Category Archives: Theatre Design

Is It Us? 14th June

Stoke Bruerne to Haines Bridge 62

This morning we noticed that NB Tyseley was unable to come through Blisworth Tunnel due to a tree blocking the navigation close to the north portal . A rather big tree too! We seem to be having this effect on trees, luckily for us they fall over behind us. That of course is no good if you are on a schedule, maybe we should let NB Tyseley get ahead of us!

With the knowledge of no boats about to appear from the tunnel we headed for the locks. It was nearly dry outside, but we didn’t trust it so put our waterproofs on. Two boats were coming up the top lock with the help of a Volunteer. They had been told to moor up and wait for news, there was concern that the moorings would soon fill up, would there be enough space for them. There was plenty and I’m sure even by the end of the day there would still have been plenty of room.

One of the boats that had followed us yesterday had already headed down the locks, no locking partner would appear from behind so we started down on our own. The volunteer Lockie soon appeared and went ahead setting locks and by the fourth lock we’d caught NB Carpe Diem up.

They waited for us after a short pound, our locks worth of water adding to theirs and flooding the sides of the lock. By now the sun was trying to come out, waterproofs came off. We chatted as we descended, they are pootling about until they can get back onto the River Nene once the levels have lowered.

As we walked down to the last lock a very dark cloud had caught us up, the boats took their time to deliver our coats, but luckily this was before the rain really got started.

The new collar on the bottom gate was only just noticeable, a new weld giving it away.

The level below the lock looked much higher than we remembered. The River Tove joins the navigation here before heading off eastwards, so the current rainfall was swelling the canal.

Pulling in at the services we were pleased to see a recycling bin and one for glass. We made good use of this and deposited our collection that had been taking over the cratch and galley for a while. Then a nudge up to the end where there’s a handy water point. The pressure wasn’t great but that suited us, we could run the washing machine and have lunch as the tank filled. It beat us to it though, but with no other boats arriving we stayed put and topped up the tank before leaving.

Mick moved us along to find a mooring as I retired below. Models take a lot of painting and I seem to have the same problem as last year, I keep changing my mind! Today some kitchen units were painted three different shades of pink before I liked them. Grrr, designers!!

The sun came out and we had blue skies for much of the remainder of the day.

7 locks, 4 shared, 4.66 miles, 1 downpour, 1 full water tank, 0 rubbish left (except bits of cardboard tucked behind the knife block), 1 load washing, 1 pooh bucket changed, 4 hours, 0 fire, 1st blue sky for ages.

https://goo.gl/maps/Jkgd5icBiqZu4E2z6

Tall Tales. 12th June

Bugbrooke Bridge to Nightingales Bridge 46 ish

Another miserable day in the making. At least it started off dry, for a while. All the boats around us moved off and carried on their journey and it was soon time for us to do the same. With Stoke Bruerne flight closed we decided to move along to before Gayton, mooring up where Tilly could go off and explore.

I helped push off and then left Mick to it whilst I did some work below. I’d been putting off checking a few things out on my ground plan for panto. So I started the day with the drawing board out. I made a list of potential problems and then worked my way through them. Details of the trap in the stage had only just been confirmed, the size and position having changed a touch since last year! It didn’t matter for Aladdin, but this year it does. A bit of problem solving and I have a couple of options.

Mick moved us on, far less traffic on the cut than in the last few days, most probably due to the broken lock ahead. He pulled us in after almost three miles cruising at the last big M on our map before Gayton Junction. Here there is armco to make it easier to moor, but the trains are quite close. Trains are a feature of the Grand Union Canal that you have to get used to. The line does move away at times but hugs the canal the remainder of the way to London.

Seven Hours! Blimey! What could I do with all that time?! No need for it to rain as the grass was good and soaking which got me very wet too. Marvellous.

More of my model got painted this afternoon and Mick went for a walk up to the junction to see what he could see and give me a bit more room to work. He returned just after it started to rain again, I made him some room on the table in return for him not nudging it too much as I painted thin lines of turquoise and dark red.

If you are looking for something to help fill these rather wet times avoiding being outside, can I point you in the direction of a friends blog. Jan is a story teller based in Edinburgh (Link to her blog). She is also a Theatre Designer, textile artist and curator. Last July Jan joined the crew of tall ship Tenacious as a volunteer, hauling sails, climbing the rigging, hearing and telling stories. This year she is aiming to tell tales on ten tall ships and will be joining the crew on board The Lord Nelson sailing up the Norwegian Coast as part of the tall ships race. The first posts on her blog take her to the Falkirk Wheel and the Kelpies, she featured on Ramblings on Radio 4.

Stay dry. Oh, this afternoon there was an update on Stoke Bruerne (on the website not an email) saying that the locks are open again, so dependant on how much water is falling from the sky I will either be working or we’ll be heading to descend the locks. Fingers crossed.

0 locks, 2.72 miles, 1 dry start, 1 very wet end, 62 trains, 1 tail held high, 6 hours of soggy moggy, 1 hour of exhaustion, 1 set of new tenants, 1 hat (of mine) headed for the high seas this summer, 10 tall ships, many tales, 900mm wide not 700, 1 trap a touch bigger than planned.

https://goo.gl/maps/1MeiiqtN2h4DELau8

2018 Round Up. 2nd January

HOORAY!!! Proper signal again, sorry for the delay. Here at last is a round up of 2018 and our vital statistics, who they are vital to I don’t know!

We started off the year up on the Llangollen having spent Christmas up in the basin, if it hadn’t been for me getting some work I think we’d have headed back there this year as we enjoyed it so much. On our return journey we dropped down onto the Montgomery Canal for a few days. Then we gradually worked our way along the canal stoppage hopping, the last bridge holding us up by a few days whilst work over ran, but we were first through and soon back down on the Shroppie at the end of January.

A pootle up to Chester and then Ellesmere Port where we spent several days looking round the museum, mooring on site made this very easy.

