Normal Life? Don't Bank on It!

Thursday. 6.45 a.m.  So, what are the chances that we might return to some sort of normal life with lockdown restrictions being lifted, or at least, some of them? Let me think. Probably not going to be quite as 'normal' as one might expect, because there's still going to be the threat of further outbreaks of coronavirus infections. So, tomorrow (Monday) the first of the lifting of restrictions are going to begin.

My lovely daughter, Chloe, has just given birth to the fourth grandchild, a girl, Rosie Alice. Born 10th May, weight 7lb 15oz. Just hope I can go and visit them soon in Worcester. The three other boys, George, Eddie, and Arthur will no doubt make a real fuss of her! I can't wait to go and visit them. It's been so long since I went to see them. In fact, it was Christmas 2019 when I was last with them.

Friday. 7.00 a.m. It's overcast and mild. It was wet yesterday, so let's hope it remains relatively dry today.

During his Downing Street press conference the other evening, Boris Johnson was talking about how we will be able to cuddle once some of the lockdown restrictions are lifted. It was all mentioned with a very serious look on his face. The same could be said of the reporters who have been covering all of this on BBC News,  BBC Breakfast, and so on. How on earth they managed to avoid bursting into laughing I can't imagine. To be honest, it really would do no harm to let go and at least smile when discussing it. It is coming over rather like a sketch on Monty Python's Flying Circus or The Goon Show. Things have been pretty grim for the last year and more, so a guffaw or titter wouldn't hurt. 'Oh er, madam! Titter not!' as Frankie Howerd would have said. 'Cuddle not! Ooh er, Missus!' 

The other thing which might put the cat among the pigeons might be what they call the 'Indian Variant' of the coronavirus which has been identified within the United Kingdom. But we must get out of this current situation and we can't go on running away from this virus. We all know that viruses mutate and this one is no exception. 

Saturday. 8.10 a.m. Quietly sitting and working on the laptop. I've been out with Alfie, as normal. It's raining, but not heavy. A light shower, almost like a mist. ('mist-like would be better.) Then my ears are assaulted by the fire alarm going off. Just so loud it hurts my ears. It can't be a test, because that is done during the week when our S.H.O. is here, and it lasts about 30 seconds. Alfie barks and doesn't stop barking. Nothing for it, but to go outside. I abandon what I'm doing on the laptop, scoop up Alfie in my arms (which stops him barking. I suppose it's difficult to do so if he's being held.), and walk down to the front door and stand under the awning to keep out of the rain. Alfie is heavy to hold for any length of time, so I put him on the ground. He shakes like a leaf. I suppose, because dogs can hear higher pitch sounds than humans, it must hurt his ears, hence his barking. After around five minutes we can hear a fire engine approaching, and it roars up with lights flashing and one of the firemen gets out and I have to let him into Dexter House with my keys because the automatic door doesn't open without. (This needs repairing urgently and causes some annoyance and inconvenience.) It turns out someone left something cooking in their oven and it was that that set the fire alarms off. After around 15 minutes the noise went off and we could return to my flat. Panic over!

Another Camphill Tuesday

Another day at Camphill. It was a relatively straightforward drive there, which made a change, Because I can generally expect aggression from other drivers, but I imagine that the run was more or less stress-free because it's half term this week. No parents dropping off their beloved offspring at Oakgrove School, which is on the roundabout at the intersection of Chaffron Way and Brickhlll Street, and any other Tuesday I could expect to be held up by hoards of inconsiderate parents, pulled over in a dangerous fashion, as they drop of their children, and usually there's a long line of cars waiting to get onto the roundabout and then similar line of cars at the various roundabouts along Brickhill Street.

We didn't immediately do anything concerning the drama workshop in the morning, because there was staff training, which was done in the Chrysalis Theatre. It was on fire safety, something which I have already done, as part of my training when I worked for a care agency in Bedford, called Care On  call, and, of memory serves, when I originally worked for the N.H.S., and done as part of my induction when I eventually worked at Vincent House, although, originally, I worked through what was called the Care Bank, and then worked in several of the N.H.S. learning disabilities throughout Bedfordshire.

