Technically speaking

I think I'm now supposed to blog every day up to the end of the show, hmmm that may be a challenge...

I (once again) apologise for not blogging after Thursday's rehearsal, but I have been incredibly busy, not only with show things, I do have a life outside of this show you know! Okay admittedly not a very big life outside this show but a life nonetheless! Thursday's rehearsal was fabulous - as now expected from Cast and Crew! We were still missing Miss Pross as she was still off not being Miss Pross somewhere else, but apart from her and one of our peasants we had a full cast (this is a rarity, we have not had a full cast for ANY rehearsal). We did lose Lucie at 10pm as she had to go to work but we still managed to get a run through in, which is great.

Over the weekend, Director Guillotine and I were rather busy, on Friday we were at a wedding, Saturday we went to see Miss Pross moonlighting in another show and Sunday we spent the day at the hall. Final preparations to be made yesterday were made although I still have a list of things to manage/sort/source longer than I'd like.

The last Sunday before the show is normally the frantic one that seems to go on forever. We normally start at 10am (some arrive earlier than that) desperately try to finish painting, building, constructing and all the other things we hadn't managed to do in the previous days/weeks before the performance week and finish at some point before the sun comes up! Yesterday went a little differently;
Director Guillotine and I arrive at 10am to find Sound Man and Researcher already on the scene but with no keys to get in the hall. Director Guillotine and I thought that Gabelle was going to arrive an hour early to start getting on without anyone being around. Unfortunately he forgot that the clocks went forward on Saturday night and arrived at 10am, instead of his planned 9am (just as well he'd planned to come early eh?!)
We get into the hall and start work, there is a problem with the lighting desk - mild panic ensues - which Gabelle solves (I knew you would).
I painted guns. The guns were going to be brown and Evremonde assured me that if I just bunged a load of different coloured paint into a tray I would eventually get brown. I got purple. The guns are now black.
I hemmed gowns for Stryver and Carton. I took up Attorney General's gown as he kept stepping on it and I also took up Seamstress' dress to stop her falling up the stairs.
Tea lady kept me in tea, for which I am sure she will go to heaven!
The cast arrived for a 1.30pm run through which didn't actually start until 3pm as we were still missing lots of people at 1.30pm. We had to start without Miss Pross who was still sewing/recovering from her previous incarnation, Strypard was buying a kitchen and Barsad was working (but now has a week off, the lucky devil).
Dangerous watched for his scene changes, Attorney general delivered his lines from up a ladder fixing lights and Evremonde had a fully made up face (thank you make up mistress). Apart from a sticky guillotine, the run through went very well.
After this we decided to do the technical rehearsal in full costume again and everyone was dismissed to return after a trip to the pub/shop. A dinner party was held in the kitchen, I sewed, Miss Pross gathered material to make me a head scarf and got into her costume (which looks great).
Technical run through started at 7.15pm (a little after planned but way before we usually do it) and we were finished by 10pm! We think this may be a record! Lights, sound and actors are now primed and ready.

Tonight is technically a dress rehearsal, however Chairman, Secretary, F&B Supervisor and another helper can't make any of the performances so they are paying to come and see the dress rehearsal. So tonight is a performance, like any other one this week. And off we go....