Breasting the Tape

We had the dress rehearsal tonight. So my job as director is over (although I'm sure I won't be able to resist the temptation to poke my oar in once or twice before the final curtain comes down on Saturday night).

After today, the production is solely in the hands of the fabulous actors, crew and technicians who do such a wonderful job of running our shows. And I have no doubts that they will do a fine job.

The past few days have been hectic and very hard work. The set (which looks deceptively simple, both on paper and in the flesh) was actually very complicated. The plotting of props and furniture seems to have been more complex than any previous show I've attempted. The lighting plot is more ambitious.

But it's all been worthwhile, because the show has pulled together at the last minute - as it always seems to do - and will (I hope) be a great experience for people to watch.

I've had lots of negative thoughts about this show over the time we've been putting it together - but I think they're mostly unjustified now. Though we will only know for sure in 4 days time when it's all over; when we're pulling down the set and finding out what everyone really thought...

Blimey!

Today we did our tech rehearsal. I know that's a bit of a leap, considering how long ago my last blog was.

We got-in to the theatre yesterday. Five LWB transit van loads of scenery and equipment. FIVE! I need to try and find a Luton van for next week to make it a bit easier.

So yesterday was a very long day for everyone, but we got most of the set up (enough working doors, etc, to do a run on Sunday night). Then back in first thing this morning to finish off more stuff and start tech-ing around 4pm. Amazingly we started our stagger cue-to-cue run only 10 or 15 mins late. And finished around 4.5 hours later.

Not a bad result. We'd already spent an hour or so plotting the lights for Act One, so we managed to plot Act Two as we went along.

I have to say, the actors are amazingly patient and showed great forbearance during this run. And I'm sure that their efforts are going to be worthwhile because the set, costumes and props look marvellous under the lights.

I am slightly concerned that we will have sticky moments on a couple of the scene changes because they are more complicated than anything that I remember our group attempting before - that's the peril of using two revolves in your scene design I guess!

Tomorrow is the dress rehearsal. I'm very confident that the show is going to work and will hang together well. I'm really looking forward to it - and at the same time dreading that it's almost over...