Much love to you all.

Goodness. In all the excitement of doing the puppet show and then not doing the puppet show anymore, I forgot to write a final Brighton fringe post for this blog that nobody reads.

Yes, so it is over and it was wonderful. Thank you to all who came. God bless everybody at the Regency Tavern, who were gracious hosts. Apologies for my pitiful performance as box office lady. I think everybody who paid to see the show managed to see the show in the end. The only negative of the whole thing is that the heatwave arrived the following weekend when I was miles away from any beaches, but that's probably not the fault of anybody in particular.

We got one last review (from Whats on Stage) which was wonderfully complimentary. In parts.

'The Garyhaus Players are either a group of supremely clever and terribly well balanced individuals or a bunch of absolute nutters and, to be honest, I know where my money goes and it’s not on them being well-balanced!'

WE ARE SO BLOODY BALANCED.

Anyway he ended up saying it was funny and engaging, so all can be forgiven. I am sad that there will be no more opportunities in the foreseeable future where I can be graded numerically. I love grades.

After the final show, Meg Lavender (who has no real internet presence because she is some sort of ethereal, constantly napping, pixie-like creature) took photos of the puppets in the dark dingy basement and made them look amazing (trickery using a swinging light bulb I think). They can be found on our facebook page. Why not 'like' them? I'd really enjoy that. YOU'D BE A BLOODY FOOL TO NOT GO AND LOOK AT THEM. Here's a teaser:

That's not even the best one. Maybe I should put the best one up? NO, then were would the incentive to click this link be? 

Moving on, let us consider what is next for the Garyhaus Players. Well, there's Secret Garden Party in July. Unfortunately Lori (master of the big orange puppet) can't come. Very sad. We'll get a new person, maybe they'll be just as good. Probably not. Anyway, Secret Garden Party is sold out now so if you were going to buy a ticket just to see Lori your chance is now gone. If you've already bought a ticket just to see Lori then I don't know what to tell you. They're like two hundred pounds. You're mad.

In fact, there may be cheaper ways to see Lori (and the rest of us, I don't know you're so bloody hung up on Lori! Sam and Naomi are also excellent puppeteers and Tye Mcgivern has tricked multiple audiences into believing he can play a viola). Yes, we shall probably do some more shows somewhere. London, I imagine. Maybe in a pub? God knows. I'm not really in charge. If you'd like us to perform at your birthday / wedding / coronation, then we'll probably do it. Although no guarantees. I haven't checked with anybody else, and, as I've already pointed out, I'm not really in charge.

Finally, when we've milked I Have Never Cared for Sunsets for all it's worth, then I suppose I'll have to write something else. Naomi needs more puppets to make to fend off the loneliness. Feel free to send in suggestions. AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION.

Well that is all. For now. The Garyhaus players: GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN (because we're not really gone! we'll never be gone! we have nothing else in our lives!)

Press round up.

With our second weekend fast approaching, I thought it might be helpful to have a small round up of all the press our little play has so far received. If you have any undecided friends or colleagues, why not share this post with them so that they can see for themselves if I Have Never Cared For Sunsets is the sort of puppet show they're after this weekend?

Press I wrote myself

At Fringe Review, we have '10 Questions: An interview with the Garyhaus Players'.

The Whats on Stage site features 'Five reasons to see . . .  I Have Never Cared For Sunsets'.

Reviews by other people

Our first review was by a lovely fellow at Fringe Guru, who gave us FOUR stars (out of five! goodness!) He enjoyed our 'whimsical, very likeable, puppets' (the puppets are so proud!) and had 'an hour full of laughs'. Final words? 'If ridiculous humour and puppetry appeal to you, then you won’t want to miss I Have Never Cared for Sunsets at this year’s Brighton Fringe.'

Our second review was less flattering. For the man at the Argus, the highlight of the show was the bench collapsing underneath 3 audience members (this WON'T happen again, we promise, benches have been reinforced!). He thought the show required too much background knowledge, didn't like the 'constant references to potatoes and leeches' (I'm not sure what he has against potatoes and leeches), and thought the whole thing had 'the distinct air of an end-of-term revue by the local philosophy club'. If you like the idea of an end-of-term revue by the local philosophy club, you know where to go.

And finally, some feedback from our wonderful audience. A very hungover lady on twitter said she thought she'd fall asleep, but 'instead laughed out my nose the whole time'. Another woman approached some Players in a theatre and said she loved it. My mother also claimed to love it. One friend said she'd been practising her fake enthusiasm but didn't need to use it. Another said, 'yeah, it's ok'. One man googled Karl Popper after the show (successfully spreading the word of Popper!). Another man believed he had learnt something about science (I would not recommend I Have Never Cared For Sunsets as an educational tool, I believe there are books on science and whatnot that would be far more accurate. Also, the BBC have produced a somewhat historically inaccurate but pleasing account of the eclipse expedition which helped confirm relativity theory. It stars David Tennant and Andy Serkis. Also, Jim Broadbent plays Oliver Lodge, my favourite olden times scientist of all time, mainly because everybody was talking about him in the 1920s and nobody's talking about him now, and he just wanted to use the aether to communicate with his dead son. Anyway, I believe it is available on DVD. There are also a number of academic articles on the subject but, like all academic articles, they're rather boring.)

