Here we are again, our fourth year of touring theatre. And this tour promises to be one of the most enjoyable and exciting experiences for our cast and technical crew of fifteen young people taken from auditionees throughout the North West of England.
Touring presents all sorts of problems and challenges that you simply don’t come across every day. During a three week tour we usually manage to cram in about three years worth of experiences. And whatever fate throws at us, there’s no crawling into a nice, comfortable chair at the end of the day - the show goes on every night, whatever the weather.
Last year, the production team encountered many obstacles - some elemental, others of a more human nature. The Irish weather lived up to its reputation, demolishing our tents and soaking our clothing, while we performed in a howling gale. On another occasion, one of our vehicles decided to break down on the way to a new venue; and, try as we might, I doubt if any of us will forget the rush through Dublin to catch the ferry, after having been stuck in a distressingly long traffic jam in Kildare. We made the boat with three minutes to go. On every occasion, our members had to demonstrate initiative, responsibility, teamwork and confidence in approaching each problem.
However, the pluses well out-number the minuses (although the minuses tend to make better stories). We have always been very lucky and have toured with several excellent casts and crews, and it is always a thrill to work with a committed, talented and enthusiastic group of people, who are passionate about what they do. Whether performing to four hundred or forty, in glorious sunshine or a steady drizzle, we know that our touring company will always make every effort to ensure that the audience have a great evening out. Over the past three years we have had many memorable evenings at many different venues, heard fantastic tales, have met fantastic people, many of whom are now good friends, and have collected enough stories to keep us going in after dinner speeches for a lifetime.
There’s no doubt that touring theatre is fun, and not one of our cast
or crew has failed to have a truly memorable time.
