Today I will be mostly … um …

I’ve only really noticed that I haven’t posted anything theatre related since the middle of Nov – it’ not that I haven’t working (honest guv) but the panto season is upon us and as christmas shows tend to be in for several weeks, there’s little tech speak to talk off.

In fact, the only real thing of notice was the high illness rate that hit for the last few weeks – down to having no swing dancers at one point; having both of our followspotters ill at the same time (luckily we had *just* taught their plot so we could cover); the duty tech from the studio falling ill (of course on the day that the computer playback system they were using had remote issues); and the company sound operator having a very nasty stomach bug which got me back behind a Cadac J-Type for the first time in several years.

It hit the point where we weren’t certain who was doing what job until not long before curtain up – and certainly highlighted the need to multi-skill and provide for cover.

Cell Phone Karma

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qS2nZySpdhg&eurl=

 ’Nuff Said

Local Works

What is Local Works? The following is adapted from their campaign explaination page

 Have you noticed the following happening in your community?:

closure of local independent shops

closure of the local Post Office

closure of the local bank branch

decline of local street markets

closure of the local pub

closure of local services e.g. health centres

green spaces being built on

more traffic and less people walking on the streets

less public transport services

more “clone” branded shops and huge superstores

 

Local Works is the campaign that aims to change this situation that is known as Ghost Town Britain. Instead we want local sustainability, which has these 4 measurements:

 

1. thriving local economies

2. social inclusion

3. environmental protection

4. active democratic participation

 

Local Works is campaigning for the Sustainable Communities Bill. We want a more ‘bottom-up’ society in which communities are empowered to solve the above problems themselves. If made law this Bill will do just that. Central government will be required to provide for the implementation of local sustainability strategies that communities will be invited to create themselves.

 

These sustainability strategies will state ways in which community decline is to be reversed and real local sustainability is to be created. This could include measures to promote local shops and services, local jobs and local businesses; measures to reduce social exclusion and increase active citizenship; and environmental measures too. Local people will be able to set targets for these measures, or even introduce new measures and indicators, and these may differ from area to area. There may even be local referenda on issues such as: should the new superstore be built? Politics will be turned upside down as communities are given the power to reverse Ghost Town Britain and decide how the places they govern are developed or conserved, rather than being dictated to by government.

 

Huge support is needed to win this campaign. It will only be through individuals signing up that the Sustainable Communities Bill will become law! The campaign has cross-party support from 352 MPs (over half the House of Commons) as well as 20,000 individuals, 74 national organisations, 300 local organisations and nearly 1,000 parish and principle councils.

So please SIGN UP! (it’s free): online at www.localworks.org or call 020 7833 9898.