Over this summer The Great British Country Fete company and I have been travelling around the country with our new musical by Russell Kane with songs by Michael Bruce. It's a lovely show and we've had such a great time taking it to venues like the Northwall in Oxford and Tobacco Factory in Bristol. This photo however was taken in Bath at Herb and Barbara Kanzell's house. Generally when you go touring you stay in small hotels or the odd B&B but occasionally theatre's will supply you with a digs list; that is a list of local people who are happy to have us theatre types come and stay while on tour. This is exactly what we did in Bath and so pictured are my Stage Manager, Ben and Herb our host.
Herb used to work in the theatre Cleveland and now writes and performs in the local amateur society in Bath (they were doing Cat on a Hot Tin Roof while we were there). Herb's grandson, Ollie Gardener is currently playing Billy Elliot on the West End so Herb knows the theatre well and wasn't at all fazed by us checking in at 11pm after the show. We had a lovely stay with the Kanzells; they were also dog sitting their neighbours' golden Labrador Indiana, though she didn't have Brioche and jam for breakfast like Herb and I did.
The Great British Country Fete is being performed at the Drum Theatre, Plymouth, for three nights (July 21-24th) and will open at the Bush Theatre on July 28th for a two week run. Tickets are on sale now: http://bit.ly/9KC7n4
