Amelia was a princess on Halloween. We went to a fireworks display last night (bonfire night). It was truly magnificent. Photos of some of the above to come soon, if you're lucky...

Oct. 20. (morning)

Last performance of this week tonight. Dress rehearsal went well - small audience of about 30 ‘Northcott people’. A lot of the others thought the night lacked energy. I thought it was OK. A pile of fancy drycleaner bags arrived - the posh blue kind - with our names on, for our costumes to go in. I guess this is what we get instead of a ‘trailer’!

First performance, Oct. 18, Stockland.

Up at 5 am with Amelia, then had to drive to Tiverton, work till 2, drive back, pick up Amelia from school, then rush around and get ready to go. It was too late to drive across to the Northcott and go on the bus, so I had to drive. Got lost - not my fault, there was signpost missing at a crucial crossroads. I was driving down a long straight road off the main road, and thought I saw a minibus turning up ahead, but it was coming from the wrong direction. When I got there, there was no signpost, so I kept going. Then I got to a sign that said Stockland was back in the other direction. Went back to the junction and called Rachel. She told me to go back through Monckton, which I did and came back to the exact same crossroads! Ah, my worst nightmare. Anyway, I got there at about 7, which was fine. Small but new community hall, with a temporary raised stage. Very busy, with a lively audience of about 100 people. I got distracted by Julia’s bag falling off the stage and missed my cue to bring on the coffee. The audience got so worked up by Up for Auction that they laughed in some weird places in Collisions - I think they weren’t sure at first if it was a comedy or not.

Second performance, Oct. 19, Hatherley

Nick said Hatherley was deepest darkest Devon. We certain drove (on the bus) a long way through narrow hedged roads. Beautiful sunset, spread out in orange along the horizon. Brand new hall, with ‘fold-away’ raised seating. Only about 50 people though, so not as raucous, which was better for Collisions I think. Simon missed a line in Time and Again, and Cec couldn’t say ‘diversify be buggered’, which was too bad as I was taping it. No dressing rooms, so we all had to dress in the men’s shower room.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/devon/content/articles/2007/09/28/
pen_and_trough_tour_feature.shtml

Can't remember how to post a link, so you'll have to copy and paste. That's me, below on the left, hanging out of the tractor door.