Thursday 26th February 2026

Alarm at 0730. Took a while to haul myself out of bed...knackered! Descended to the kitchen for porridge. Drove in to the theatre for a 0930 start...the Company Stage Manager bored us all to death for the first half hour with a load of admin guff, then we started work where we had left off last night. I'd explained to Kate the DSM that I had decided not to leave at 1600 as planned, as I'd hit traffic around Manchester, and have to drive a certain distance in the dark...so it meant Bob and Sayan could carry on marking out the shape of Act 1. Broke for lunch...I heated up a jar of baked beans, which I then lathered on top of two pieces of toast and some Emental...worked a treat. Chatted to Shirley about Dickens...she had told me that they lived in a village west of Rochester. 

She said she'd inherited a full set of leather-bound Dickens novels, but had yet to read any of them. Carried on working bits of Act 1, and the songs as they came up. We actually did a stagger through, which held together remarkably well...Bob seemed very chuffed with our progress. Broke for dinner...microwaved the last of the chicken and mushroom lasagne I'd cooked on Tuesday evening. Worked through "Good Golly Miss Molly" and "Dirty Old Heart of the City", then broke early. I drove back to Bakewell Street, aiming for a No.2 in my private bathroom. As I sat there with my trousers around my ankles, a large spider came hurtling across the bathroom floor, making a bee-line for my trouser leg. I used a mug to catch him, leaving it in situ for mein hosts to deal with tomorrow! FaceTimed Aki, who had arrived at High View this evening...she was stuck in the house with John and Margaret, Kath having gone home, and Jim and Emma shacked up in an AirBnB ahead of tomorrow's 0930 wedding at the Civic Centre. Drove down to the London Road Alehouse in the drizzle, to catch a bit of James's band's set...they are called the British Premonition Collective. As I rocked up outside the venue, with it's floor to ceiling plate glass windows, I could see eight blokes cavorting about in black, their faces obscured by black balaclavas with eyes sewn onto them...James sat at an ironing board and played lap-steel guitar with an e-bow, putting it through several effects pedals. It was loud and tuneless, but intriguingly compelling...the singer declaimed improvised lyrics, a sort of demented cross between Mark E Smith, John Cooper Clarke, and Gerry Adams! I really enjoyed it...they'd go down a storm in Berlin! 

Wednesday 25th February 2026

Slept through to the alarm at 0730... presumably because I'm knackered! Got up and descended for porridge. Lindsay was up and about...working from home today, and going on a cycle ride. I put together a packed lunch. Drove in to the theatre. Shirley led the warm-up. Continued working through Act 1, stopping to cover the songs as we went along. Broke for lunch at 1300...ate my packed lunch in the Green Room. Rehearsed Lady Eleanor before going back into Molly rehearsals. 

Broke at 1800. Drove down into Hartshill and parked up near James's house on Cumming Street, then walked round to the Sanctuary Ale House to meet up with James and Anne. As the pub quiz was just beginning, we hightailed it up to Noah's...they've got a good Indian kitchen, and we got stuck into curry, onion bhaji, mushroom rice, and paratha. The mushroom rice was highly spiced with chilli, which was a bit of a surprise...I'd have preferred to avoid the chilli! Had a good catch up...exchanged health problems...James has been diagnosed with asymptomatic myeloma, cancer of the bone marrow. It is progressing, though slowly, but he hasn't required chemotherapy as of yet. Decamped to No.106 Cumming Street for a cuppa tea, and a quick rehearsal of Lady Eleanor, and chatted in the company of their daughter Beth...she's gearing up for a trip to Nepal! Drove back to Bakewell Street, getting in around 2215...exhausted!

Tuesday 24th February 2026

A fitful night's sleep. Woke at 0530 and didn't really get back to sleep before the alarm went off at 0730. Got up and showered. Porridged in my room. No sign of mein host this morning. Drove into Basford for a 0930 warm-up in the Workspace. The band rehearsed "Dancing in the Street" whilst I departed for costume fitting with Liz and David. Returned to the rehearsals and took up a tambourine. We then worked through Act I, stopping to learn the songs as they appeared in the narrative.

I'm backing singing on some, and playing guitar on one. Broke for lunch...had my beetroot soup in the Green Room. Decamped to the music room to work on "Lady Eleanor" ahead of meeting JED tomorrow. We continued working through Act I in the afternoon. Broke for dinner...I ventured over to the atrium to use the oven, and cooked a ready-made chicken and mushroom lasagne...the oven took about 20 minutes to warm up to the required temperature. Just had time to devour it before having to head back to the rehearsal room. Worked on harmonies for "Chapel of Love". Broke around 2000 and drove to Tesco to do a bit more food shopping. FaceTimed Aki from the car park...she's rowing tomorrow. It's forecast to be 18C!!! Got back to Bakewell Street around 2115. Door was double locked, and the car wasn't in the drive, so I assumed they were out, but the alarm hadn't been set, and the dog was in the kitchen...house in darkness, though.

