Wednesday 25th March 2026

Woken by my phone at 0720...it was Aki phoning from Izumi's flat in Tokyo. She'd gotten her time calculation an hour wrong. She said she'd phone back, so I went downstairs to make tea and brought my porridge back to my room. Aki rang back...she's off to meet her Ilya colleagues this evening. My left eye more swollen than it's been, but not as painful, so hopefully things are on the mend! Drove in to Basford for a 0915 start. Gentle warm up in the SJR. Then into costume, donning our battery packs and head mics, for an elongated sound check. Tea break saw a theatre community get-together in the atrium to wish Debbie Hall a long and happy retirement...she has worked in the Vic wardrobe department for 35 years! Back into the theatre for more of the same, then broke for lunch. Ate my chicken salad in the atrium, chatting with Polly and Bob about past shows. Finished sound checking after lunch, which meant starting the technical rehearsal, taking it from the top of the show. All went smoothly, if rather slowly. Call ended at 2000. Ate my microwaved ham and mushroom pasta dish in the atrium before driving back to Bakewell Street.

Lyndsey was hanging about...she's about to put a bid in on a bungalow in Embleton, within walking of Dunstanburgh Castle. It's a two-bed 1970s unit with faux stone clad external walls...needs work. Guide price of £250,000 doesn't seem unreasonable...she's thinking of offering £257,500. See what happens! Made my packed lunch for tomorrow...managed to drop half a tub of garlic aioli on the floor! Got it cleaned up before Lyndsey got back from walking Wilson. Made myself some tea and headed for my room.