It was decided that the drama workshop group, including myself, could attend the training session and we could sit in the balcony of the theatre. Only problem with this, regardless of the fact that the seats were a good deal more comfortable than those used by the Camphill staff in the main body of the theatre, sitting below us, was that it was difficult to hear clearly what the gentleman who gave the talk was saying. If he'd used a microphone of some sort it would have been considerably better, but never mind. I don't think the people who give these sorts of talks ever beed to use microphones. It was good to know something about fire extinguishers. It's as well to know which one to use on what sort of fire, for example, if it was paper, wood, gas or electrical. If you were to use water on an electrical fire you could be killed, due to shock, and that there are different extinguishers, water, foam etc. Also, that the horn on a foam extinguisher can cause frost bite because the horn and the pipe leading to it gets extremely cold. Not something you would realise otherwise. When I did my initial induction back in the late 1990s before working as a support worker for the N.H.S. Learning Disability service around Bedfordshire, I learnt this at the fire safety course, and we saw several fire extinguishers being used and you soon realise that they don't last long when discharged, you only get around 2 minutes, so you can't afford to waste time otherwise you will waste the contents on not actually extinguishing a fire. Also, virtually the first thing we were told was to not use wedges (or anything else) to keep doors open. So, what happens? The first shift I did, I can't remember where exactly, but they HAD WEDGES TO KEEP THE DOORS OPEN, because so many of the residents in this particular home used wheelchairs and it would have been extremely difficult to not have doors wedged open.

Well, at least I will get a certificate to prove that I had done the course. It would be awful if there was a fire (and I certainly hope there will never be.) and I didn't know how to deal with it.

Once the course was over, (and it ran from 10.00-11.30, which meant we didn't get a tea-break!) we set up to do a run-through of 'Stranger Danger,' and we had the entire complement of actors, so I didn't stand in for anyone missing, although I did do some prompting. We were realeased for lunch 8 MINUTES early, to make up for not having a tea break earlier and when we returned we did more rehearsal and then Teo decided that, by around 3, we wouldn't do any more rehearsals.

As mentioned a couple of weeks ago, Tao is going to be going away for a couple of weeks (I think it's three weeks, going skiing, but I'm not sure where. Last time he went, apparently he had an accident and had to be air-lifted home. He broke a leg, and the residents made it clear to him that he mustn't do it again!!) we had to choose three films which could be used as the basis for improvisations, when each of our actors (including Co-Workers and volunteers) had to nominate a favourite film, which they had copies of on DVD. After a sort of television talent show voting system, where we had to vote on what each had nominated, and the results scores gradually whittled down the list to just three films, which turned out to be 1- 'The Sound of Music; 2- 'Oliver!' and 3: Monty Python: And now For Something Completely Different.' So, next week we will be watching selections of each of these films (obviously there won't be enough to watch them in their entirety.) Then we will be put into groups and each group will create an improvisation based loosely on the film each group chooses. I can't wait to see what comes out of this. It was the same way we began developing the 'Treasure Island' project. The group watched a video of the original Robert Louis Stevenson novel, but it was just the jumping-off point to develop the play, which won't be a direct adaptation, but themes, characters and plots are the basis for a totally original piece of theatre.

