About this time we bought a shop in Selwyn St Spreydon and named it Spreydon Books and Toys (SBT).
It proved somewhat difficult to make a reasonable shop profit, but by this time I was doing quite a bit of 'moonlighting' programming for private customers, so we made this a division of SBT - SBT Computing.
Thus SBT Computing and its various subsequent derivatives was born.
Whilst I was still at NZWTA, somehow I had my interest in G&S rekindled, once more being back stage crew.
I can recall quite clearly the day Lynsey said ' you will get on well with my Mother' Yeah Right again.
Her Mum (Frances)was a 'professional' actress and we went to many shows at the Court Theatre etc together , not to mention everything she herself appeared in at Repertory Theatre.
Although Pat had little interest in theatre I did rope Kat and Goose in on several occasions.
Quite a number of G&S and similar shows that G&S society put on, including Orpheus in the Underworld, Singing in the Rain, My Fair Lady, Aspects of Love, Sweet Charity and many more.
Of these My Fair Lady was probably the best, in the sense of the hardest work but most rewarding overall.
But I must relate as much as I dare about 'Mary Poppins'.
The author Pam Travers although having sold the film rights to Disney had kept the stage rights to herself. Canterbury Children's Theatre is not theatre by children but theatre FOR children.
Our Director, Malcolm Jones went overseas to plead with her to be allowed to do it as CCT 25th Anniversary production.
He achieved his mission, and the rumour is that it cost us only a case of Gin. Well done Malcolm!
We did this at Theatre Royal, Lynne was once more our Stage Manager, I asked for and was given the job of fly-man.
This requires a lot of effort tugging on ropes etc., pulling scenery up and down and in this show even people.
A 'strip to the waist' job is ever there was one.
The fly floor rig was actually installed for My Fair Lady in 1956 and left there because its removal would have cost more than it was worth. It meant to use it now quite a lot of physical effort was required!
It was an almost sold out season – we usually had a 2 week season. And this year from August 29th 2001 till Sept 12th
We had a 'VIP' night on the Friday night, then the snow came !! And did it what !!!!!!!!!
So the Saturday matinee, and so the Saturday night show also the Sunday show, simply had to be cancelled.
The next one being Tuesday night. But wait there's more. The actor who played Mary Poppins was instructed by her doctor not to sing for 2 weeks, her understudy was certainly not able to perform every single night either.
We did have two sets of child actors because of the strenuous schedule though.
So, the season really started on the Tuesday right through till the final weekend.
At one stage the producer came and asked us all if we could do extra shows because we had had to cancel so many shows at the beginning of the season and we had a waiting list for tickets.
Unhesitatingly we agreed so...........
We did the Friday night show, then had an all night Cast party (to which all we crew were all invited), then a Saturday afternoon show, the pub afterwards (for a meal!) then the Saturday night show, followed by another all night party (hosted by the Crew, to which all the cast were invited), we then did another two shows on the Sunday.
By this time Mary Poppins was still not singing, but allowed to speak her lines.
We had another very good singer – who had been Elisa Doolittle in My Fair Lady, but was 8 months pregnant at the time – positioned in the orchestra pit who sang all the songs.
So, we did 5 shows and two all night parties in three days. Some of the activities at the parties MUST however remain under wraps.
Mary Poppins Probably My Favourite Show
Mary Poppins Herself
Mary Poppins The Crew
Our Fly Floor Team
To Continue
In the mid eighties my marriage was on the rocks too, I blamed Pat, she blamed me but the upshot of it was that we didn't quite make our 20 years .together.
Kat and Goose were most upset, physically trying to stop me leaving, taking my keys, barricading the door etc.
The females all stayed in the house while I had a succession for 'grotty little flats'. I also continued to pay their private school fees and also the legally required Child Support.etc
I continued a close relationship with Kat and Goose (and their friends too)
Eventually we negotiated that Pat would stay in the house and pay me half its value.
This necessitated her taking out a brand new mortgage (about 12 times the amount of our original one), and as this only went part way to getting me into a house of my own I had to do the same!
So from being mortgage free we both became saddled with significant mortgages to service.
I bought at 127 Baker St New Brighton.
A two bedroom place with a nice office, a sleepout and plenty of space. I also managed to get a spa pool and built a room for it.