Oleanna had a day in the dry dock at Chester to check out why our bowthruster had stopped working and gave me chance to do a quick touch up of the blacking.

We then made our way back to Nantwich where we sat out the Beast from the East and at last got chance to meet and spend a bit of time with Jaq from NB Valerie.

Then we climbed the Shroppie to Autherley Junction turned right onto the Staffordshire and Worcester Canal and made our way down to Stourport where the river rose on us over night and left us stranded for far too long. This did mean that Tilly had her annual jabs gaining shore leave for another year. A hire car gave us a few days away from the flashing lights of Stourport, a trip to Beverley and to catch up with the John Godber Company in Bromsgrove along with a recky trip to Droitwich.

In the end we got bored of waiting for the river to drop and decided on going the long way round to Droitwich. Of course about two or three days into ‘the long way round’ the levels dropped and we could have done a quick journey down the River Severn.

Oh well we enjoyed all the locks having good weather for the Tardebigge Flight.

Once in Worcester we turned onto the river and made our way down to the Gloucester Sharpness Canal where we pootled down to the end with all the swing bridges being worked for us, met up with Jaye and Duncan (I’d have got into big trouble if I didn’t mention them!), saw the hulks, all sorts of flamingos and got to watch tall ship Kaskelot pass us.

Back up the Severn for Micks 60th birthday weekend where all our siblings joined us to celebrate. We watched cricket at New Road in Worcester, ate in Droitwich, caught steam trains in Kidderminster and ate some more in Bridgenorth, a very good weekend.

By now the summer had already started with wall to wall sunshine and our Sunday roasts became Sunday barbeques. We made our way back to Worcester and turned back down stream to Tewkesbury (I do like a good Tewkesbury!) and the river Avon. The last rain storm for a while slowed our progress upstream, but we stayed safe.

The Avon was a picturesque cruise and we met up with friends from Australia and old work friends of mine in Stratford, taking advantage to see as much theatre as we could.

Whilst in Stratford I heard that I’d got the job designing Panto in Chipping Norton this year. This would now affect the remainder of the year slowing us down somewhat. We headed back into Birmingham up the Lapworth flight (meeting NB Chuffed) to rendez vous with NB Blackbird and crew.

Here we planned to explore all the back waters of the BCN, but the sun was now on permanently and the thought of spending weeks surrounded by brick work and concrete reflecting heat at us was not attractive. So we chose a route out of the city that we’d not done before (via Ryders Green and Perry Barr) and headed for the shade of trees.

Work and heat were the feature of the next few months. On days we wanted to cruise we tried to be up early to make the most of the cool hours before the sun got too high in the sky to avoid. We hopped from mooring to mooring hunting out good places with maximum tree cover, not so good for the solar panels but it meant we didn’t cook inside.

We gradually cruised the Coventry Canal, the Ashby Canal for the first and second times, all the way into Coventry, down the North Oxford onto the Grand Union and on up to the Leicester Section. All our favourite moorings on the summit pound were visited and the London Leckenbys visited us at Foxton. All this slow cruising was interspersed with Panto meetings in London and Chippy, necessitating being near to stations, but this worked out well with a bit of planning.

Leamington Spa was a handy station back on the Grand Union for my final model meeting in mid September, freeing us up until rehearsals started a month later.

We made use of the Heritage weekend visiting places in both Warwick and Leamington. Oleanna got to visit the Saltisford Arm where we worked our way through the dirty washing drawer before heading back towards the Oxford Canal crossing bows with NB Tentatrice on the way.

The South Oxford Canal then became our home for the next three months.

First we cruised all the way to Oxford taking our time to return to Banbury. I then spent four weeks working my socks off in Chippy enjoying being creative again on Panto, returning each weekend to wherever Oleanna was with my head full of song lyrics and dance moves.

Once Aladdin was open and hoards of kids were shouting ‘He’s behind you!’ I could return to my normal life at 3mph, the boat, Tilly’s friends and Mick’s breakfasts.

Due to winter stoppages leaving the south Oxford couldn’t happen until near Christmas so we slowly made our way northwards breaking off to have a pre-Christmas in London and then once Napton Lock 9 was open we headed into the middle of nowhere for Christmas. The year ended with us returning to Crick and sadly missing out on the festivities at The Red Lion with friends.

We’ve had a great year travelling, meeting up with old friends and new. We’re looking forward to where 2019 will take us and who we shall meet along the way.

So our final statistics for the year are.

Total distance is 944 miles, 1 ¼ furlongs and 614 locks. There were 170 moveable bridges of which 77 are usually left open (although three of those weren’t); 131 small aqueducts or underbridges; 39 tunnels and 2 major aqueducts.

This is made up of 669 miles, 1 ¼ furlongs of narrow canals; 118 miles of broad canals; 35 miles, 5 furlongs of commercial waterways; 42miles, 7¼ furlongs of small rivers; 78 miles, 3 ¾ furlongs of large rivers; 476 narrow locks; 129 broad locks 9 large locks.

1084.6 engine hours, 7 hire cars, 1,383.63 litres diesel, 10 gas bottles (we do have gas central heating), 54 bags of coal, 2 waterway museums, 3 big houses, 3 versions of tuperware, 60th birthday, 2nd solar panel fitted, 7 overnight guests, 6 packs of Dreamies, 26 friends, 1 snake, 9 Mrs Tilly stamp of approval moorings, 7 pairs socks, 6 pairs gloves, 11 supermarket deliveries, 56 boxes wine delivered!

First Time Visit With Plenty Of Memories. 18th November

Blenheim Palace

Today with the sun shining we ventured forth and caught the S3 bus from the station. This bus normally goes all the way to Chippy, but that was not our destination today. We hopped off the bus a few miles short of Chippy at the gates of Blenheim Palace. Today was going to be an expensive one, Blenheim isn’t a National Trust House and costs quite a lot to get in. However a thorough look at the website meant that we knew about their Good Journey Offer. If you travel by bus or train to the house and present your ticket at the entrance kiosk when you buy your ticket then you will receive 30% off. If you also make this payment as a donation you will then be given a donation receipt to be able to convert your day ticket into a yearly pass. This we hope will be worth the queue to get such photo passes. I think this is a way for them to claim gift aid on your entrance, except we don’t pay tax so couldn’t tick the box, we still got our passes.

