On Leave

Mutterings continued.

I've got the next 3 weeks off; the first two will be spent in props procurement panic.

Yesterday was really only day 4 of the wild and woolly weather; it just felt like longer. Today has been most pleasant. Light winds, blue skies, bloody cold.

Watched a fascinating prog on UKTV last night - the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are? The first episode was about Bill Oddie who had a very sad upbringing. "Oddie grew up in Birmingham, the only surviving child of Lilian - said to be mentally ill - and Harry, his distant father. He was brought up by his grandmother, Emily. His mother's illness cast a shadow over the family, as did the deaths of the two previous children of the family. One of them was stillborn, the other choked to death within months of being born." She was actually 5 days old when she died.

According the Fuel Watch, the cheapest petrol near here is $1.31 a litre. Fuck!

More stage managers' reports:

Show: Oedipus

"Mr Edwards (MD) was almost late for one of his cues and made a bit of noise dashing to the piano."

Show: Nativity

"During show, a child who was angry for not being chosen as the lead

sheep, pulled the fire alarm. The show had to be stopped for fifteen

minutes while the fire department came and figured how to shut it

off."

Show: A View from the Bridge - rehearsal note "Ms. Deans would like

two imaginary windows"

Show: Annie

"Tony the dog sniffed something interesting in the wing just before

his entrance at the end of Act 1 scene 6. He was very late and walked

across the stage as the lights faded to black."

Show: Bartered Bride

"Sprat the dog was able to perform although contracting an infestation

of fleas, he did not, however take a curtain call."

Show: Jerry's Girls

" ... and photographer shot during rehearsal"

Show: One of Many

"When the LX op was under the influence and was missing most of the

cues the report read F.E.B.C.A.D. (fault exists between chair and

desk)."

Show: Oh What A Lovely War

"During the Irish Rangers scene the sound operator accidentally

triggered two samples at the same time thus instead of the sound of a

single shot being fired the sound of a horse neighing was also heard.

R____ B______ exclaimed in his broad irish accent, 'Bejesus them

filthy Huns is shooting the horses an' all.'"

Show : Guys and Dolls

"The house was plunged into darkness during the interval due to the LX

op putting his phone onto the 'Cut' button. This was made up for

during the second half by the houselights accidentaly rising when some

quick plotting had included them by mistake."

Show : La Pietra Del Paragone

"Could an ASM please be available in the wings to pass water?"

Show: Face (a musical)

"Mr Kenah aided Mr Dudley (No.1 Sound Engineer) with sound today due

to Mr Dudley going deaf."

Show: TIE tour of Nativity

"Miss R (Stage Manager) cut herself on the first aid box."

"LXQ 53 went early because Mr. Hay's headset fell off and hit the GO

button"

Show: Sleeping Beauty - Northcott Theatre, Exeter "A child in the

audience told Mr Hall to "get on with it" during the joke sequence,

and then told him he wasn't funny, Mr Hall continued anyway, however

the audience seemed to agree with the child."

"Due to slight problem with the keyboard Andy MacLeod went into the

pit during the first scene, whilst trying to sort the problem out his

bottom came into contact with the tubular bells used for fairy magic,

this was heard onstage but fortunately no adverse spells were cast."

"Mr Guerrini fell over a prone Mr Hall during the duet reprise. Mr

Hall was unhurt and Mr Guerrini managed to prevent himself from

laughing until after the scene."

Show : Dick Whittington

"Inexperienced flyman misunderstood that whilst he was on standby for

House Tabs out, the 'GO' was in fact for LX (as suggested by q lights).

House Tabs flew out before LX had begun House lights and tabwarmers

out.

On realising his error, Flyman stopped 1/2 way out and paused...

Dancers on stage confused but made a good effort to cover as did MD. -

Head flyman had 'nipped to the loo'"

Show: A Christmas Carol

"A metal coat hanger was attached to Scrooge's gravestone as it was

brought on in Scene 12."

Show: Educating Rita

"Due to the large number of short scenes separated by blackouts, Mr C,

the Professor, found that towards the end of the first half, the

audience started to leave believing the interval was due. On finding

people leaving as the lights came up for the scene, Mr C asked the

audience where they were going? The audience members, embarrassed, sat

down and Mr C asked them politely to remain for the following two

remaining scenes. He then asked the crew to go to blackout and start

the scene again. The crew and audience obliged."

Show: The Greeks

"LXQ18 was nearly late"

Show : Gypsy

"Mr. ______ entered Goldstone scene without any pants and with his

dresser hysterically shouting after him. He later claimed he had

forgotten to under dress, but didn't want to be late for his entrance

by putting back on his recently shed Kringelein pants. He spent the

entire number in a chair perched atop a steamer trunk in his boxers."

Show: Wizard of Oz

"During Munchkinland scene, small munchkin kicked out BOTH wedges from

the house truck causing it to head for the orchestra pit. 6 stage

hands hanging onto the back corner for the rest of the scene averted

disaster!"

Anon

"During rehearsal when a single shot was supposed to be fired from

pistol, sound got over enthusiastic and a burst of machine gun fire

rattled round the auditorium. Actor Mr.... looked at gun and said

'Didn't know it could do that!' "

Show: Someone Who Will Watch Over Me

"After a very short rehearsal period our preview night opened to an

invited audience. The first actor on stage walked to the front of the

stage, flung his arms apart and said loudly 'PROMPT'. We were 15 mins

late because of the laughter."

Show: Aurora Borealis

"A fast run. 1 sound cue nearly gave SM heart attack but I succeeded

in surviving to the end of the show. Director rewrote show after

performance"

Show: Stage apart II

"a silence from a group upstage caused the DSM to give a prompt, still

nothing so the DSM prompted again, the reply that came was 'We know

the f****** line, who says it?' "

>

"Musicians playing in the locker rooms had to be threatened with

physical violence before they shut up"

Show: Flibberty and the Penguin

"P___ B_____ condescended to turn up 6 minutes before curtain up, his

excuse was that he was saving his voice"

Show: Country Wife

"Mr S___ laughed hysterically when exiting as the doctor in scene one,

frightening the shit out of the DSM & causing her to GO too early on

LXQ2"

"Mr A____ set his coat alight with the candle but only realised when

he heard the front row of audience muttering about it. He then saw the

flames,said 'OOEER' and put himself out"

Show: Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

"End of show tabs follow on Q a little late as flyman hypnotised

himself whilst flying out the 2 slatted screens before"

"Psycho nutter audience member sat on MD's pit piano stool and refused

to move, curtain up held by 6 mins"

Show: Juno and the Paycock

"Mr ______ refused to go on in Act 2 saying that the Act 1 Guinness

was flat, eventually persuaded by SM"

Show: The Beaux Stratagem

"Mr Duncan's hat landed where he was trying to miss"

Show: The Bunnet and the Bowler Tour

"Some cast late because ruffian gave them wrong directions"