Reviewing the situation…

7 May 2015

I was sat in the rehearsal room at the first read-through by the cast of The Deep Blue Sea when I took the time to read a familiar sign on the wall.

I concluded there must be a big mistake on the date – as surely it was only a few years ago I was trying to pick the pocket of Mr Grimes.

The Grimes family were brilliant supporters of The Watermill – not only were Emily and Charlotte both members of our youth theatre (they went on to work here under various guises) – but Barry, their father, was one of the first people I met when I started at The Watermill –someone I always went to for help – (he must have dreaded my phone calls!)

At that time we had no rehearsal room and I thought, “I Shall Scream” as we spent every day moving all the props and furniture for a show’s rehearsals either into the restaurant (until thrown out for service) or driving around the area to different village halls.

If we only had a rehearsal room it would be A Fine Life.

We came up with a cunning plan to turn what was an assortment of small rooms and a barn like space into a Rehearsal Room. As ever, money was tight, but not peoples’ generosity.

We called firms and individuals, scrounging for materials: a load of bricks or some flooring or time; could you spare a day offering a skill you had?

Barry co-ordinated the entire project and the result is celebrating its 20th anniversary.

So why am I reviewing the situation? Well, a few years after this project, we began the first of our Schools Federation projects (Beneath the Lines will be our next in July this year) and I needed some Portakabins to help house the children when not onstage – so who else to approach than “I’d do anything for you” Barry and obviously, yet again, he came up trumps.

As you may have guessed, our summer musical is Oliver! Unfortunately Barry has moved away from the area but what we want to do, as we are short of space in the theatre, is create a “workhouse” as an extra dressing room in the grounds from either a Portakabin or caravan. So if you Consider Yourself as someone able to help, please get in touch with the production office production@watermill.org.uk – don’t worry we will look after it and it’ll Be Back Soon.

Lawrence T Doyle
Production Manager