We’ve tried to time our visit before the house and garden get revamped for Christmas so that we could see the house rather than the Christmas displays. Yet everywhere was filled with Christmas trees, most groaning at the weight of all the decorations. Masses of Poinsettias crammed into dishes on tables. This would have made my father rush for numerous black plastic bags to give them the correct amount of sunlight a day that these Mexican weeds require. (This once dominated one Christmas for him, trying to keep the red leaves attached to the stems for as long as possible by lowering a black plastic bag over the poor plant each night, he’d even rigged the bag up on a piece of string so it could be lowered and raised at the correct times.)

An audio guide gave us information of key parts of the ground floor and on various paintings that adorn the houses walls. All we can say is, the Churchills were rich buggers!

Blenheim Palace was built as a gift to John Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, from Queen Anne in thanks for his victory at the Battle of Blenheim on 13th August 1704. It is the only non-royal house in the country to hold the title of Palace and was built between 1705 and 1722. The house became the subject of political infighting leading to Marlborough’s exile and damaging the reputation of it’s architect Sir John Vanbrugh. Funding for the building was never fully agreed upon, Marlborough put in £60,000, the government and Queen picked up much of the rest, but in 1712 after an argument between the Queen and Duchess funds were halted, £220,000 already spent, £45,000 still owed to workmen. The Marlboroughs were exiled to the continent until after the Queens death in 1714, when they took it upon themselves to finance the reminder of the build. Magnificence of such buildings was far more important than comfort or convenience.

Designed in the English Baroque style it became home to the Churchill family which has now spanned some 300 years. An act of parliament was passed when there were no sons to inherit the estate, so the amassed wealth could be passed down the female line. It’s most famous claim is that it was the birth place of Sir Winston Churchill. The generation that decided to open up the house to the public (helping to pay for it’s upkeep and almost certainly avoiding inheritance tax) were most probably very grateful that Winston was a premature baby. At the end of the 19th Century the palace was saved from ruin by the 9th Duke marrying the American railroad heiress Consuelo Vanderbilt.

Today you enter the building from the Great Court where colonnades flank either side of the house, each opening currently filled with a Christmas tree. The large hall follows with impressive Corinthian columns and vast amounts of carved stone. 20m above you is the ceiling painted by James Thornhill, where Marlborough kneels in front of Britannia with a map of the battle of Blenheim. This gives you just a small taste of the opulence that is to come in the State rooms.

Weaving around the hall, family portraits cover the wall. The most pleasing of 20th Century women.

A large cabinet is filled with model soldiers all standing in line and huge collections of china are displayed in all their grandeur along the hallways. Where ever there is space for a Christmas tree there is one, struggling hard to stay upright with their coverings of bows, baubles and the occasional pumpkin!

Drawing Rooms and Writing Rooms of various colours follow one after the other. Silk covered walls with matching upholstery. Furniture of every size and type. Courting couches where a couple could sit on a long stretch with space for a chaperone to sit at the end making sure nothing untoward occurred. Large lounging sofas, sprawling out as wide as Oleanna to narrow bolt upright sofas which were never intended to be comfortable.

After several such rooms we arrived at the first with the walls covered in tapestries. This was one of the main reasons I wanted to visit the house. Back in 1991 at the end of my second year at Croydon College (where I studied Theatre Design) we had to realise part of a theoretical design.

I chose to realise the masking from my design for the Benjamin Britten Opera Owen Wingrave based at the old Glyndebourne along with a large globe. The masking was based on the Marlborough tapestries which surrounded a large revolving skeletal house. Thanks to my old tutor Rob Muller for the photos of my work. I had given the tapestries a bluer hue than the originals and had painted into the more dramatic scenes with red highlights. These I planned would loom out of the tapestries when the lighting changed, a specific blue lighting gel did this for me, to add to Owen’s torturous nightmares of warfare.

Today was the first time I’d seen these tapestries in the flesh, the detailed border still very familiar to me (even though I’d simplified it somewhat). My painted versions must only have been a touch smaller than the originals and those on display in the state rooms are far calmer than those I’d chosen for the opera, these must be elsewhere in the Palace. Memories of hours drawing followed by painting them came back to me, along with the complaints from the computer department further along the corridor due to the aroma the blue pigments create once painted onto flameproof canvas. I was stood in front of old friends, the recorded guide burbling along in my ears about something or other.

The Saloon sits behind the Hall and is where guests would have been directed on their arrival. The tapestries had kept me for sometime but now the incredible painting by Louis Laguerre filled the walls and ceiling around us. Originally Thornhill was to paint this room giving a quote which in todays terms would have been around £84,000. Laguerre halved the quote, but certainly didn’t scrimp on the expertise. My photos do not do his trompe l’oeil justice. The painted balcony front is painted in such away you almost have to touch it to realise it is not three dimensional, putting my panto trompe l’oeil to shame. The mouldings on the walls and ceiling are wonderful, filled with portraits of people looking into the room (one of the artist himself). What a room to have your Christmas Dinner in, the Churchill family still do.

On through a few more rooms to the Library. Originally conceived as one long room it was divided up into five sections, suggesting different rooms. Like a long gallery it takes over one side of the house, filled with books and plenty of space to enjoy their words whilst maybe listening to a tune played on the organ! Queen Anne (a svelte version of her majesty) stands looking towards the far end of the library where the organ dominates. In WW1 the library was used as a hospital for returning injured service men and in WW2 it became a home for evacuated boys. Some of these stole three of the smaller pipes form the organ, which wasn’t noticed for some years. A few years ago a parcel arrived containing a note and the three pipes. The note was anonymous and was from the wife of one of the lads who’d stolen the pipes, saying that it was one of his last requests that they should be returned.

