Its a touring life 1

Grace of AVL times.

My very first tour in the UK was with “The Full Monty”. We toured for 10 months, starting out in Wimbledon and ending in Glasgow. Known as a “two weeker”, we moved every two weeks. To me. It was always a new city to explore, and a fully paid holiday around the British isles.

As with most theatre shows in the United Kingdom, we started out from the Greater London area. The time we spent in this first venue was considerably long. Of course some tours do start out in other cities too.

In the first ever set up you would do a few things that need to be sorted out (at this first venue) before the tour starts proper:-
 Staging
 Anti Rake (If any)
 Sound System
 Lighting System
 Wardrobe
 Costumes
 Management
 Final Artistic Directions

Staging
The set must be able to fit into the smallest theatre on tour and also the largest. Wimbledon might have a large stage area, but the planning must be done taking into

account the very smallest theatre the show will go into. There could be a “full” floor put down in certain venues, with smaller parts made and used when needed.
Props, moving scenery, sliders, flown items all will go through their final “fittings’, taking into account that most of the set will be made somewhere else beforehand. Once done, there would not be much changes anymore, and maybe only very minor changes in the next two moves and than just the normal maintenance during the tour after that.

Anti Rake
Some theatres are “raked” meaning there is a slight slope to the stage surface. Down stage being lower than upstage. Some shows are performed on level surfaces, so an anti-rake must be made. It tours with the show. Set designer will take into account the ease of installing of anti rakes too. 

Sound System
Every new show that goes out will be using a new sound design, usually from different designers. The system might be prepped at the rental house, but it needs to be put into the theatre. So many days of setups will narrow down what is going on tour. The bulk of the “non used” items is returned to the rental house, and spares are taken on tour. If speakers need to be hung independently from any structure in any of the coming venues, a flying structure must tour with the show. All this is made and measured during the set up, extras go back to the warehouse.
Lighting System
Basically the same as sound, the fixtures are prepped in the rental house, then its the setup at the first venue, and unwanted items returned. The lighting designer would be present everyday to make it look right.
Wardrobe
London (or other large cities) has everything - allowing the wardrobe department to get everything right before the tour. The costume designer would have readied all items by the time cast is on stage. Being in a large city allows you to do “last minute” errands for something that needs to be bought. And this applies to wigs too.
Management
The production company will have sorted out the personnel going on the tour and they might visit the tour somewhere on the road, wherever the show is at.
Final Artistic Directions
Rehearsals would have been going on for many weeks at some venue prior to moving to Wimbledon. Many parts of the show

would have been sorted out at this rehearsal location. When the company moves to that first venue, its more of a “getting used to” the new venue other than what they have been in for however long it was. Now the artistic team can gel all different aspects of the show together. Many days of rehearsals will continue here - getting it all right before press night and still working and changing after press night until opening night.
Once on tour (leaving this first venue), the tech team touring with the show comprises of the just the bare minimal.
Below is just an example of the touring crew on a medium to large scale show:-

•   Snd: Three persons. Snd Number 1, 2, 3.
  Less if it’s a smaller show, or if the DSM is
  op’ping the show from backstage.
  
•   LX: Two persons. Lx Number 1 and 2.
  At times only one.
  
•   SM Team: Four persons. SM, DSM (show
  caller), ASM L and ASM R.
  
•   Wardrobe: Two persons or more if it’s
  a show with a large costume change
  scenario.
  
•   Wigs: (if any) One person, or two or
  three, depending if it’s a wig heavy show. If it’s not that ‘wig heavy’, the wardrobe department might do wigs as well.
  
•   Production Team: Two, maybe more. Company Manager and Resident Director.
  
•   Tech ASM: (swing) One. Multiple roles, covering Snd, Lx, Wardrobe and Stage. This post is rare, but it happens.
  
  
  
  So excluding the cast, the team is already 15 bare minimal for a show. The creative team does not go with the tour. They might follow the tour for the next 2 to 3 venues or they might “visit” the show (maybe) in 3 months, but every so often they will pop up and say hi!
  So, back at Wimbledon, a sound point of view of the first venue set up. Pretty much a basic setup. Location of amps, Power distros, FOH cable run, Main incoming power, Speaker positions, Radio antenna positions, Cross stage cable runs, Band in pit, DSM desk position, video runs, intercom rings, follow spot comms, positions of video monitors for offstage viewing, storage of flight cases, planning of spare cables, spare PSUs, spare batteries, spare drivers, spare truss for large venues, flying equipment....
  Everything in Wimbledon will be done according to what that will happen on tour. For example, the amp racks; They would all be housed in one large rack called the “daddy rack”.

