Not a real loaf

Dough used by the soprano, Rosie (playing Alice) who was in the Alice Beech scene in Who is Molly Leigh? On the scene she pretends to make penny loaves for the widows and orphans of Burslem. When she passes away she bequeaths her cottage to Alice. The scene shows Alice baking and donating penny loaves to the poor.

One of the props every performance was some dough so she had something to represent the work at baking she did while she was singing her part. This was left over at the end of the Opera so I decided to make it into a Cottage loaf shape! No yeast involved and not cooked.

Random photo

A brass cat

By the cutlery and sugar, sits a brass cat. I liked the look of it so took a random photo. I cropped it a bit but I should have got rid of the cream coloured shelf above the cat. I just didn’t notice until I added it here. I could change it now, but is it worth it? The cat is in the cafe area of BArts in Stoke upon Trent. That’s where we’ve almost finished performing Molly Leigh. You’ll be glad because I won’t be able bore you any more!

First Night

Paddy, one of my set paintings

Tonight was the first performance of the opera, Who is Molly Leigh?

I enjoyed singing in the choir and got to watch a couple of scenes. We sing in the final scene and question who Molly Leigh was? Was she real, was she a myth? It’s amazing how it’s all come together. I’m pleased to say the audience enjoyed it.

I’m absolutely shattered now! I went to the fish and chip shop to get tea because I’m to tired to microwave something, but it’s going cold in the kitchen because I sat down and I’m too achy to get back up! Might have a nap.

Cottage scene

A bread oven, table, stool, Welsh dresser, herbs and a lamp. If you come to the Molly Leigh opera you will see five stage sets.

Each scene is repeated twice, but you only have time to see three of the scenes. The opera is asking more questions than answers. The woman who was Molly Leigh might have been gossiped about, the story calling her a witch might be lies. She could have been a wise woman, a healer. The tales told about her may have been caused by jealousy. Or on the other hand she might have been evil, spiteful, possessed? That is the question.

Plastic glass

I just liked the way the light shone through my plastic glass tonight. Taken at an angle with my phone camera…. It feels like a jelly mold or reminds me of razor shells. Funny how shapes and patterns can mimic each other.

I like taking random pictures of things, I take picturesque photos but also enjoy playing with images x

BBC Radio 4

What do you listen to while you work?

I’ve listened to BBC Radio 4 for years now. It’s mostly speech except for ptogrammed like Desert Island Discs.

In the 1980’s I heard the serialised version of the Hitchikers Guide to the Galaxy. And found the answer to life the universe and everything was 42. Then I listened to the Hobbit, and later the Lord of the Rings trilogy with Micheal Horden, Ian Holm and Bill Nighy. I even got the cassette tape version of it.

Other favourites include: I’m Sorry I haven’t a clue, the News Quiz, Dead ringers, the Infinite Monkey Cage, and many others.

I think you can hear a lot of these can be heard on the BBC SOUNDS ap.

Music and memory

A song I love. We are re-learning this soon,  I’m used to the unison version, but this has harmonies. I don’t read music well. But we will learn it by repetition and copying.

I love the Simon and Garfunkle version.

I’ve been to Scarborough and it’s an old Victorian resort and fishing town although the majority of it’s trade is mainly tourism these days. It is South of Whitby in Yorkshire. As you come down towards it from the North you can see it’s castle standing on the headland. There is a north and south bay on either side of the castle. The town is mainly old Victorian terraces which are 3 or 4 storey and either hotels or bed and breakfast properties.

We stayed outside the town in a caravan site. There are plenty of places to visit, like an old museum set back from the coast which has information about the local geology amongst other things. A lovely park that feels sub tropical and I think I remember a car and motorbike racing circuit at a place called Olivers Mount.