From here you can weave your way around a display all about Winston Churchill. This we did quite quickly, the crowds in the small rooms making it hard to read all the panels. Quotes and interesting facts had been put in larger print on panels around each room so we still got to learn a few details. One of Winston’s Siren Suits stands in a cabinet, velvet with matching monogrammed slippers. The bed he was born in and a small cotton top which had to borrowed from a local solicitors wife for him to wear as his arrival was unexpected.

Another look around the Library was needed and as we did so I spotted two very familiar people sat taking a well earned rest. Pearl and Rodney are the parents of my best friend from my college days, they became my other Mum and Dad whilst at Croydon and the following years. We’d last seen them at Kathy’s wedding in Lanzarote seven years ago. What a wonderful surprise and lovely to have a good catch up with them. Despite some health issues over the last four years they both looked great. As we sat chatting the organ started up with a very capable chap at the keys and stops, so we all stayed put for a while longer to listen.

Big hugs all round and we headed off ahead of them to visit the colonnade and chapel where a subordinate organ sat in the corner.

Past lunchtime we got ourselves a sausage roll and sandwich with a slice of cake each (good GF options even if nobody can make a GF sandwich look all that exciting!) at the Pantry before checking out the stalls in the Christmas craft fayre that surrounded the entrance. Here there were all sorts of yummy things to eat, some really good looking pies (from East Yorkshire, no wonder) and plenty of well made not standard craft fayre tat. One stall did nearly see me part with cash, but with Christmas coming up I just gave a very big hint to Mick.

As the sun started to set we rode the bus back into Oxford, knowing that there is so much more for us to see at Blenheim, we’ll just have to go again.

0 locks, 0 miles, S3 bus, 7 bus, 1 very rich family, 1 car park almost full, 2000ish visitors, 30%off, 2 annual passes, 1 amazing house, 27 years later, 2nd parents, 7 years later, 2 slices cake, 1 sausage roll, 1 sandwich, 2 much to see, 0 tat bought, 1 lovely day out, 1 tension square and pattern done for the next pair of socks.

Panto Postcard 4

42 hours

Another hard week, but there was time for a bit of socialising.

After spending several hours on Sunday hunting around Oxford for various bits and bobs, then printing off lettering, it didn’t really feel like I’d had a day off. In fact since rehearsals started I think I may have only managed one day off, however I finished work at 2.30am on that day and most probably did some knitting too for the show!

I was first on the bus in Oxford and last off when it reached Chippy and as soon as I was back in the theatre there were things to be getting on with. The crew were meant to be rehearsing the scene changes before the actors arrived to work various bits, but they seemed to have found other things to do instead which didn’t bode well for the dress rehearsal in the evening. More things were finished off, parts of the show were worked on by the cast and all looked pretty good in time for the dress which was to be photographed.

You would think that dress rehearsals should improve each time you do one, in an ideal world they should. But there is also a chance that things can go wrong, better in a dress than a performance. This dress was one of the latter! When going from a restaurant scene to the interior of a pyramid and only having 3 mins 45 to do it, everything needs to be just so backstage and everyone ready. On Saturday the crew had laid off parts of the set for me to work on, Monday morning these should have been reset for the dress, but two large flats had ended up being the wrong way round. With an audience of ushers in watching we had to wait several minutes before the curtain opened and things did not look quite right on stage.

The next scene had to be stopped as a part of the scenery hadn’t been tied off correctly and later on another scene change needed attention to avoid a possible incident. One scene had to be reset so that photos could be taken again. Quick changes had been missed too. So by the end of the day everyone was relieved that there was still another day before a paying audience were in.

Tuesday and the scene changes were talked through, tried, reworked, things moved around in the wings, alterations to costumes were made, scenes worked on and all the time Jo the prop maker was still working through her huge list of makes. In the evening everyone crossed their fingers for a more successful dress. The hard work by all during the day paid off. Every change of set and costume worked to time and nobody was put at risk in the process. Just about everyone made it to the pub for a drink followed by a few of us heading for a curry.

Wednesday, preview day. I was in early to paint a few bits, hoping the paint would be dry before anyone got close to it in floating costumes. Jo still worked away in the garden shed producing more and more props for the auditorium scene and making us a less phallic lamp!

The previews were full of the older population of Chippy. A lot of grey hair meant the Dame found it hard to single out a dark stranger to take a fancy to. Only a few small things didn’t go quite according to plan, but that’s what previews are for. A couple of quick notes were done on stage before we headed to the pub for a well earned drink.

Thursday. My list had only a few items left on it. So I treated myself to a lie in followed by a bath, my first in possibly four years. I only managed to get slightly wrinkly before I packed away all my possessions at my digs and headed to the theatre. The morning I spent putting a few finishing touches to things and helping Jo out. Rehearsals had been called during the afternoon so that a few cuts could be made. One of the cast has been feeling not so good for the last week and had been doing her best to avert becoming ill. On Wednesday you could tell she was holding back her singing as much as possible to preserve it for Press Night. So once the cuts had been gone through, rehearsals proceeded so that one of the understudies could take some of the pressure off her. Fazil the snake would be voiced by the understudy and lyrics in songs were spread to other cast members. This was done very well, if you didn’t know I suspect you’d not have noticed.

Mick got the bus over to Chippy and we met up in Checkers the pub next door for something to eat before the show. The last few jobs had been completed with a couple of hours to go and Jo was busy sorting out her petty cash. Unfortunately just after we’d finished our pie and stew the sight of Susie the Company Stage Manager walking quickly past the window meant someone was needed. There were other people in the pub she might have needed but she turned straight towards us. Before she could say a word I knew what the problem was likely to be and had already stood up to leave Mick to finish his pint on his own. One piece of scenery gets pushed off stage very close to a smoke machine which has sharp corners, I’d already patched up the canvas a couple of times, so went straight to the labelled pot of paint that was needed. It only took a couple of minutes to sort and show Susie the labelled paints waiting for any such occasion.

