Clippy's log - page 17

31/7 5:49pm. We're stopped at a stick again so we do a bit of research on the timetable. The spark ahead of us isn't shown (there's a couple of other lines through Hazel Grove, have to gunzel there one day) but in the meantime we discover some changes since 2007. There aren't any trains from Blackpool North to Buxton any more - only from Salford Crescent (and points beyond but on other lines) which is a few stations past Manchester. Blackpool North trains go to Manchester Victoria (not to Piccadilly at all) and there's a short run from Preston to Hazel Grove. It's actually not all that clear what runs where, although it could be improved by unifying stopping patterns and clockfacing timetables, with attendant explanations. So it's not really a point on our side on the loopy vs through running argument.

6:16pm. We're at Chapel-en-le-Frith, 15 minutes down... we were supposed to arrive Buxton two minutes ago. Ah well, things happen.

6:40pm. Hey we're supposed to be at dinner with Angie and a few other S'netters! Dash home, drop unnecessary gear, go walking. Damn, Midga forgot his @ symbol badge!

10pm. Dinner and chat over. Good fun. Not like the Gondoliers or Pirates cast parties (not enough young people), more like a family Christmas lunch. Now to do a load of washing - these things that have to be done even on holidays. Now, which of the boys will do it... I wonder.

1/8 1:30pm. Jet-lag again? Hey, it's no skin off my nose, to coin a phrase. I'm all for the easy stationary life.

4:30pm. Midga, Traal and I team up and publish a few blog posts, it looks like we're going to stay five pages behind for the foreseeable future.

7:10pm. Hey, we've got tickets for The Sorcerer! And it's the opening night of the Festival, let's go!

7:29pm. We met Elise out the front selling stuff to the audience. On the job again. She must be a Busy Person.

7:30pm. We're up the top of the theatre, our favourite seats because they're cheap and we get a good view. Rosuav finds wifi; Midga looks at the lighting desk. The show soon opens - but I won't review it fully because Ros did a good job already. Suffice it to say that a traditional production it ain't, by any means, and while that makes for a fun show, I don't think Gilbert would approve of Alexis falling in love with Dr Daly, and nor would Sullivan appreciate The Lost Chord being done as a disco. Everything else in the show was great though.

11pm. Festival Club - the thing that sets the Festival apart from every other show. Pot-Luck Princess Ida tonight - and Pot-Lucks remain the very best fun anyone can have without being strapped into one of Martin-Baker's finest inside the cockpit of an F-15E! There's a vacancy for Cyril but Midga doesn't know it well enough so he chickens out. Blanche is also vacant so Elise does her as well as Psyche. Fun.

11:30pm. Nobody wants to be Sacharissa so Midga does his best falsetto on "I meant no harm, they're only men of wood!" - and gets the thumbs up from several people in the room. That is the stuff pot-lucks are made of.

12:30am. End of Act 3. Applaud the cast, MD and pianist. Randomly chat on the way out. Time for bed.

2/8 7am. Ding ding cuckoo! Rehearsal for the WA group's TBJ is in three hours. Sunday morning rehearsals again, grumble.

9:30am. Everything's ready, let's go.

1pm. That was a morning's rehearsal. Judging by the notes he took, Midga's either having a difficult time or taking the show seriously - or (most likely) both. His pleas for the loan of a spare score are answered by Elise - very nice of her. And not atypical.