A quick catch up. Time is going too fast and seemed chaotic until I went home to my parents for the weekend and they reminded me that time is flexible, and to reach out more and ask for help instead of trying to do everything myself. When I was a child waiting for the school play or a dance competition, time seemed to amble along but now it has sped up at a frightening speed.
My interpreter/actor sadly got ill over Christmas and spent several weeks in hospital hoping to get better ready for rehearsals to begin in a couple of week’s time but sadly they had to pull out of the project. I’ve been rushing around like a whirling dervish trying to organise their replacement, I’ve found a BSL actress called Naomi, I’ll tell you all about the cast and creatives behind the project soon, but I still require some assistance on the Winsford leg of the tour so that’s why you’ve not heard from me for a couple of weekends.
Mum, Dad and I created an educational booklet for all the children, there are double the number of children than expected so I’ve been rushing around fundraising to get the extra funds to print the extra booklets. Then we started on the set design this last weekend. It’s amazing what we achieved in a short time window!
My friend Gill is busy making pom-pom hedgehogs for the children who don’t have time to make their own, sadly we will need to collect them up at the end of each show and they won’t be able to keep them, but at least it will inspire them to make their own.
My dear friend Hilary is popping over to see my Mum today to see if she can help to sew up the set fabric! She has been an amazing help and suggested ways of securing the side panel scenes with lacing string and volunteered to make all the scenes the same length.
And breathe…..
More soon xx a massive thanks to everyone who has helped so far, I couldn’t do this without their help and I truly appreciate it.
Oh dear! Oh dear! You have a bit of a pickle to unpack. I don’t think the White Rabbit said that. I’m sure you and your help can get it all pulled together. Always contingencies to deal with.
Laughing out loud Timothy! I’m getting there. One of the arias I wrote has Oh dear! Oh dear! Oh dear! in it. I will be able to put real passion behind the words. It’s very exciting at the same time. All the songs and arias are written now, just final tweeks, rehearsals start 23rd February.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Sounds like you are going to have a lot fun with your production. Speaking of pickles, do you know Arlo Gutherie’s Motorcycle Song? “I don’t want a pickle, I just want to ride my motorcicle. And I don’t want a tickle, cause I’d rather ride on my motorcicle. And I don’t want to die! Just want to ride on my motorcy…”
No, but it sounds fun.
Breathing with you! <3 You've got this!!
Breathe in through the nose for four, out through the mouth for four, stretch it up to six 😊. I have got this ❤️.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Thank you for the update, Charlotte. Yes, breathe. It will all come together. Your set looks killer.
Thanks John, it had to be planned with portability in mind. My parents have repurposed some office screens which fits well with my environmental brief as they can return for their original purpose afterwards. There are several scene changes so we’ve had to get inventive with the back screens. We spent all of Sunday plotting and planning.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Congratulation Miss Rainbow voice !!!! You’re fantastique ! all the best for you my friend !!!!!
Merci beaucoup mon ami. J’espère que tu vas bien.
Best wishes, meilleurs penses
Charlotte
I love the set, it’s so fun! Your parents are very nice people to help you so much, wonderful! It’s nice to see you again, Charlotte. ☺️😊
Thank you John, I can‘t tell you how much my parents have always helped and supported all of us but me most of all, it is a good thing that Mum is so artistic and Dad so technical. ♥️
Best wishes
Charlotte
That is so wonderful, Charlotte! God bless you and your family. ❤️🙏🏻🇬🇧
I love the set design as well, Charlotte. That educational booklet and the hedgehogs both look like great complimentary pieces enhancing the experience. Can’t be anything but a big success!
Thank you Bruce 👍🏻.
All my best wishes
Charlotte
Not quite panic stations, you got this. 👍
It‘s been a whirl more than a panic 🙃. I‘ve got a full day off my project today, at rehearsals for my summer opera.
Best wishes
Charlotte
It’s all coming together Charlotte, and I’ve got the hedgehogs all in a row. 🦔🦔🦔 🥰
Fantastic! Thanks so much Gill, Mum said you helped out with the scenery yesterday. Xx 😘
Best wishes
Charlotte
Oh. Even my head is reeling all these thousands of miles away.
I’ve not stopped reeling all week lol.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Good luck! 🙏
Merci beaucoup. I am hoping to catch up with your fabulous blog soon, sorry to be so absent.
