ALASDAIR SATCHEL’S WEBLOG

All quiet on the blogging front…

2 September 2008

The Fringe being well and truly over, and we find ourselves back on the road once more.

Getting an audience at the Fringe wasn't easy, and I think we should be very proud of the numbers that we pulled in. We ended up doing some very strange things to market the show, prime amongst which was our wee publicity slot in John Lewis' store, down from Princes St. Whilst Sandy and Annie played away inside the window (not too loudly, though, as “people couldn't hear themselves ordering carpet”) we, the cast, touted the show to passers-by, or more appropriately, those sheltering from the elements with us under the Lewis's awning. A very strange experience indeed.

Our venue was great, and made us feel so welcome. Special thanks to Faith, Josiah, John, Martin & Patrick for helping us along and entering into the spirit of things so fully. There's even a teddy bear up on a ledge somewhere in St Brides that has a wee banner declaiming “Save The Trees!”.

Sorry not to have been blogging much recently, but I've just been really busy getting things in to shape for our Macbeth education pack [technical difficulties with e-mail and the Editor’s holidays – ironically on Mull – have also slowed down the appearance of Alasdair’s missives. Our apologies. Ed].

The “Scottish Play” is our sister show, and out on the road as we speak. If you fancy a copy of the education pack do drop us a line at the theatre and we can sort you out with one for the princely sum of £3.

Our first show after the fringe was at Strachur, near Dunoon, where I grew up. It was great to play so close to home, especially as it was my birthday! The cast very kindly got me a present or two of Maw Broon's Cook Book (great tablet recipe in there) and a hip flask with a fine peaty Islay miniature. I was well chuffed!

From Strachur we went on to Easdale, the slate island off of Seil, another slate island. What a trip! We had a lot of fun getting ourselves out there. Everything had to be transported out to the island on a dinghy. So two trips took the set and cast across. What a smashing wee island it is. You can easily walk around it in half an hour. The audience was just brilliant, we had a lot of hooting and guffawing. Just what you want.

Then it was on to Carradale, down on the Mull of Kintyre. A very sweaty show ensued, with a slippy dancefloor to boot, but we survived it. It was an eventful night, and we all really enjoyed the slow, long, winding drive back up the road to the Craignish Village Hall at Ardfern the next day. Honest.

Our accommodation in Ardfern was astonishing, something truly special – we were booked in to a massive 15th century castle! It had a games room, massive trampoline in the grounds, several kitchens and lounges at our disposal, and lovely big bed rooms with huge baths. My bath was so big I almost cooked myself in it.

The show went well, but we were all ganting to get back to the accommodation to start our weekend and play around in the castle. Which we did till around three in the morning. At which point I decided to go off to bed. Only to find that there was a bat in my room, which wouldn't go out, no matter how much
I tried to reason with it. So Ed, Barrie and myself then tried to make a corridor of towels to guide it out of the window. Which didn't work even remotely. In the end I shared a room with Helen Mackay, who had a twin room near by. So thank you Helen, again!

And then it was back to Tobermory for me, and a weekend with my girlfriend. I finally feel like I've had a day or two off, as it was so good to get back to Tob.

Tonight finds us in Benderloch, near Oban (where most of the cast spent the weekend), so I type this in my B&B in Oban town. Next stop Mull for three nights! Bunessan and Tobermory. I can't wait to get back.

Avanti!

© Alasdair Satchel, 2008

Links

• Mull Theatre
• Right Lines