Episode 11

So much can happen in such a short time. Since the last entry we (Tim Newth, Susan Congreve, David McMicken) went to Brisbane for the Australian Dance Awards because a show we did last year was short listed under the excellence for youth or community section. (We did not win the award but had a great time). We got off the plane after a 4.20hour flight and went straight into a television shoot for the ABC show Stateline. They had previously filmed some work and tonight interviewed Ann Gibb (costumier and daughter of Crocodile Man and Pineapple woman) about her parents. This should really add to thier story as it cements it in the real history of this work.

Our previously mentioned sponsors (Perkins Shipping) have let us know that there is an unprecedented shortage of shipping containers in Darwin and they don't have any available at this point in time. We use these containers as dressing rooms and storage for our equipment while on remote location. And they have to be placed first so the other things like fencing and staging can all go around them. They are our lock-up on site so we cannot take things to site till they are in. Production Manager Kelly Blumberg is solving this as best she can.

Next thing - The NT correctional services who we utilise for our bump-in and bump out cannot give us the work-team on the planned day due to a few things going on there. This was to happen on Thursday before the first in site rehearsal, and now cannot happen until next week, (4 rehearsals later). Now we do love our correctional service men, and they love helping the set up. Much better than their usual picking up rubbish from the side of the road type work. Again the almighty Kelly Blumberg is working her butt off to solve this, as it also ties into the getting the set onto site in time to rehearse on it before then audience arrive for the real season.

Will this croc make an appearance on stage?

LAST NIGHT'S REHEARSAL
Ann Gibb stayed to watch some of her costumes in rehearsal, and also to see our interpretation of her family's background. At times I thought she was in tears with the biggest smile on her face. Constantly commenting on "mum was just like that", "There's dad, al;ways just sitting and watching" and even at one point as Julia Quinn (Pineapple woman) grabbed a passing cocktail from a tray, "Oh mum didn't drink". This was a treat for the performers to have Ann there and making comment on their interpretations.

Who will wear these head-dresses?

Do the same people who use these feather dusters also drink from these cocktail glasses?

We also received the first masters of the sound track from Matthew Cunliffe. He has been doing our sound for years, but has currently relocated to the US of A. SO with the wonders of technology (and Drop-Box), we can email him the music and he does some magic over them and sends them back and he could just be down the road. Thank you Matt.

Looking pretty in pink.

Why does the Tracks General Manager, Susan Congreve, look so chuffed

The rehearsals are now at the pointy end with only six more before we plot the lights. The dancers are busting to get onto the site and onto the real set, rather than the chalk marks on the concrete car-park. Let's hope all is well for the Thursday, our first on-site spacing rehearsal. Will we have a stage? Will we have lock up facilities? All will be revealed in the fullness of time - or on Thursday. Now I am going to help "mark up" the area so we can install everything.

Thanks to Joanna Noonan and Stan Whiting for their generous assistance in lending us their generator for our next rehearsal.