  
  Inputs and amp outputs will be hard patched, incoming power too. So at the next venue, it will be a case of plug-n-play. No fiddling around wasting time. All interlinking cables between all sound gear goes into one large case, not mixed into different cases.
  FOH cables to be “loomed” together - living in its own case. FOH stuff in another case. Those are just some examples to make the ins and outs fast, easy and manageable. Every case will be labeled as to where they will go once its unloaded off the truck. All one has to do is glance at it and know where it must go to. And also the God mic system. Just for the Director to converse with every- one during tech runs and such. This gear does not go on tour (whew!).
  As the days go by, things will get finalized. More and more things fall into place, in all departments. Things that are not needed will be sent back to the rental company. The items left in that venue will all go on tour, including your spares.
  In next month’s Soundtrap feature, Nicholas will give you his in-depth take on what happens when the tour starts proper. Don’t miss Part 2 in our November issue! 
  

cheers to clarence of AVL times, link on the right side list.

Guard Duty

Part and parcel with any military. guard duty.

where ever u are. which ever unit. sea land air. gota do done.

As usual, we had lessons on it. briefed on what to do. how to react to different plays. we were taught all.

in those days, the helmets issued to us was the tin pot, with the inner liner. the outer layer can be taken off.

guard duty for us newbies on that island was just to get us used to it. the long walk. the looking at shit in the night. cant see shit.

the tin pot was taken off. we walked the rounds in just the inner part of the helmet.

every one did it. my turn came. we reported to the “ camp gate” after dinner.

im like, wad camp gate? the whole island is one bloody camp. no fence round our place. the fence is the waters round the island.

we all slept in one large room.

me and my buddy were chosen to do the 3am to 4am slot. bahhhhh. fuk my sleep interrupted.

So, we got woken up. went out to the front. dressed in our shitty SOB, comfy greens, comfy inner liner helmet.

we do not carry guns and bullets. we carried the baton and wicker shield.

our round lasts one hour. 1 hour to walk round camp 3 on the outskirts. some parts we would cross into the camp. but basically, its one large round. we have to pace ourselves. cant walk too fast. cant walk to slow.

so we started. distance between us two, 4-7 meters apart.

many stories were told. here is haunted. there is haunted. when u reach this part, don’t look at that part. do not speak to one another. do not look at that rock outcrop. stick to the pavement. do not drift away from it. don’t not smoke. do not look at that bunk when u reach this corner.

bah so many things they told us. all the do`s and don’ts.  I think we broke so many “laws”. we smoked. we looked everywhere. we even sat down away from the pavement.

one nice view is the main land. from that island at a certain stretch, u can see the skyline of the city. we looked at it everyday we pass that spot. SOC. runs. lessons. but this was the first time we were looking at the city at night. it is a very nice view. with clear skies that is.  that night was clear. could see all the way to downtown. well, that lasted about 1 smoke.

the only sexciting thing that happened was when we neared a part of the SOC ( standard obstacle course). The Jacobs ladder. We were told about this as well. do not look to the top of the ladder.

while passing, I had a very quick look.

did not see anything. but after another 10 meters, I felt a cold chill from my head down to my legs. I kinda walked faster. my buddy walked faster too.

nothing happened.

we walked till we came to a “brighter” area. cool. all cool.

we cont. walking, doing our duty. got back to the guard room. handed over to the next pair.

reported nothing.

as nothing happened.

both of us had a smoke. chatted about wad happened. well, we both came to an agreement.

do as told. do not look if told not to look.

obey orders lol.

that’s it. end of my first guard duty. pretty boring if u ask me.

I went on to do more guard duties later on in my NS. there was only once it was dam sexciting! but that’s a story for another day.

so ended guard duty on that island.

Bye ah ma

Every day, people are born.

Everyday, people die.

Fact. cant run away from that.

how does one deal with it? in many ways I guess. each one deals with it in their own way. very personnel.

granddad passed in 1994. it was, like, sudden. not expected. that was hard.

grandma, well, we knew it was coming. in and out of hospital. dementia. loss of memory. hospital visits. kept a few days for observation. the list goes on.

hence, it was expected. does it mean that its not as hard as granddad`s death? it is. but knowing in advance kind of makes you more prepared. not that a death can be prepared, but, I was prepared. most in the family were. it happens.

So………

u might not like what im writing, but hey its my page and ill write.

sat. morning. she passed. in her sleep. peaceful position. passed in the night.

every one knew by 9am. phone calls were made. the wake was called. seats. snacks. the “expert” was called to organize much of the stuff.

we normal people don’t really know how to run a funeral.

she was prepared. she was made to look good on her journey. her cloths she wore was the one she was always in. we humans picked it. she did not. her wore it lots, we take it that its her frav.

make up applied. hair combed. looking good there grandma. 

some kind of small white looking ball at her lips. like those pins with the round end. no idea what it was to mean. just let the expects do it. we just follow.

coffin. she laid in it. top half opened, from chest up to face. for humans to view her.

