Slow Dusty - The Somewhat Bemused Production Hand

I said yes to an offer to be production manager to a small community theatre company in Melbourne. I caught the train, I booked into a motel, then left for hotel as the motel was full of dust. It took me a week in Melbourne to make the connection between the dust storm I had seen on TV and in the papers with the facts of dusty rooms throughout Melbourne. I'm not really slow, honestly!

I found that the theatre company had been less forthcoming about the circumstances of my employment than was really fair for a bunch of community based tree huggers.

It was not six weeks to opening night it was three & a half; they had no list of regular suppliers to call on; no car or ute; no stage hands; no stage manager and were short a cast member - I would be able to do a bit onstage wouldn't I?

Rather than getting on the train as I should have, I viewed this scenario as a challenge...