Reading and Viewing- Part 1

We have been spoilt recently by the number and quality of television drama. I have mentioned in earlier posts how I enjoyed the Channel 4 series 'Humans' (about 'synths' which are in actual fact robots which look like humans). The second series finished a week before Christmas and, as yet, it's not clear whether a third series will be commissioned. The finale episode did more or less tie up many of the story threads quite nicely, there again, a third series could carry things further. I started watching the Sky drama series 'Westworld' which has a similar theme as 'Humans' but set in an American Wild West theme park and based on a novel by Michael Crichton which was made into a 1973 science fiction movie.  He was responsible for the original novel, Jurassic Park, which has spawned four movies. The more recent one, Jurassic World, was very week, although the special effects are as good, if not better, than the original. I recall seeing the earlier movie of Westworld. . The television version is good, up to a point, but for me it was far too violent. It's worth seeing if just for the performance of Anthony Hopkins. It shows how actors of his calibre are turning to television instead of Hollywood movies. It seems that, at the moment, all we have to offer in the movie world is remakes and sequels. Endless superhero revamps. Television drama seems to be able to come up with far more in-depth storytelling. You are able to tell your story in one-hour episodes and over ten segments and then continue in further seasons. As we have Sky and Sky Movies, we can download movies to our Sky Q box and watch movies once they reach Sky a couple of months after cinema release. The Sky Q box has a far bigger capacity for storage than the old Sky+ box and also allows up to 4 programmes to be recorded which are broadcast at the same time. 'Downton Abbey' has come to an end. ITV came up with 'Victoria' as a replacement. It's a fairly faithful telling of the story of Queen Victoria from her youth and on to her ascending the throne in 1837 and eventual marriage to Prince Albert. Very lavish and quite watchable but not particularly ground breaking. Meanwhile Netflix, the streaming television service, has 'The Crown' which is another royal saga, following the true story of Elizabeth 11's life story. As it's on-line and streaming it means you have all 10 episodes and can watch whenever you like and back-to-back if you so wish, instead of waiting for the next episode the following week. We have not signed up to Netflix and as a result cannot see this series, but I have a feeling it will be shown on Sky eventually, because their other series, 'House of Cards' is on Sky for downloading as a box set. (This is based on the BBC series and starred Ian Richardson.) We enjoy 'Father Brown' which is based loosely on the G.K.Chesterton character. It's now in it's 5th series and is shown on BBC1 in an afternoon slot. It's very much tongue-in-cheek and has a sense of humour. We also like 'Last Tango In Halifax' which is set in an area of Yorkshire we know well and have spent a couple of holidays there. It's real. The characters are good and the acting is good. It stars Derek Jacobi and Anne Reid as 70-somethings, Alan Buttershaw and Celia Dawon, who reignite a romance after several decades and the effect this has on both their families and friends. It had a two-part Christmas special and returns for a full season in January 2017. On Amazon I have been more than impressed by 'The Man In The High Castle' which is based on a novel by Philip K. Dick (who wrote 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep" which was filmed as 'Blade Runner' and directed by Ridley Scott (who Executive Produces 'High Castle.) It is set in an imagined world where the Nazis won the Second World War and America has been divided up by the Nazis and Japanese. Very convincing and well made and it has now gone to a second series and I hear that a third has been commissioned.

As for reading, I have just completed 'Gilliamesque", the autobiography of one of my favourite directors, former Monty Python member Terry Gilliam, who did the animation for that comedy show and directed 'Monty Python and The Holy Grail,' 'Brazil', 'Jabberwocky,' 'Time Bandits' and 'Baron Munchausen', all of which have now become cult classics. I like his off-the-wall approach and he certainly doesn't make films which fit the 'Hollywood' mould in any way shape or form.

Working In Theatre- Part 7

After "A Voyage Round My Father" the next show was a pantomime, just in time for Christmas 1970. There is something about panto which I don't particularly like. It's all corny and rather stupid. I know it's 'traditional' but I much prefer my theatre to be a little more imaginative. Everyone  seems to  not care that they know the story, no more so than the classic pantomime plots of Cinderella, Aladdin, Jack and The Bean Stalk etc etc. This one was 'Dick Whittington.' There was one difference with this one, the roles of Jack and Alice  were played more realistically with Dick played by a man and  Alice Fitzwarren played by a girl and not the more traditional roles of  Principal Boy and Girl, although it did have a Dame, the cook, played traditionally by a man, in this case an actor called Bill Stewart. Also, at the end, it didn't have Alice marrying Dick, for some reason, a sort of almost feminist slant, but it didn't really work for some reason. It doesn't make sense if the hero doesn't marry the heroine. It was almost like a musical in that it had a completely original score with some very good lyrics, unlike most pantos that have pop songs sprinked freely amongst the plot, as well as a rather unhealthy mix of soap stars and television 'names.' Also, strange variety acts that are put in, basically just to fill up the running time and having not a great deal to do with the plot of the show.  I suppose the stars draw in the audience and I imagine this will be a lot of children's first experience of live theatre. Maybe it will be their only experience of theatre all year. Possibly most adults, unfortunately. Also, it's the one show that the theatre manager can make a good deal of money from ticket sales and help to prop up ailing productions during the rest of the year. Although I might not be a lover of pantomime, I did love working on them, as the atmosphere backstage was always very good. Hard work, though, as there would be a lot of scene changes, a great deal of hauling on ropes to 'fly' out clothes and generally enormous flats to be moved around the stage.