The show went very well, apart from one flown piece of scenery not quite reaching it’s dead! Hopefully someone will take the time to check that out. Lots of laughter, singing, shouting, sweet catching. Mick, even though he always says he won’t join in, did and found the demise of the badie very amusing. Drinks in the bar followed the show along with pizzas delivered from one of the many fast food outlets in Chippy. After a couple of hours celebrating we got a lift back into Oxford with the director who managed to get his car as close to our mooring as possible, his car boot full of my possessions.

A lot of hard work, over months, but a very enjoyable experience.

’m now looking forward to having cups of tea in bed, knitting in front of the stove and gradually making our way back up the Oxford Canal (when stoppages allow). 3mph calls again with a purring cat on my knee and sharing a box or two of wine with my boy Mick.

Normal blog writing will resume, as soon as I’ve had a kip.

0 locks, 2 buses, 3 dress rehearsals, 1 axe, 3 mummies, 2 planes, 1 very loud dame, 1 curry, 6 moonlit leeks, 1 emergency repair, 1 very jolly, bright and loud panto, 1 happy cat, 2 boaters back on board.

Panto Postcard 3.

73 hours

Another hard week in Chipping Norton.

I was on an earlyish bus back after a mile or so walk to the best bus stop, right outside Scottish and Southern Electric where a small compact thatched cottage sits beneath the pylons. I managed to get the front seat on the top deck and got good views through Woodstock and past the gates of Blenheim Palace. One of my design projects when I was at college used the Marlborough Tapestries, so a visit to the palace to see them is a must whilst we are in the area.

Chris the carpenter/dep production manager joined us again on Monday morning. There was a long list of jobs for him to work through, problem solving and hanging various things in the flies above the actors heads that needed to be done by someone competent.

My printed cloth was hung by the time I arrived and it certainly was worth the money. The blues glow wonderfully when back lit for scene changes and it’s fluid movement across stage is wonderful. I wish we’d now had the money to do the same with the backdrop. The painting on this is okay, but in my mind too much paint was applied making it a bit crusty, so when it was folded (should have been rolled!) the paint cracked leaving lines. These would be excellent if you wanted the effect of a folded paper map!

The reaction to my painted floor was wonderful. The Pippins (local kids) were amazed and one lead actor went out of his way to thank me for painting them such a lovely floor, not often this happens.

Mark (Lighting Designer) and Jon (Sound Designer) joined us this week, so as jobs on the set were being done, they focused and plotted their black things that have plugs on them and took up residence in the stalls with lighting boards and sound desks. Chris and I managed to get to various bits and bobs whilst scenes were set to be lit. Scene change rehearsals took place, each attempt getting quicker. I spent quite some time this week sticking felt onto the bottom of pieces of set so that they could be slid along the floor rather than carried, saving peoples backs and hopefully some time, but making me a touch high on fumes in the process.

The curtains I’d made from a previous panto went up surprisingly well. I did think that this would be the moment when I’d prove to myself that I really should never use a sewing machine, but by fluke they hung rather well, just in need of a good steam to help the creases drop.

On Wednesday my phone decided it didn’t want to turn on fully. It would try but then give up and shut down. A message was sent to Mick via another phone to his email, telling him I’d see him on Saturday. My next concern was not being able to tell the time, or have an alarm clock. A hunt round Chippy ensued, at Gills (they have everything) hardware shop I got a small travel alarm clock which would see me through. The world of the internet could wait. However Mick dug out an old phone, got it set up for me to use and brought it to Chippy that day arriving perfectly timed with the actors vacating the stage. A quick hand over was done and I had to leave Mick to enjoy a pint in the Fullers pub next door as I got on with work.

Technical rehearsals took over. This is when all the elements of the show are put together, tried, retried until it all works well. If things weren’t fully finished it didn’t matter just so long as there was something in it’s place to use. Virtually all the set and props were ready, but there were a few gaps on the costume front as alterations were being made. A few frayed nerves from the crew as set changes were worked. The gaps when I could get onto stage to do jobs got fewer as the week continued. Sitting in a seat taking notes meant that my knees started to sieze up a touch, so the steps on and off stage I’m now doing sideways as this is easier.

During the daytime we’d tech in the main acting company, getting as far into the show as we could. Then at 4pm the stage would be reset to go over the sections that the Pippins were in. As there are three teams of kids this meant having to go through the sections at least three times, each team cheering when it became their turn.

With the show worked through in detail the first Dress Rehearsal was upon us on Saturday morning. Gemma the Production Manager was back with us, a few things sorted out before we started. The house lights dimmed and the show began. The dress went well, a few blips, like several of the Dames quick changes were late (an S.E.P.), a few cues for the crew missed and one set change not quite finished in time.

Technical notes were given out and most people then headed off their separate ways, leaving Gemma and myself with the set to get bits finished. During Tech week there may be breaks, but few are long enough for paint to fully dry before floaty costumes come back onto stage. So with a big list and everything accessible we worked for several hours. Some jobs took a matter of a minute, others an hour. But the majority of jobs were completed, the set left everywhere to dry and I was out of the building in time to catch the 6pm bus back to the boat.

Meanwhile back on NB Oleanna.

On Monday Mick had decided to carry on into Oxford on his own. At Drinkwater Bridge a local boater helped him, at the next really awkward bridge a passing cyclist paused to hold the bridge open and then the last bridge he had to manage on his own, but this one would rather stay open for boat traffic anyway. He made his way down to Jericho. He passed one boat on the 7 days mooring, nobody at the quiet mooring (this is 2 days only all year) and then found everyone. They were all near College Cruisers. One gap showed itself before the lock, so he went down onto the river turned and headed back to the gap. The very end of the arm was also full.

For a few nights he endured the trains passing, but when spaces emptied towards the quieter end of the moorings he backed up and settled down.

Trees! But far far too many people. At least this Oxford has a good playground for me, far better than Chester. Tom seems to like to keep the back doors closed now, maybe there is no need for extra crew at the moment.

