We Don't Do Crazy!

I will start this comment with an apology to my readers if they feel offended in any way by what follows.
At least once a month I am guaranteed to receive an email on these lines.
"Hello, we are a school in (Slovenia) and we are proposing a day dedicated to the thousands of workers who have contributed to making our country what it is. We should like you to come and perform a one hour play for our 60 primary children on the subject of achievement. Is this something you can do? Many thanks SV"
Now this may be a touch extreme, but I am making a point.
We have a very active website that provides in depth information on the plays and workshops we perform. Nine plays are current and have to be learnt by our actors.
So do I reply:-
"Yes, of course we should love to write, prop, costume, music, choreograph etc. etc. a play to perform just once to 60 kids. I can give you a ball park fee, but somehow I don't think I will hear back from you"
Or do I just bin it, and with a sigh recognise this is now the silly season?
Until the next time,
Albert

That was the week, that was!

In this business the one thing you can be sure of is you will be breaking your neck to meet commitments during National Book Week.
Christmas may take some schools by surprise. Oh, should we have booked earlier is heard only too often in early December.
Never so for N.B.W. Oh no, we are already being asked for next March, and we have yet to recover from this one.
Now the one thing of which you may be certain is that the schools that book early will be in the most remote and inaccessible locations. Motorway! What motorway? Try and find one in Suffolk. Of course there is the M11, or motorway to nowhere as I prefer to call it. Dumped in Cambridge and then what? You may try the A12. Okay to Ipswich, but thereafter watch out for moving haystacks.
Not that I am complaining, business is business. But it would be nice to have the occasional lie in say, to 6 a.m.
Oh, must remember to get to bed early tonight, have to be up at 5!!!

The show must go on.

A few days ago the coolant light on our V W Estate came on with a warning not to continue driving. The problem was clearly loss of coolant, but no indication from where, and the temperature gauge did not register a problem.
The only free time available to sort it out was Thursday afternoon. Unfortunately, our regular dealer could not accommodate us but, thankfully, Martins of Camberley came to the rescue.
We scurried over on Thursday afternoon and, after a pressure test, got the news we were fearing-radiator leaking and must be replaced immediately.
By now it was around 4pm and Martins could not guarantee they could effect the repair that evening in case they hit an unforeseen problem.
What now? The guy on reception was most helpful and suggested Kendall Van Hire close by. Needless to say it was pouring with rain, but a kind lady, also on reception, drove us there. Within no time we were fitted up with a van and on our way.
Martins finished the job on Friday and we picked up the Estate Saturday morning. There was no charge as it was done under guarantee.
Now whilst this is a pretty boring story, we did have the pleasure of joining the ranks of the most hated and feared road users, albeit our van was blue and not white.
It was probably clear to those around us that we were not truly professional van drivers and that alone was sufficient to install terror in their minds.
Anyway, all ended without mishap, and our aching necks and backs have left us feeling somewhat more sympathetic towards white (and blue) van man.

Recession, what recession?

If anyone out there is looking for something before Easter I may be able to fit you in in the afternoon of 19th March, provided you are near Reading, where we have 2 shows booked for the morning. Yes, we really are that full.
Now you are probably thinking next week is half term so there's the break. Forget it! Next week we are performing "Billy Beware!" at 7 Children's Centres and "Gingerbread Man" at 3 more, all laced with a sprinkling of Drama Workshops. And, to cap it all, we are back at Blacheath Halls on the Saturday with "Robin Hood rescues the Forest".
Not that we are complaining. Actors want to act, and I want to keep paying the ever increasing bills.
Have to go now. Got to sort out the VAT!

Keeping our fingers crossed

Well we got through January mostly unscathed, despite the weather's best efforts to hinder us. But it aint all over yet!
February is threatening to be a testing month if we can believe the forecasters, and we have much travelling to do.
Bookings this coming few weeks will see us in Birmingham, Coventry, Leicester, Bath, Bristol, the extremes of Suffolk (that's the County where the roads disappear beyond Ipswich!) and the wilds of Somerset.
But I shouln't complain as with the exception of two or three half days we are fully booked right through to Easter. Anyway that is the good news, but the downside is if we do get snowed off at any time there is no room to re-arrange this school term.
Having spent most of the weekend catching up with the paperwork I think I will take a leaf out of the Hare's book and have a snooze.
Until the next time then......

A time to reflect

With most of England snowbound and many schools closed we are shuffling our bookings and endeavouring to re-arrange those that had to be postponed.
Amidst all this I have taken the time to look back on some of the experiences of the past couple of years.
From time to time we take on drama students for work experience placements. In the recent past Georgina, Bethany and most recently Imogen have joined us.
Whilst I like to think that we are doing our bit for the community, I have to say that we seem to gain more than we give. Each one of these young ladies has been like a breath of fresh air about the place. Apart from delighting us with their presence, they have each contributed on a day to day basis helping with the get ins etc. but more importantly with their views, opinions and suggestions. Since in terms of age they are all closer to the audience than we are their input has been extremely valuable.
Unfortunately, we can only accommodate one or two placements per year, but all you keen students out there do please get in touch as we want to hear from you.

Happy New Year to all our readers

We finally finished off the Christmas fayre and celebrated the New Year and now back to work.
After the break our actors have little time to settle in for the new school term as we have bookings already for most of the first two weeks in January.
"Robin Hood Rescues the Forest" is proving to be a real winner. I suppose it is popular because it is suitable for both infant and junior ages, and environment and ecology are high on the agenda.
Lots of enquiries still coming in from nurseries and Sure Start Centres. I guess our theme plays on safety and anti-bullying hit the spot.
All this is happening before we even send out our latest mailings and emails.
Do please get in touch early if you are looking to book a "Theme Day" as whole day availability does become scarce a the year progresses.
I will finish on a polite message to Local Authorities. If we can travel 100 plus miles to reach the schools throughout the winter please don't close them because of a flurry of snow. Remember when you were kids how much you enjoyed playing snowballs in the playground.