Set Build Sunday
Taming of the Shrew Set Build - Sunday 9th May 2010
“What on earth makes you think I know anything about props?”
“Oh you’ll be fine”, said Denise, our Director last January, when she offered me the job of Joint Head of Props,
along with the opening lines of the play. “Bob and Linda will help you. It’s just they have to go off and be
grandparents at a critical point in the process.”
“But I’ve never made a prop in my life”, I said.
“That’s OK”, she said, “Bob’s good at that.”
“But I’ve got all these other things to do”.
“That’s OK”, she said, “we’ll understand”. Then I couldn’t think of anything else to say, except OK.
So on Sunday 2 May, with the rain thundering down but telling ourselves we would ‘dodge the showers’,
about 12 of us climbed aboard the Greenslades boat from Poole Quay, cordless drills in hand, for the
first ‘set build Sunday’. Sure enough, half way across the harbour, thanks no doubt to Denise fetching
out her next waterproof layer, the sun appeared. At least I’d been over to the Island with Bob and Linda
about 10 days earlier, so I knew about The Cowshed (packed to the rafters with audience seating, rostra
and flats for the set and sundry other Big Bits and The Granary, similarly packed with props and smaller
furniture. First off, very English, we made a cup of tea. Then as the Props Shed (flat packed) was in the
way, we got that out of the Cowshed and the blokes set to and laid the base (not easy in a field full of
rabbit holes) while Denise and I sat over the script and added in her latest wacky ideas to the second
draft of the props list. By the time we emerged, the chestnut paling fence was in place around the build
site, the base of the set was taking shape and I had a (as yet roofless) props shed behind it.
Apparently getting the shed up this early is unusual (I suspect more a reaction of the old hands to my newbie
whinging about needing to get sorted out than the fact that it was actually nearest the door) but at least
its removal created enough space in the Cowshed for us to gather round and have our picnic lunch. Back to
the script then, and by the time Denise and I emerged, not only did my little kingdom have its roof on,
but there were even vertical bits on the set! Ten minutes with dustpan and brush got the cobwebs and
muck out of the shed, then I was able to spend a happy final hour delving into the boxes in the Granary
and lining up possible bits against the list.
First prize for doing the grottiest job of the day must surely go to Mogs, our Production Manager, and Silvi,
who will be bringing her artistic skills to helping Bob with the set painting once there is one to paint.
Brushes and mops in hand, they cleaned the BOAT toilet block. Truly this is one democratic Company!
Gill Linford ('Hostess' and Joint Head of Props – The Taming of the Shrew)
Monday 10th May 2010
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