Mick had a day trip into London to see what was happening in the various places he’d worked last century. He also visited the Tate Modern to see some of Christian Marclay’s The Clock. A 24 hour long installation of a montage of thousands of film and tv images of clocks which have been edited together to show the real time. He’d like to go back and watch for longer.

He has also been working on our laptop. This had become very sluggish. Each week I have received various parcels in Chippy which have been bits to help sort out the laptop. So this week he has replaced the hard drive with a SSD Drive. This took quite a bit of doing, having to clone the old disc and all sorts of computer stuff. So far, as I type this, it has done the job. The laptop is quick and no longer sits scratching it’s head pondering on what it has just been asked to do. My typing skills also seem to have improved.

5 locks, 1 of them twice, 4.38 miles, 3 lift bridges, 2 assisted with, 1 full water tank, S3 bus four times, 5 tech sessions, 1st dress, 1 short day, 36 hrs hopefully at home, 1 high tailed cat.

Catching The Post. 17th October

Somerton Meadows to Samuelson Bridge 168

Stopping at the meadows was lovely, having cows as neighbours would have been great for a couple of days. But we had to press on, we needed to reach Banbury today for me to pick up a paint chart and get some paint on order. After half an hour of Tilly demanding to be let out and with breakfast out of the way we pushed off. Today the sun was out and we had some visible sky above us.

First lock was Somerton Deep, at 12ft the bottom gate took quite some shifting to get going. Paul last week had warned us about the width of the locks at this end of the canal. They are at least a foot wider which means that if you have to take care as you rise. The metal sheet that is intended for your bow fender to slide up is narrow and you can end up catching the structure of the gate instead. So Mick hung back and due to the depth of the lock I took my time in raising the paddles to full height.

We rounded a couple of bends and at Chisnell Lift Bridge we could see NB Muddy Waters was just coming through and a lady was ready to close the bridge behind them, when they saw us she hopped back on board to leave us to close it. Mick hopped off once we were through and closed it hooking the chain around the hook so that the farmer could get back across with ease. From here on the bridges are normally left open to boat traffic.

At Aynho Weir Lock I walked up to check the river level before we proceeded, well in the green still. A C&RT chap was wondering around, checking the weir, then the lock and making notes on a tablet. He had a windlass attached to his belt, so it looked like he was inspecting for any problems at the locks. The lock takes quite some time to level out, far more than you’d expect then the gates are stiff to move. A lady came to assist from an oncoming boat the first of two hotel boats we’d see during the day.

We swapped with a boat at Nell Bridge Lock meeting another above at the winding hole. Our stomachs were in need of supplies so we pulled in opposite the Pig Place for some lunch before carrying on. No bacon for us today just the usual.

Approaching Kings Sutton Lock there was a hire boat moored up at the very end of the lock landing. It looked like they had stopped for lunch, yet the bottom gate of the lock was wide open. Had someone left the gate? No it was the hirers who had gone ahead to set the lock, an older couple and the lady just didn’t have enough weight behind her to move the heavy bottom gates so her husband was helping. We let them go first and helped with the gates and paddles, these were also a bit too stiff for the lady.

One last lock to get us as close to Banbury as we wanted to get. Just before it the hire boat had pulled in, undecided as whether to do the lock or not they let us past. We ascended and then waited to see if we could help again, but after much discussion between themselves they let us know that they’d be mooring up for the night. Hope that’s what they did as we’d have been very happy to help.

One of the lift bridges was down on our way into Banbury and a helpful chap who was tinkering with his boat walked up to open it for us. The farmer was over in a field possibly sowing crops. The bridge looked very heavy indeed and I was glad this chap had some good ballast to hold it open for us, the hire boat behind would definitely need some assistance when they come through. There was space before Samuelson Bridge on the 14 day moorings so we pulled in and as soon as we were all tied up I headed off into town to pick up my paint chart.

Post Restante had worked a treat and it was sitting there awaiting my arrival. It was straight back to the boat to check colours and photos of the panto model and send an order to Gemma. During the day the amount of work emails had grown, props questions, answers to questions about the cloth we are having printed, good job the internet worked.

5 locks, 9 miles, 11 lift bridges, 1 un-lufted, 1 lifted, 9 luft, ! very smiley boat, 5 pencil lines to rub out, 1 english fish and chips, 1 crockery set, 1 shiny cup and saucer, 1 envelope filled with pretty colours, 1 paint order, 7 stone not enough, 0 collar, 2 horrible b**strad boaters, 3 spots of horribleness, 3 months of flee-proofing achieved.

https://goo.gl/maps/tGpNGzhV6Zr

Into The Clouds. 16th October

Soggy Slipper to Somerton Meadows

Misty, foggy was the view we opened the curtains to this morning. But the forecast had said it would brighten up. There were various work emails to deal with before we could set off today, our route would take us through a black hole of internet and bad phone reception, only one tiny hole at Heyford station would be available. Not so good when work is cranking up again.

Pushing off around 11am we rose up Dashwood Lock. Here the mist got thicker, maybe it was still a bit early for the sun to come out. We pootled our way along the mile and a half to Heyford Wharf Bridge where we moored up and filled the water tank. We’d run the washing machine on the way to make the most of the very slow tap. Rubbish and recycling was done, then I worked a touch, then we had lunch. Just as the table was cleared our water tank made the small boom, a prelude to the bigger one that announces that it is full.

I’d been waiting for a response about a large stage manager and a table to come through so that I could instruct a carpenter what dimensions to use and just as we were about to leave the email came through, phew! Chris the chippy could get his saw going again.

The moorings in Heyford are most definitely not the quietest with the railway line only a few yards away. As the trains hurtle past the canal vibrates. So it amuses us that there are signs here requesting you not to run your engine or generator which would disturb the local house dwellers. Maybe they are immune to train noise, we certainly couldn’t hear our engine as the trains zoomed past!

