SKETCH DIARY
who plays Antipholus,sat down Despite the fact that the cast
beside us and removed his are amateurs the standard of
trousers. the performance is professional.
“I’ve split my In actual fact the lighting team
trousers.” are professionals and take the
“Sex on legs,” I Chavenage week offfrom work to
said, surveying volunteer their services.“It’s such
the tights full of a privilege and a joy to be
holes he wore working somewhere like this.”
underneath. Each year they try to add to
He grinned, their lighting repertoire and
“We all wear this year for half an hour at
them.” the end of the performance
I was the trees around the lawn are
surprised under-lit with a rainbow of
how chilled colours. The result is a cross
out the between the majestic
cast were - splendour of nature and
there 70’s psychedelia.
seemed none Anne Parry,the
of the chairman of Chavenage
backstage Productions,took me
nerves I’d around introducing me toOver the stables In the attic,
anticipated. the cast and the backstagewardrobe mistress Jenny Earle is busy.
During the crew.The group has beenIt’s an all consuming family business
break the cast going for 25 years. I waswhich includes her daughter and
sat around astonished to discover therehusband even her dog who sits
drinking coffee. are around 75 peoplepatiently in the dressing room
I drank in the involved with the presentwatching Jenny’s every move.
scene and mused at production and the event will cost
the stories this attic could over £55,000! Monies from recent
tell ... In the last world war General preview performances has meant that
Horrocks was here and sand maps were over £16,000 has been donated to more
created in this very room in preparation than 20 local charities.
for the D-Day landings (see my last article). However,this is to be the last
I looked around at the paraphernalia of performance at Chavenage.Future
this stage production. A collection of productions will be staged in the Bacon
costumes hung from the ladders Theatre at Dean Close School in
suspended horizontally from the rafters. Cheltenham.
Mirrors edged with light bulbs lined the
walls in typical theatrical tradition. The Comedy of Errors came to an end
Cantilever boxes of ‘slap’ lay open without a slip.
exposing their contents of grease paint, The cast assembled in a dance finale,
brushes and creams.Alongside tables the audience clapped the actors in time
were piled high with hats and accessories. to the music right through to the very
Actors stood around in assorted stages last symbolic step.
of dress discussing the evening’s It seemed sad that this wasn’t to
performance while last-minute make-up happen again; such a wonderful
‘touch-ups were applied. experience in such a wonderful location.
I joined the crowd genially chatting as“David my husband organises
they exited the lawn carrying emptiedparking.He’s got promotion and now
picnic hampers, rugs and the like.wears white gloves!”
It was the sound of contentment,One of the cast had trouble with
replete from a feast ofher bustle.Awire was sticking into
entertainment. Around us theher bottom and there was a large
trees were magnificently robedhole in her tights.“We often use
in coloured light for this,thegenuine period garments and of
last curtain call at nightfall.course they become fragile - and like
I drove out of the car park.now - this can become a problem.”
David Earle wasOut came the Gaffer tape and
directing the traffic.Jenny applied a generous amount to
I couldn’t helpthe offending wire and stuck it down -
noticing his two whitea bit of a British cure-all I thought.
gloves.Jenny recalled an actor splitting his
trousers mid-performance.“He
returned to the stage with the needle
still dangling from his crotch - he had
to retire to the undergrowth to
remove it!” As if on cue Oliver Lee,
www.cotswoldessence.co.uk 37COTSWOLDESSENCE September - November 2008
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