I was there at bout 11am. late? maybe. was working till 5am. day 1 of the wake. spend 2 hours.

the priest was there. Buddhist.

changed cloths. every one in the family has a “ranking” in a death. being the eldest grand son, chris not here, being in the UK, I was to stand at the front during any prayers.

in the order, front to rear. sons, grandsons, daughters, elder in laws, younger inlaws, great grand sons, great grand daughters, distant relatives.

friends or visitors who are present do not do the prayers during the wake. they seat around watching the family do it.

 kneel, bow three times, up. bow. three times. kneel. walk round the coffin three times. look at her. back into position. bow. kneel.

that’s one session of prayers. the priest will chant. say words.

session over. more to come later in the day.

back to work for me. cant stay the day or night. show time and tear down till 5am, and cont set up another show. finished at 10am. went back showered, back to venue, show, tear down.

so come Monday, went back for the last day of the wake. this is the day grandma gets cremated.

Monday 9am. live band turns up. plays music. everyone is there.

the experts gets the place ready for the movement to the burning place.

band plays on. things being kept.

prayers started. last view of grandma. bows. kneel. bow. up.

every one turns away from the coffin. no one is to look when they shut the lid on the coffin. done. we face the front again.

more prayers. the last few rites given I guess.

all lined up. face the floor. no one to look when the coffin is raised and carried out. once pass us, we can than look again.

grandma into the van. rear door shut. sons and grand son to the back of the van. same order in the prayers, we walked.

my dad, my uncle, 3^rd son, and me we pushed the van. of cos the engine was on. its symbolic. we were to assist her on the journey.

we walked about 400 meters. van stops. dad carries the burning joist stick. he gets into the front of the van.

everyone else gets into charted buses. and we headed of to mandai.

grandma reaches first. we all get off. saw grandma being pushed outa the van. onto some kind of automatic push device. very modern.

we all got ushered to viewing gallery number 2.

we were briefed, when the coffin is being automatically driven into the, hm.. oven?

we were to say “ grand ma, watch out for the fire. its coming. don’t get burned. run fast and be safe”.

along those lines. we were to warn her to be careful of the fire.

so.. we waited.  we saw the coffin come in.

it got placed on the device that brings it towards the oven. very robotic.

so. the thing starts moving. towards a set of wooden doors. as it got nearer, the doors opened. words were said in the viewing hall. as it went more down the tracks, words got spoken louder. as the dive with the coffin got to the end, it stopped. the coffin was raised. and a 2^nd set of doors opend. I guess it’s the oven.

the coffin started to get pushed in. the the first set of doors closed.

wtf?

I did not even see the coffin go into the oven.

why is it so in personnel? I want to see the coffin go in and burn. harsh? no. lack of heart? no.

why is it so robotic? cant we see it go in? why is the procedure like this?

it was not so impersonal last time as I remembered. at another location, we see the coffin go in, and burn.

not this place.

the doors shut. we did not see more. we were ushered out. washed our faces with water. got our footwear back on. got on the bus.

we got to the temple. this temple is going to be her spiritual home. grand dad is here too. so they will be side by side )))

prayers there. placed her “paper work” there. when she comes, she is under “probation” for a while. a few weeks I think. than she can “stay” there.

back on the bus and back to the house. lunch is served.  we ate. we chatted. that was it. we all went back home.

Tuesday morning. 8am at the house. all got on the bus. went back to the crematorium. time to pick up grand ma and bring her to her new home.

there she laid. on the table. white and ashen. broken up small bits of bones. high temp makes it white. brittle. the largest piece is the top half of the skull.

we all lined up to pick up a piece each. placed the piece on a red cloth. the last bits were placed by the people that worked there.

onto the bus. time to bring her to another temple, to lay her physical body.

more prayers.

opened the red cloth. we placed coins in it urn. same two coins. but not 1 dollar coins. only 10 cents, 20 cents and 50 cents. no idea why. grandma will look after this monies. than we each picked a part of her, into the urn. some form of talisman, a folded yellow cloth with writings on it, went in. the last part that went into the urn was the largest piece, the skull. lid put in place.

she now stays at block K, 8^th floor, apartment 8.

Grand dad will join her here, same block, 10^th floor, apartment 9. he is still at lim chu kang, but the rental is only for 30 years, so it was decided to exhume him, and burn him, and place him with his wife, my grandma.

so all is done. her spiritual home. her physical home. all done.

now its up to the living to sort it all out. rest in peace grandma. )))

so that’s the death of grandma.