The first dress rehearsal ran for over three hours, which was thought to be far too long, so, unfortunately, quite a lot of material had to be cut, and some of it was good material. I suppose when you have a children's audience it's not a good idea for a show to run too long, and some days we would do three performances, a morning show, a matinee and then an evening performance. A very long and tiring day. So you can see why the running time was best kept to around two and a half hours at most.

The stage at Greenwich is a thrust, and there is no curtain or 'tabs'. Also, absolutely no sort of grid over the stage, so nothing could be flown', so the designer for this panto had to be ingenious to allow scene changes and to allow a fairly wide range of settings. As there was no sort of arrangement for flying, you couldn't have flown cloths for settings as you would have for a pantomime in a traditional proscenium theatre.  The idea that was used was that it had a sort of children's book feel, and the main up-stage area was a sort of toybox, which, at the beginning of the show was closed. It was broken into two, hinged sections, like large doors. Myself and another A.S.M. were to be responsible for opening and closing these 'doors' and we had to time it such that they opened and closed precisely, and particularly when closed, otherwise it would have looked awful. Behind these doors any sort of scene change could be done, with the downstage area being used for some scenes, and then the doors opened for the next scene.

We were both involved in the 'Storm' scene. This was done in U.V. light (ultra-violet) which means that certain bits of scenery, props etc are painted in a substance which reacts to ultra violet light from tubes or bulbs. The scene was when Dick Whittington and his cat are caught in a storm at sea and then shipwrecked on a desert island (or something. Not sure of the exact plot now.) Myself and the other A.S.M. had to operate puppet versions of Dick and the cat, and they end up on a raft or something and this is all done in complete darkness, so you can imagine how difficult it must have been and to cover a scene change. I think this would have been my first experience of puppetry in some form or another.

 Most pantomimes have a 'song sheet,' the bit in the show where one of the principal characters does a song and this song is brought in from the flies and the audience is involved, there's a lot of participation and children are bought on stage and usually one half of the audience sings one line and the other half alternate lines, or something similar and one side wins. I think you get the idea. Well, the pantomime at Greenwich was no different, except that instead of the songsheet being flown in it was painted on a sort of sign board and myself and the other A.S.M had to bring it on stage from the wings. The participation for this section was done by Derek Griffiths and one other character, don't ask me who it was no, as I've forgotten. All went the same each performance for around four weeks until the last night. Instead of us coming on and merely holding the board for the audience to read and sing to, WE were more or less forced to join in, and couldn't leave the stage until we'd done a song and dance across the stage. Our exits into the wings either side of the stage was blocked so we couldn't get off-stage, so we were more or less expected to do something! Such is the atmosphere of doing pantomime.

The next show to come in after Dick Whittington was not the usual play, musical or whatever. It was a month of music hall. The theatre had been rebuilt from what had been a former music hall, so I suppose it was only right that it should hark back to it's origins. On the bill for one week were two famous stars of the past, Elsie and Doris Waters. This intrigued me as my grandmother had piles of old 78 r.p.m records, and some of these had these two on them, doing sketches from around the time of the Second World War. Another 'act' was a drag act called Mrs Shufflewick, actually an actor called Rex Jameson. And the final star was the best as far as I was concerned, the legendary Max Wall. He did most of his iconic act, including him wearing his famous wig, those strange trousers and short jacket which seemed several sizes too small. My involvement was that I was supposed to go on and place his piano stool in place so that he could come on and sit down and then play the piano, if 'play' is the right word, I don't know. Well, rather in the style of the pantomime and the song sheet, all went the same each night, I'd come on from exactly the same side and put the stool in place, and Max Wall would say, in his inimitable way 'where's me st . . .o . . .  o. . . l?'  (I have since discovered that the on-stage character he played, which involved the amazing walk, poorly-fitting suit along with the 'bald' wig, was called Professor Wallofski. Apparently this was, according to John Cleese, the inspiration for The Ministry  of Silly Walks  sketch in Monty Python's Flying Circus.) But one night I decided to be different and came on from the OPPOSITE side from normal, and got a round of applause from the audience. So, I can say I've been on stage and performed with the legendary Max Wall.