First day of the last week before the first night!

It has been the first day of production week today and the set is being built on-stage. It has been slow progress, because before we could start putting the walls and ceiling in place, we had to lay down the revolving stage, This is a sort of jigsaw made up of curved sections which need to be bolted together, a metal cord runs around the circumference, and then the electrics have to be put in place to make the whole thing go round. So far, I haven’t seen it go round but I have to hang on to the thought that in due course, it will! Here is a picture of the revolve being put in.By the end of the day, most of the office has gone up, but not much progress on the restaurant. The technical rehearsal is due to start at 7pm tomorrow, so that is the absolute deadline. If the set isn’t finished by then… no, I don’t even want to think about what happens when the set is not ready for the start of a tech. It’s not good at all.

The first day of the fit-up is not my favourite day; the set looks a mess because it is still in bits, and I see the paint finishes under working lights, which shows up every imperfection. And there is always the worry that it might not fit! All those weeks ago, did I make a crucial mistake on the plans, which no-one has noticed and put right? Will the ceiling be so high that it crashes into the lights? Will the masking flats be in the right place, or will we see the actors sharing a joke with stage management, whilst they wait in the wings? Since the set is still unfinished, my mind is not yet easy, but it won’t keep me awake. In this job, you have to learn to keep things in perspective, and I will tackle the problems as they come along tomorrow.Nick, the lighting designer, has arrived today and as always, I am delighted to see him. He brings good humour and a calm capable manner besides being a gifted designer. I know that he will always make the set look as good as possible, whilst also giving the actors the light they need. It’s amazing what a difference good lighting makes to a show, and a set can be transformed from a tatty collection of old flats to a magical place by means of light in the right colour, shining with the right intensity, from the right direction.

We have fitted our two tailored suits this evening, and chosen the ties! Both actors were really pleased, although David has lost a bit of weight and so Liz will have to take the jacket in a little to make it a better fit. Tomorrow, at the tech, I will see all the costumes on-stage together and be able to check that I have got the balance of colour as I want it. The furniture will be moving onto the set too, then we can start to “dress it” with the files, books, notice boards and other props. Just in case you had forgotten, only 4 days until opening night!