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Director's Dispatch No 5: by Chris Rafferty, Bowness on Solway

We now have the Test-your-strength machine, simply painted onto a vertical rectangle of MDF with standard water-based paint.

We also have the Coconut Shy, based on wooden uprights capped by a small square platform as a stage for the coconuts.

They were delivered to school and Pat has been busy with the paint brushes.

We are having some difficulties with the rope lights I wanted to put on the Big Wheel - to give it the theatrical magic.

The original set, used to create a motorway at night effect for a previous production, are fine. The new lights don’t seem to retain the memory of the setting.

So we are going to bypass the chase sequences altogether to get round it.

We have an electrician finishing off emergency lighting work at the school next weekend, so we can get it sorted then.

On the cast front, one of the principals told me yesterday he is at a scout camp for the final Charity performance of the show.

The momentary panic was allayed by having a very capable understudy already in place. They can get to grips with the script quickly. However, the understudy has not been in the relevant dance rehearsals, which poses a problem to solve.

Next week we will be focussing on the script. The week after, we are away on a residential trip, so I want to have a full-on week to bed things in, before that “week off”.

Then with batteries recharged, we have a fortnight to get everything pulled together.

At the end of the residential week, I will be spending the weekend building the stage. Then early the following week, we aim to have the sound and lighting rigs up - so the kids running the desks have sufficient time to get all sorted.

The kids who will be operating sound and light are desperate to get started.

Aiming to make some progress on the programme over the weekend.

So, lots to do, and the excitement is building.

Director’s Dispatch 6:  Surprise addition

Director’s Dispatch 7:  Costumes

Director’s Dispatch 8:  Dress rehearsal

Director’s Dispatch 9:  Last night