Best wishes
Charlotte
You are most welcome!! 🙂
Haha not to worry, you focus on you. The blog will still be here whenever you have the time! 🙏😊
Sounds like this is a real family affair. And in spite of things being hectic now, your really enjoying it. A true labor of love.
I nearly e-mailed you Don to ask your advice about strengthening the middle section of a scenery rail but Mum came up with the bright idea of using two slim line props at the two 1/8 ends in. I‘ve got another couple of tricky scenery changes that have foxed me that you‘d probably just take in your stride hehe. If I ever do this again I need about another three people.
Best wishes
Charlotte
Mum is coo.
I think she is too ❣️
Good grief, Charlotte, you need to come up for air. In any event, best wishes for a wonderful tour and show. I know it will be grand!
I keep popping up goldfish like. Thank you Noelle, I‘ve just been planning the transport logistics with my Mum on the phone on her way home from work, luckily that bit she finds easy. I‘ve a meeting booked at 7pm with the interpreter and then a bit of fun because I’m learning to play one of the songs on a glockenspiel whilst singing so its a bit rub tummy-pat head, when my composer friend suggested I play the glockenspiel in one of his tunes at the time I thought why not, now I’m thinking best practice a bit every day for the next week!
Best wishes
Charlotte
Love the pamphlet idea and the hedgehogs are darling. Break a leg!
I‘m glad you like the pamphlet, its a full synopsis of the show with a dictionary of terms in the back with all the songs illustrated, with a summary of each scene, like an opera program but more detail, they‘re at the printers now which is exciting. I‘m hoping the schools have time in their timetables for the children to make their own, but just in-case my lovely friend Gill is hard at work making 100 and we‘ll collect them up.
It sounds like you have everything under control again, and working. Wishing you all the best! ❤️
I hope to have most of it sorted soon. Thank you for your best wishes Lavinia.
All my best
Charlotte
We’re still rooting for you, Charlotte. I’ve always been inspired by the passion you have for your Work. Following your heart isn’t always easy, but the best path usually isn’t the easiest path to walk. If you never run into obstacles, it typically means you’re not trying to accomplish anything of value at all. The kids out there (even the parents) need you all. Don’t allow discouragement or disappointment push you to give up. All of the hard work isn’t for nothing.
Thank you Eric, only one week to go to the first music rehearsal. 🤗 I have always admired all my colleagues on the teams I have worked with, great people who make costumes 🪡🧵, props 🌂, scenery 🏞️, the administrators 💻and stage managers 🤹🏽♂️, I now truly have a greater appreciation of how strong and resourceful they all are.
I‘m going to blog about what Arts Council England with their National lottery funding are trying to achieve with projects like mine, the hard work involved has been a labour of love. I‘m working with a great team, George has been fabulous on music practice, Zollino my composer has written a fantastic score for me. Zoe really collaborated fully in the R&D week and I‘m looking forward to working with such a talented actress again next week. I‘m disappointed that my wonderful interpreter/actor got sick because they were brilliant in the R&D week and were very excited about being part of the next stage of development and the performances.
Thank you for your encouragement and friendship Eric.
Best wishes always,
Charlotte
Charlotte, the great golfer Walter Hagan once said as a counter to the pressures of professional competition: “It is important to take the time to smell the flowers along the way”.
Enjoy a regular deep breath.
Alan
Charlotte,
Hope this isn’t a repeat reply.
The great golfer Walter Hagan once cautioned about the pressures of professional golf: “You have to take the time to smell the flowers along the way”.
Take regular moments for a deep breath.
-Alan
It was a repeat reply. Sorry about that.
-Alan
Can’t believe I missed this. I know I’m not here every time you post, but I do try to catch up.
Love those hedgehogs!
Resa xx
Resa, you would have loved it yesterday and today, every child made their own hedgehog pom pom for the meditation game after the croquet, At the end we get feedback and the children can ask any questions, they ask some great questions such as why is the White Rabbit in your play deaf when rabbits can hear. Zoe answering the question in sign, voiced by Naomi who is an actress/interpreter to say that rabbit can be born deaf, or develop deafness too just as in humans. They wanted to know how long we’d all been performing and how Zoe learnt to read and sign if she couldn’t hear. They could remember the signs they learnt in the show at the end. I wish you could see it.
Best wishes
Charlotte
It sounds wonderful, Charlotte.
I adore the hedgehogs. I adore all you are doing for these children.
You are doing something important and great. I admire you!
I wish I could see it, too!
Resa
❦❦❦