counterpart!
Alex Wardle, our lighting designer, and native Winchesterner, also made two visits bringing along his lovely wife and introducing 'Wardle The Younger' - baby Edith who, if you remember, was born just before we opened in Eastbourne. Edith is one of those really happy babies who you just can't help but fall in love with on first sight. Jenny, our associate lighting designer came along too, bringing her parents to see the show, so we were all able to have a bit of a catch-up.
 |
| Our current Lisette, Selma, with our 2013 Lisette, Polly |
Birdsong the Birthday tour…..:
By mid-week I was wondering if what I had had been an allergic reaction to something as I had now come out in a rash…. Still, I bravely battled on as we had a busy few weeks coming up. It was no longer 'Birdsong' UK tour, but 'Birdsong Birthday Festival….
We are having so many on this tour and May is fast becoming THE month to have a birthday. This week we got to celebrate not only Carolin's, but also Peter's, who was lucky enough to have his birthday falling in-between the Winchester and Exeter AND covering a Bank Holiday (and it was a BIG birthday but shhhhh)!
Carolin was first and was delighted with her present from the company - a voucher for a massage - and Alastair had and otter card specially made and sent (if you remember, that's what Carolin's nickname is). Peter received the slightly more manly presents of a Bob Dylan book and CD, a silver tankard engraved with his 'Horse' joke he makes during the show (if you haven't heard it yet, please be assured, it's hilarious!) and a pink tie-dye wolf t-shirt.
 |
| Peter is presented with his presents |
 |
| Engraved tankard |
We like you Winchester, we do….:
I've always liked Winchester. I even looked at going to the Uni there back in the day when it was King Alfred's College (I believe that it is now The University of Winchester). There are so many beautiful buildings, housing boutique little shops, a fantastic selection of pubs and restaurants and there's even a Cathedral to have a look round. You're not too far from London, there's a good train service and you're fairly close to historic sites like Stonehenge (don't worry, you're not going to get another history lesson like you did in York). I had marvellous digs that week, for once being in a family home about a 10 minute walk away. All in all (mysterious illness which has never been solved, aside) it was a very good week. We would all get to enjoy a Monday off as we weren't due in Exeter until the Tuesday and so that was a bit of a bonus, actually being able to have a proper day off with no travelling. So we all set off in our various directions on the Saturday night in excellent spirits. Thanks so much to all at Winchester for giving us such a great time (especially the lovely lady who found that hotel for me!).
 |
| GMoss packing our set in the truck on Saturday night |
Surprise!
So, I have a little treat for you. You're going to have a guest blogger for the weeks of Exeter and Cork. I'm having a little break, but don't worry, I'll be back to update you all with the news from Hull.
Oh. You want to know who the guest blogger is?
Tough.
Only joking. I'll be leaving you in the excellent hands of our leading man, Mr George Banks.
 |
| Performing Bear in a sparkly hat. Just…. Because. |
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