NOT ONE TO GOSSIP,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,
An Excerise In Name Drpping
THE WAGES OF SIN
You may well have noticed that I have mentioned ‘drink’ a number of times, enjoying a lunch time ‘bevvie’ with various staff, an evening ‘tot’ prior to curtain up, simply standard procedure, it was very rare to find a teetotal technician. It was marvellous to unwind during a stressful pre-production.
Apres show drinks in the pub then on to a club to enjoy the night and relax, this was the norm, enjoyed by Companies and theatre staff alike, nothing to worry about.
I have always preferred to design lighting and making plans through the night, my concentration being far greater then, naturally I would have the odd scotch to keep me going, most enjoyable.
Travelling by train throughout the UK, a scotch with my coffee was always acceptable, and as for flying, following my doctor’s advice, enjoyed numerous drinks, better than valium, to stave off my fear.
Over the years, I continued in this vein, as my workload increased somewhat, pressures began to build and naturally a ‘quickie’ was downed, during any rehearsal breaks I’d slip out and pop over the road for a ‘swift one’. Extraordinarily to say, I had no idea of the damage I was doing to myself or indeed those around me. My behaviour was becoming somewhat erratic and I really should have noticed that my number of Christmas cards were dwindling!
After various unpleasant experiences I found myself being asked to light London City Ballet’s Swan Lake at my beloved Churchill Theatre Bromley, scene of many happy times but not on this occasion. Amazingly as I sat to light, no director, no choreographer, no designer! With the enormous help of the stage manager we got through it – just.
On curtain down, I was grabbed by the missing production team angrily informing me that they were not at all happy with my design, quite frankly, a bloody cheek.
On this occasion I was, for a change, sober as a judge and sat tight lipped, I stayed over to adjust it the next day.
My anger stayed with me at home over the next few days, still, the pub helped didn’t it?
It was at this time that my closest friend and ex partner Michael was seriously ill with AIDS but there seemed to be no immediate problems.
The phone rang, London City asking me to go to Derby Playhouse the re-light Swan Lake, I was dreading it, came the time Michael’s partner informed me that he had been rushed to hospital but that I mustn’t worry, it was par for the course, I explained that I would be in Derby for a couple of days. On my way, being somewhat frightened by the news, had numerous irish coffees on the train, arriving in ghastly Derby, not feeling my best. Two days of hell followed, the management repeated their appalling behaviour by being absent during the lighting session.
A phone call informed me that Michael’s dash to the hospital was in vain and God bless him had died, his partner informing me that he had been asking for me.
By curtain up, I was really in no fit state, the production team joined me in the lighting box, not at all pleased with the way it looked, neither was I, come to think of it. I did notice that the Director made me look stone cold sober.
On my return to Torquay the phone rang with my agent informing me that I will never work again , being blacklisted.
Although realizing that they were probably justified, felt slightly miffed that the Director who instigated the proceedings was himself half-cut, not uncommon, I have discovered since! Still, blacklistings usually last, at the most two years.
I must congratulate them, they did a first class hatchet job, my next three various productions were ‘cancelled’, phones were put down on me, so called friends ignored me. Three years later, English National Ballet phoned me asking me to go to the London Coliseum to oversee their revival of Sanguine Fan.
I pointed out to the production manager that I was blacklisted, he didn’t seem too concerned asking me how I was these days, informing him that I was in good health. I enjoyed a happy reunion with the staff and happily was all problem free.
The two years became five, five became ten and I might be right in assuming that it is still in place.
Am I asking for sympathy? Absolutely not but I am now in the position of helping anyone else with a similar problem, as I have discovered, it’s never too late.
Musicals Through
The Years
