The 'BIG IDEA' [by Nigel Holloway (Lazy Bee) dress rehearsal worked well today, considering the barriers they had to climb, getting the production to this stage.

Also of the 10 cast members, 7 of which, it was their first time on stage. Accomplished more than was asked of them, thru trying circumstances, of an unfinished venue.

With the assistance of my old mate Hywell [67] & hiring equipment {All Things a Theatre. We Managed to make it workable, by installing our own lighting patch circuits & FOH lighting bar. After using 'Smother' cloths upstage & in the FOH. To assist the acoustics & reduce the multiple echo effects & audio bounce.

The SM's [Emma ] son ably assisted her backstage, as a techie. Also Jane [Plays Christine in the play] her son, was the lighting operator. Both boys are actually only 10 years old & have certainly graduated from the status of being just TIT's, to that of Techies today. They were both outstanding & never missed a cue.

Taking all things into account, such as the reversed Air Con [heating] not working &  being far too noisy when it does. The venue main exit doors had to be repaired, prior to the dress rehearsal, so the builders were called in. Or we would have not been able to open or close them, to stop the wind & muffle the traffic noises coming into the venue. The house lights dimmer, decided to take a holiday, so they had to be switched off outside the auditorium.

We had to place black calico on all the 8 auditorium windows, to cut the sun light out.

The cast/crew did an outstanding job, making the 'Big Idea' work, in an alleged $4 Million refurbished venue.

May be in hind sight it would have been easier to do the play in a circus Big Top, at least it would have been a hell of a lot less hassles, for a couple of old farts technically.

I'm thinking of applying to the Guinness Book of records, as the first old Codger to survive more than 6 strokes successfully.

Meanwhile the 'Big Idea' opens on Tuesday night, at the 'Memorial Hall' [Cnr Carrington St & Rockingham Road - Hamilton Hill.

{At least the old blokes, will have a chance, to hang a #223 fresnel, to use as the house lights & bounce the light off the white FOH ceiling. On Monday & fix a few other things as well?}

The dress rehearsal was great, which does not bode well for opening night?