On the road with The Roadless Trip… Lancaster

The Roadless Trip by Sarah Woods toured around various community groups in and around Lancaster, from 16-18 July 2015. John Hunter, production manager, gives his account of this leg of the journey.

It took us 19 hours to get from Hertfordshire to Lancaster. It’s a whole other story that we can’t wait to tell you in the final show, but suffice to say, that’s an average speed of 12.4 miles per hour. So much time and therapy will be spent on blocking that journey out, so instead let’s focus on the wonderful people we met once we arrived in Lancaster.

First, we have the people of the co-operative housing project in Halton Mill. Much like the three billy goats gruff, we got foiled by a small bridge on our way to Halton – our van was simply too fat to fit. But we got there in the end, and saw the eco-houses and impressive shared spaces they have there. Ironically, they weren’t that co-operative when it came to The Food Game, but they’ve built a whole tiny village so we’ll let them off.

Secondly, the Lancaster and District Homeless Action Service. We got an amazing response despite feeling a bit like we had gatecrashed breakfast (because we had gatecrashed breakfast), and our interviews with the service users lasted over an hour. I smashed my watch in all the excitement, and a lady freaked out about some peanut butter – we’ve all been there.

The Continuing Learning Group were hard to find but easy to talk to – a combo which is okay, on balance. We did some great health and safety with a bright orange cable that I SAFELY tied around the leg of a picnic bench, and nobody fell over it. We can confirm that the burritos at the Fylde College bar are ample and delicious.

The elderly ladies at the Barton Community Centre may have had difficulty hearing some of what was being said, but the bits they did hear, they generally liked. This is actual feedback (audience feedback, not feedback from the speakers). The manager of the Centre, whose name I have forgotten but whose generosity will live on forever in our hearts and minds, also made us lots of tea and sandwiches.

Almost last but definitely almost not least, Damian and his crew from the garage – I can’t talk too much about why we got to know them so well but THE AMBULANCE BROKE DOWN OKAY?

Finally, there is Little Dave – formerly known as Alice Booth. She came to own this nickname after trying to get my attention by shouting “Dave! Dave! Dave!” at me across a large sports hall whilst we were setting up the show. My name isn’t Dave. My dad’s name is Dave, but we don’t think Little Dave knew that. She basically had just forgotten what I was called and so settled for Dave. We agreed that, because Alice is a brilliant producer who made our time in Lancaster so amazing, that calling people Dave must be a Very Good Thing to do, and so we returned the favour. Little Dave came to all of our shows, crashed her car into a wall for us, and corralled the wonderful LICA team to make our get-ins and get-outs the fastest and smoothest they have ever been. I am now Big Dave. Thanks Little Dave.