What did you do on your holidays?
Some people are happy with a few days by a pool or a trip to the seaside, but Lighthouse duty manager Charlie Speck chose to drive a 17-day 1,600-mile round road trip to Denmark as touring technical stage manager for a new dance show.
“I had a fantastic time,” he says, “although I realise it’s not everyone’s idea of recharging your batteries.”
Probably not, although given that Charlie made the trip in a hired EV, recharging his batteries was a bigger concern than he might have imagined.
“Well yes, that was another layer of organisation, but it was all part of the gig. My background is in stage management, so it was great to put those skills to use again – essentially, I was responsible for everything except the performing.”
Charlie worked on a show called Plastic Paradiso, produced by Pavilion Dance South West, in which choreographer-performer Claire Benson imagines a place entirely made of plastic, and how friendship and nature can reclaim what was a barren world.
It was showing as part of Aarhus Festuge, the prestigious multi arts and culture festival.
“It’s like Denmark’s equivalent of the Edinburgh Fringe, but with Royal approval – some members of our company met the Danish Queen on site.
“Part of the remit was for all productions to be low carbon, and it was our job to show how to bring a show from the UK to mainland Europe in as green a way as possible.
“The biggest headaches were to do with post-Brexit arrangements in that, technically, because we were temporarily exporting and then re-importing various goods, it meant we had to have a carnet document signed at border facilities leaving the UK and then before we could return.
“Given our experience I can see why many smaller UK theatre companies no longer tour to Europe and why European companies are less keen to come to the UK.”
Plastic Paradiso enjoyed three performances – four including a dress run – and it’s fair to say a good time was had by all.
“I’d love to go back. It’s such a well-organised festival and the atmosphere was amazing; the only shame was that I felt it had only just got going when we had to leave to come home.”
But the adventure continued when they got back to Dorset. Charlie had hired the EV from 2Faced, a dance company based in Hereford, and because he stopped at the (admittedly well worth visiting) Gloucestershire Services on the M5, he missed what would have been a two-train journey home by just 20 minutes.
“Instead, I had to catch seven trains, and it took forever. I managed one day off before I had to come back to work, but it was still well worth it,” he admits. “The only thing is I’m not allowed any more time off this year!”
(NC)
Charlie's holiday snaps