The key of power worked again at the lift bridge and a chink of phone signal brought me a message from my Director wanting to make sure I’d received the email I’d been waiting for.

Allen’s lock took us further up into what must be low level cloud. Planes and helicopters could be heard, but none were visible and the moisture in the air around us gradually got us damp. By the time we’d come up Heyford Common Lock we’d decided to have a slightly shorter day than originally planned and stop at Somerton Meadows. The first stretch of armco was empty so we pulled up to the end and tied up for the day.

I wasn’t too sure about this outside to start with. A serious lack of trees! They seemed to be concerned that I wouldn’t get on with the big friends here, but despite not talking the same language we got on fine. I did how ever keep clear of their bottoms! After a while I spotted some exceptionally good trees on the horizon, they kept me busy for quite a few hours.

Here at last we had good internet again and just as well as some proofs of a cloth that we are getting printed for panto were sent through for me to check . The detail in the scans was incredible, so much detail that I wasn’t aware was even there! As the sun set, yes we did eventually get to see it, the skies cleared and we lit the stove. Shame we can’t stay on this mooring for a few days, it’s lovely.

3 locks, 4.82 miles, 1 tasty looking peasant, 1 very big cloud, 1 hour 10 mins to fill with water, 1 litre milk, 4 boats moving, 1 idyllic mooring to ourselves, 37 cows!

https://goo.gl/maps/UjV9S3i5oNv

Tilly Weissmuller 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th September

Basecote Aqueduct to Fosse Top Lock to Radford Semele

There’s a bit of catching up to do around here!

Saturday was meant to rain, lots. The skies only opened up when Mick had headed off into the village for a newspaper. Sods law really, but at least he didn’t get a soaking and returned to the boat not too damp. Tilly spent much of the day out in the sideways trees enjoying herself whilst I had a serious day of doing technical drawings for Panto. I’d originally thought this would only take a couple of days, but it ended up being more like four, lucky there were more than four days in hand.

The pound we were in is above Basecote Staircase locks, which means that quite a lot of water gets used from the pound, more so than if it was just a single lock. Therefore the level was down, we remembered this from our last time of mooring here as we rose by a few inches to then drop again depending on boat movements and back pumping.

The moorings here are okay, but we quite like to have a view, this was lacking. So on Sunday we decided to move on and find a bit more sky. A mile further on was the staircase, two boats were coming up. So we waited our turn. Below I could see another boat waiting to come up, I walked down to see if they were happy to do a shuffle. I think one of the boats already in the locks had suggested this to them and the chap was getting his head around how this would work.

With a staircase of two you need the top chamber to be full and the bottom one to be empty, no matter which direction you are going in. You use the top chambers water to raise the bottom one and then either fill the top chamber or empty the bottom one depending on which way you are going.

We came into the top as they came into the bottom. The paddles between the two chambers were lifted to level them, gates opened, boats swapped positions, gates closed and we could both be on our way again. This is an efficient way of using the locks, one more boat in the mix would have made it more so. But we shared the water and left the locks set for the next boat to come along, normally you have to empty or fill one of them. Just a shame we were now on our own for the rest of the flight.

The next few pounds were also low, we kept spotting places to moor only for the bottom to be too close to the top! We’d considered stopping by Welsh Road Lock 18 as the cottage here sold chilled medication. There were big signs out and a full menu to choose from as you waited or worked the lock. However below the lock we simply couldn’t get into the bank, we tried a few times. If the selection of medication had been more unique, less standard, Magnums etc, then I think we would have persevered. Well if it had been a proper chilled medication parlour we’d have headed to the counter having left Oleanna on the lock landing!

Down another lock still with no luck on the depth front, until we reached the next lock. Here there were a couple of boats moored up, one on a jaunty list. We decided to give it a go as the amount of sky was good and there was suitable space for Tilly to play. The depth was just okay, phew! So for the afternoon Tilly played in the sun shine, Mick listened to the test match and I carried on with my drawings. These 1930’s locks are quiet, no click click click of the paddle gear, so we only noticed boats coming up the lock as the level dropped.

The radio reception wasn’t so good, Mick had ended up having to listen to the cricket via the internet, moving would hopefully improve matters. So on Monday morning we pushed off to cross to the lock, just as a lady walked round the bend with a windlass in hand. Marvellous, we had a buddy for the last four locks down to Leamington Spa. NB Talpa Secunda were heading to the Saltisford Arm before starting their climb up Hatton.

At just about each lock someone was either exiting or arriving just at the right times which meant there were fewer opening and closing of gates needed. Mick handily spotted Raymond and Nuffield breasted up coming through a bridge hole in time to be able to hold back behind some moored boats.

Kingfishers lurked in the trees their high pitched cheeps giving them away.

Down Wood Lock we waved goodbye to our lock buddies and paused to get rid of rubbish. Here there were a couple of glass recycling bins and four normal Biffa bins. Surrounding the bins was a mountain of bags. First impressions were that the bins were full. Two were, but the ones at the back weren’t. Why are some boaters so bloomin’ lazy! There was even a plastic bag full of newspapers and glass bottles leaning against the half filled glass bin. Mick did his bit to help reduce the mountain of bags and filled one of the bins at the back before we moved further along.

A mile along and the sky returns, a field rising up to Radford Semele church, a popular mooring. We pulled in, it only being 11:30am there was plenty of space so we moored at the end of a length of armco. The doors were opened up, Tilly let out to explore her new surroundings, the radio worked so Mick was quite content listening to Alastair Cook scoring his final test century against India and I got the drawing board out again!

The outsides that they have tied down recently had all been quite good, but today was that bit different. Here there were new friends to find and play with. I made the most of it bringing them home to introduce them. One friend was certainly very different. Most are furry and have long tails and squeak with excitement as we play. But this one was long and slender, maybe it was just a tail and had lost it’s body! How careless, I wouldn’t be without my tail. It didn’t squeak either, it made a funny noise and stuck it’s tongue out at me, very rude. We played for a while until I fancied some dingding.

