Big Bagnor household end of week 2 (Shhhhhhsh)

20 January 2015

Now things are beginning to get a bit baffling – and not only in a technical way.

Not only are we working on the best ways to keep heat in and cold out, but also, and for us equally importantly, trying to insulate against sound, including water noise.
The most thrilling thing this week was lifting the floorboards at the entrance to the auditorium by the water wheel. The amount of water running in the river made the theatre really feel like an island.

We also need to put in systems that will not only ‘baffle’ the mechanical noise, but the air noise caused by our new plant.

The former seems easier to do using shock mounts that stop any vibration, and large amounts of rock wool around any areas that hold the plant.

Air noise and draughts are harder for us to deal with. Basically we have to move large amounts of air around the theatre not only for heating and cooling but to take away stale air – (as you know, if you turn up the blower on your car heater, the more draught you get, the noisier it is). To solve the problem here, we need to use the largest ducts possible. The dressing room ceiling is beginning to look quite industrial.

Today, we lifted the floor at the circle entrances to discover joists with old light fittings on them. About 2 foot below this seems to be an original floor then another ceiling. Quite a lot of alterations were made when the mill was converted into a theatre but many others must predate this.

None of us are fully sure about The Watermill’s history (though on marshland alongside the theatre there are the remains of tenterhook posts, so we believe we were at one point a fulling and tucking mill before we were a corn mill.

Again, I wish to apologise to those with a greater knowledge of air handling than I!

Lawrence T Doyle
Production Manager