ALASDAIR SATCHEL’S WEBLOG

Touring

24 July 2008

Every day a new hall and a new audience. I rather like touring. So far we've taken in Invergarry Hall, Lochinver Hall and now the Macphail centre in Ullapool.

Our journey on the first day took us from Tobermory in the morning (many thanks to Georgia, my girlfriend, for helping to clean my house at a ridiculous time of day!), to Fort William for a quick “sangdwidge” and various salads at the local supermarket, and then on to Invergarry.

Ed got a sandwich that was about two foot long. It was incredible. Somehow he managed to eat it all, and not get it all down his front. A special award for food-based skill goes to he.

The show in Invergarry was a roaster. My goodness, it was so hot the sweat was lashing in to my eyes.

Very good baking there. Helen Mackay (who plays Lucy) loves a good bit of home baking. She was coveting a chocolate marzipan bomb thing that they had there, and I managed to procure one for her at the end of the evening. On another note, I must say that their shortbread was excellent. I think we must have a shortbread award for the tour. Invergarry was certainly a very good opening gambit.

People had come from miles around to see the show in Invergarry, I met a couple who had come from Broadford on Skye. Funnily enough, their daughter lives in Tobermory.

The next day featured a very long drive, from Loch Ness side to Lochinver. What stunning scenery. It really is a pleasure to tour around when it's as lovely as this. Thankfully the weather has been superb. It was roasting yesterday, George and the two Brians got thoroughly basted in the van, while we cruised in air-conditioned splendour in the people carrier.

It was great to see Suilven again, the sugar loaf hill near Lochinver. These are the haunts of my childhood holidays, and it does feel just like being a small boy again. Which is rather nice, as I was a fairly happy – if rotund – child.

130 folk came to see the show in Lochinver. They were crammed in to the gunnels. I hope they all managed to see the action.

The road back to Ullapool from Lochinver was very pleasant. Ross & Cromarty has put up some really rather good signs about local geology at all the major viewpoints, which is of interest to me, as I do like a bit of geology now and again. Thanks to Mr Livingston, my old geography teacher for introducing me to the delights of lateral and terminal moraines, to say nothing of isostatic rebound.

The get-in (where we set up the hall with all that's needed for the show) for Ullapool was easy enough, and left us with enough time to enjoy the afternoon in our own way. Alasdair H, Helen, Ed and I headed for the local pool to try to swim a bit, and mostly succeeded, despite the best intentions of a local group of playfully aquatic youths.

The show went down well in Ullapool, with many people taking to the floor for the dancing. Which is ideal, as people really get in to the action of the piece.

I'm slowly finding new things with the laird, which is good. Every performance you do has to be very similar to the previous, so that every one knows what they're doing, but you have to find ways to keep it fresh for yourself, so that you don't get bored with it. It's too early in the run to get bored with the play, but it's really good to keep yourself active and interested in it all.

And now to bed. It's 23.40pm and I'm utterly pooped. If it's Friday tomorrow, it must be Carrbridge...

© Alasdair Satchel, 2008

Links

• Mull Theatre
• Right Lines