Mick had been concerned at Tilly doing her Johnny Weismuller impression with a snake. But luckily it must have just been a small grass snake and no harm was done to Tilly, not sure about her friend!

The cricket had been exciting, so Mick decided to see how easy it would be to get to The Oval for the final days play. Now being over 60 he bought himself an old fogey railcard and a train ticket.

The alarm was set early and Mick headed off down the towpath to catch the 8am train, leaving me to finish off my work. Tilly spent the day coming and going, her new friend not wanting to play today, I did try to find him. A treat lunch was needed for me to help push me on for the final few hours at the drawing board. Ocado had delivered some gluten free fish fingers, so I made a good sized butty to keep me going. I was just about to start the final drawing when a boat bashed into the side of Oleanna. What the…?

I went outside to see if all was okay and see if I could help the Kate Hire boat. The crew were all looking the other way, were they hoping nobody had noticed their lapse of concentration? No, they were all looking at a man swimming in the canal. I went to see if I could help pull him out, but others had got to him. What I could do though was stop their dog who had jumped in from running along the towpath. He stopped when he saw me and turned back to be picked up by the very soggy man who was just in his pants. Someone was going to need a good hot shower!

Mick had a very good day at the cricket. Jimmy Anderson, England’s fast bowler had beaten the record of the number of wickets taken, England won the final test match of the summer by 118 runs and he was there on the last day of Alastair Cooks Test Match carreer. Watching the highlights later on, he managed to spot himself up on the balcony.

10 locks, 2 a staircase which we shuffled through, 4.78 miles, 2 many low pounds, 2 few places to moor, 1 lock buddy, 2 full days drawing, 2 half days, 1 final test match of the summer, 2 trains, 4 tubes, 1 day at the cricket, 1 snake, 1 soggy dog, 1 soggy man, 1 model packed and ready, 12 sheets of working drawings, 5 groundplans, 1 storage plan, 4 fish fingers, 2 slices of bread, 1 squirt of tomato ketchup, 1 lean, yummy.

https://goo.gl/maps/NAYPBY5yX5F2

Trying To Share. 7th September

Flecknoe Field Farm to Bascote Aqueduct, Grand Union

The blackberries round here are numerous. In fact in places they almost resemble bunches of grapes. Many sadly just that bit too high to reach. We filled a container enough for another two crumbles, so they can go in the freezer with the apple, all ready for a day mid winter when only one pudding will do.

Plenty of boats passed before we were ready to push off, including the big wide beam from yesterday. We hoped it wouldn’t hold us up down through the locks today, after it passed we fortunately didn’t see it again.

Soon we reached the junction of the Oxford and Grand Union at Napton Junction. I stood at the bow to get an earlier view through the bridge, just as well as I could hear voices which were soon followed by a boat reversing. They came out and as they turned towards Braunston we turned down towards Calcutt Locks. As we approached there was a boat that had just gone into the top lock, they opened up the gate for us only to have us point towards the water point, we were stopping to top up.

One boat came up and by that time our tank was full and another boat appeared ready to go down. We shared the first lock, but lost our companion as he headed to the boat yard, he had a leak of some sort. Meanwhile another boat had arrived, so whilst Mick went and set the lock below I went back up to help. NB Peaky Blinders a new boat this year, the couple bought it at Crick show. The lady seemed to still be finding her feet after they’d sold their business, not yet able to relax fully at the slower pace of life owning a boat brings. We chatted away down the next two locks after which we went our separate ways, us straight on , them into Ventnor Marina.

A stop for lunch before we tackled Stockton Locks, a flight of ten with paddles that you get bored of winding. This stretch of the Grand Union was rebuilt as a wide canal in the 1930’s and all the paddle gear is the same. The mechanisms remind me of sea mines.

As we approached the locks we could see all this weeks hire boaters getting ready for the off at Kate’s Boats. It looked like at least five boats were going to be heading out. Last time we came down the flight on Lillian we shared with a hire boat. They were shown how to work the first lock, were watched at the second and then left to get on with it with our help, they did look like rabbits in the headlights.

The lock was being made ready by a group on one boat with two members of staff. So I checked that it was fine for us to share with them and was warned that they would be going slowly. I was then told to put my feet up and let the hirers do all the work. Instead I walked down to the next lock and started to fill it. The hire boat came down then winded and went back up the lock, a handy place to be shown what to do.

So we were on our own for the rest of the flight, every lock set against us. I walked down lifted a paddle then returned to wind the paddle up on the lock above. Mick had worked the second lock, but they empty quite quickly and he felt too rushed to get back onboard safely. I had to walk back to let him out anyway. 21 turns is what most of them take to open fully, which gets repetitive very quickly, especially when there are ten locks ahead of you. At least you know when they are nearly empty as they make quite a noise as the culvert for the paddles surfaces above the water. This noise is quite unnerving if you are sat inside with a broken ankle, well until you’ve heard it ten or fifteen times.

After the eighth lock there is a slight gap, passing the Blue Lias Pub which was festooned with flowers. Leaving the next lock we heard a boat horn as a boat came round the bend meaning I could leave the gate for them. By the time we got to the last lock another boat was just finishing coming up. These last two locks have very stiff paddles, just what you need when your arms are out of practice!

We pulled up a short distance on where there are rings. It’s a shame we weren’t here a couple of days ago as the Tour of Britain passed over the canal just behind us. Sadly our shopping held us up too long to get here. Tomorrow it is meant to rain for much of the day. We are near the village to get our Saturday newspaper, Tilly will be allowed to roam whilst I continue on with my working drawings for Panto and Mick listens to the cricket.

13 locks, 6.67 miles, 1 right, 1 fat boat, 1 reversing boat, 3 boats shared with, 9 locks done alone, 1 big container of blackberries, 1 hedge full for the morning.

https://goo.gl/maps/VRAaRXntXrD2

Narrowboat Oleanna

Travels of Narrowboat Oleanna