Next weekend when you get a chance…

28 November 2014

As I recall, the first time Mike helped out, he was waiting for his wife Val to finish working in the restaurant and foolishly said “do you want a hand there?” So there he was on the other end of a piece of scenery on a Saturday night at the start of a “Get Out” – where we take out the set from a show that has just closed. Brilliantly, Mike then came back on the Sunday morning to help put the next show into the theatre.

In addition to Val working at the theatre, we knew each other socially from living in the same village and having just got a puppy for the first time – the Walsh family were essential in providing all the advice a new parent needs.

Sadly, last week Mike and I were carrying a piece of set into the auditorium for Peter Pan for the last time – because, after 15 years, Mike has decided to stop.

He has been involved in putting up over 100 shows with us and is going to be sorely missed – but all these years of “fit ups” have taken their toll on him.

For every weekend he has been with us moving stages and applying sparkle, a to-do list has been growing and growing elsewhere.

I know how he feels as I suspect Val and Jan (my wife) have a similar conversation as they meet in the village shop: “It’s amazing they can make it rain onstage in A Bunch of Amateurs and make an entire set move in Sherlock’s Last Case but fix the toilet flush or put the skirting boards back after the carpets went down 10 years ago? No!”

Mike, thank you so much for your help over the last 15 years. I’m sorry I will not be able to help you with all the jobs you’ve got coming  over future weekends – in the way you’ve helped me – but if you run out of things to do – there is a very long list at the other end of the village!

If anyone reading this is interested in avoiding all those little jobs at home and fancies helping put shows into The Watermill – please contact the production office – but be warned it might not be for just one night….

Lawrence T Doyle
Production Manager