Monday 23rd February 2026

Woke around 0430...took ages to get back to sleep. Alarm at 0730. Showered then porridged. Mein hosts were leaving for work as I entered the kitchen. Warmed up some soup to take in for lunch, and drove in to Basford. Felt elated to be parking up in the car park at the Vic once more. Cast and crew gathered in the atrium, and I caught up briefly with Liz Evans, who assisted on the design of the original production, and is over-seeing this one...Karen Norcross still working in the wardrobe department! Amazing. 

Kate the SM gave us all a tour of the building and we convened in the Workspace across from the theatre, a building which didn't exist when I last worked at the Vic. Did a read through before gathered staff members, then broke for lunch. Had my soup in the Green Room. The afternoon session was largely concentrated on working on the Pott'ries accent, and we basically did another read through, plus accent notes from the voice coach. Broke at 1730 for drinks in the Lounge and a little speech of greeting from the AD, Teresa Heskins. Sat about chatting with Bob, and some of the cast members before heading for the chippy in Penkhull Village. Ate my steak and kidney pie, chips and peas, in the car, then drove on to Tesco to do a shop. FaceTimed Aki, who was at Tammie's having dinner. Got back to the digs around 2100. 

Sunday 22nd February 2026

Woke around 0530...took an hour or so to get back to sleep. Got up around 0930. Porridged. Aki popped out to buy a loaf of bread from Big Jo. Watched Zoe Aitken claim bronze in the Freeski Half-pipe. Packed the boot of the car. Aki cooked a roast chicken Sunday lunch. Text from Kath saying Jim is on the booze big time...wedding hangs in the balance! I think Emma would do well to give him his marching orders, frankly! Packed the rest of my stuff into the back seat of the car and waved Aki farewell. Drove up the M1, then onto the M6...very busy, but made good time. Took just over two-and-a-half hours. Rocked up at No.4 Bakewell Street in Penkhull at 1715. Introduced myself to Lindsey and Aiden, who showed me my room. Lindsey is a rather pinched looking middle-aged lady with long fair hair and thin features. Aidan is slightly more rotund, but not much, and has red hair...he seemed a  lot less chatty than his missus. Nice big house, but kitchen is a bit messy, and the dining table very cluttered...rather puts me off doing much in the way of cooking here...we shall see. Hopefully there is a useable oven/hob at the theatre. Wilson the cocker spaniel running loose into the bargain. My room is very generously sized, but there's a damp problem...looks like the flashing around the chimney needs looking at...the room smells a bit mouldy, but no sign of mould on the walls, just the odd damp patch. I opened the window. Got the car unpacked and FaceTimed Aki before taking a stroll into Penkhull Village. The chip shop was shut, so consoled myself with half a Guinness in the Marquis of Granby, then bought a sandwich and crisps in the Co-op. Walked back to No.4 and ate in the Morning Room...couldn't work out how to get the telly working, so decamped to my room and unpacked my bags. 

Saturday 21st February 2026

Woke around 0730...dozed on until 0900. Got up and cooked brunch. We drove over to Sainsburys at Manor House to fill the car up with petrol, and check tyre pressures, before doing a shop. Drove home and unloaded. Watched some Winter Olympics. Did some exercises. Called High View to wish father a Happy 96th! Kath was there getting dinner ready. Dad looked in good shape...he seemed very happy to have received a proof of the cover for his soon-to-be-published novel, "Dagga & the King of Lollybrod". Jim due to join them for a celebratory dinner later. Aki cooked hake for dinner. Watched the curling final between GB and Canada...it's so dull, we switched over to watch "Trying", and "Small Prophets"...GB lost in the final end. 

Friday 20th February 2026

Woke to Aki's alarm at 0730. She got up to ready herself for Rowing Club. I dozed on until 0900. Got up and brought porridge back to bed with me...looked over some of Grandad's Act 2 lines. Took a constitutional up Highgate Hill, stopping at Archie's for a coffee, then continuing up to Base Camp 2 at Waterlow Park. Rather uninspiring exhibition of naif paintings in Lauderdale House. Walked back home via M&S. Aki back for lunch. Watched some Winter Olympics. Aki spoke to Hachan in Osaka...she has been called in to hospital for scans on a suspicious lump found near her gall bladder. Doesn't sound too good! Did some exercises. Cooked a ready-made chicken and ham pie, and baked a sweet potato with it, plus lots of vegetables. Ice cream and amaretti biscuit for afters. Watched more Winter Olympics before bath and bed...