Aire and Calder Navigation
The roofers delivered various ladders to the house today. Their van was still not mended, but they promised to arrive early tomorrow. Mick happened to be out buying a visor so that he could trim away the undergrowth that is taking over the garden again. If only the gardener who’d come round in February had actually come good! If only the roofers would get started with the roof!
On Oleanna I got on with trying to sort out just where abouts things should be positioned on stage. Shapes and the overall look of everything put on the back burner for a while until I’d worked out the formula for the hanging plot (which flying bars scenery gets hung on).
As Tilly went out I noticed she walked around the edge of the stern. As she lifted each paw she gave it a flick as she does when things are wet or muddy. Gosh the stern was looking very shiny. Later on I stepped on it myself and I think I managed to lift some of the paint, it sticking to the soles of my shoes! I gave it a good wash down with canal water to stop it being SO sticky. Shade is one thing, not that it does much on the mooring, but we’re going to need a drive through boat wash very soon, otherwise we’ll all be like flies stuck to fly paper!!
My walk today was up to Woodlesford Station, to see how long it would take me to hobble there, the timing factored into tomorrows schedule, an early start required. I didn’t go much further just a look at the pub and the church next door which turned out to look more like a private residence with curtains swagged in the windows and a big gate baring entry.
The afternoon I sketched out some groundplans, translating the hanging plot onto a groundplan is always a brain ache for panto. If you nudge that bit upstage then there will be big holes visible into the wings. But reducing gaps can mean there’s not enough room to get things on and off stage. This is a big problem in such a small theatre as Chippy, the audience sit right up to the proscenium arch, so they can see all the way into the wings, but not see anything on their side of the stage. If you ever go, don’t be tempted by these seats, not unless all you want to do is be seen by the audience!
Then there’s the problem of where to put the musicians! I really preffered it when they were in the auditorium, but for some reason they have to be on stage again this year. They either take up acting area or storage room for scenery and props.
I did get to the point of doing some sketches of how things might look, there’s still plenty more of that to come.
0 locks, 0 miles, 1 story hanging plot, 10 ground plans, 15 storyboard blanks, 4 drawn up, 1 sticky stern, 4 flicks of paws, 2nd helping of Yaxni, 2 hours knitting.