Review by me

I am pleased! I think you should come! Here's a photo I took with my phone  -

Finally, I should point out that while the Fringe Brochure lists the event as 75 minutes long, it's actually only 45 (this is what happens when you leave a known jazz enthusiast in charge of admin).

Our first weekend.

I saw the venue for the first time the morning before our debut show. I was led through a beautiful pub, down a staircase, through a utility room, into a tiny courtyard (where we would have been performing if it wasn't for British weather), through a dark dank room, through another dark dank room, and finally into our performance space! The darkest, dankest room of them all. It was a surprise. But, after the lights and table had been set up, and we'd purchased some bunting, I started to see that it might just work.

The first show went down with several hitches. One of the benches collapsed. Three audience members found themselves on the floor. One poor soul had to spend the rest of the day covered in cider. The remainder of the show was clouded by the doom of bench-related anxiety. Everybody was on edge. Some lines were almost certainly forgotten. And we had two reviewers in, watching the whole disaster unfold.

But, miraculously, the audience laughed loads of times (including at the Plato's cave reference - what a sophisticated crowd we draw in). All the way through. We can now stop describing the show as a series of events, and instead just call it a comedy. And our review from fringe guru was actually rather positive (4 stars!)

Sam Fox (puppeteer) experienced nerves for apparently the first time ("It's sort of like being scared, but not really, I'm all jittery, this is very confusing. And I'm hungry"). Tye Mcgivern drank several whiskies and reinforced all the benches. Naomi and Lori bought a baguette. I congratulated myself on my foresight when several months before I had flatly refused to be in the show (how do people do it? It's TERRIFYING)

Second show ran a lot more smoothly. A sizeable chunk of the script was missed out but nobody (including, for quite some time, the cast) noticed. The audience was lovely, and also laughing (surprisingly at completely different bits this time - our show is thus doubly funny) and when it was over we all got drunk and ended the night in an empty dark room dancing to Talking Heads.

The Sunday performance was, for me anyway, a nauseous affair (oh thanks wine, you bastard). I was on ticket-collection duty, and failing miserably, partly because the pub was packed (turns out they do a very popular Sunday lunch - book in advance if you fancy it). Also, I'd thought that only family and friends were coming but there were quite a few ordinary punters (incidentally my favourite kind of punter) as well. We sold our last few tickets in the pub and, after re-evaluating the seating situation in our dark, dank room, even had to turn some people away (sorry, do come back another day!)

So we've now done THREE performances, each with a good sized audience and lots of laughter. We're all quite surprised. I won't be down next weekend (in the midst of all this excitement, I forgot I'm supposed to be writing a PhD), but can't wait to see what changes have been made by our final weekend of the 19th/20th. EXCITING.

[Our capacity's down to 20 now (and our benches are up to 78% sturdiness) so do book ahead to avoid disappointment]

The celestial and sublunary spheres.

Five reasons to see.

Still undecided about paying the hefty price of six pounds in order to see a puppet show whose sole aim is apparently to destroy the reputation of a beloved philosopher of science?

Well we've somehow managed to come up with FIVE excellent reasons to see the show, which can be found here.

If you require further reasons, then feel free to email us at garyhausplayers at gmail dot com or correspond with us via twitter @garyhausplayers. Or I suppose you could comment on this very blog, although that doesn't seem to be a particularly fashionable option at present.

A fourth interview.

Professor Garyhaus?
Yes, hello, thank you so much for finally agreeing to meet with me.

To be perfectly honest, I very nearly didn't come today. You've got a reputation as a terrible interviewee.
I know, but I really don't know why.

The British Association of Interviewers have blacklisted you. I could get in a lot of trouble for even being here.
Then why did you come?

There you go again, asking questions, I was told you'd do this.
So sorry.

I ASK THE QUESTIONS.
Please don't go.

QUESTION ONE. WHY HAVE YOU MADE KARL POPPER EVIL?
I don't know. I thought it was funny. I now see I was wrong.

LOOK AT HIM. 

He looks lovely.

I think the British Society for the History of Science might have something to say about this.
I'm actually a member of that society . . .

Oh dear.
Oh dear?

You're in more trouble than you realise.
But matters related to Karl Popper are policed by the British Society for the Philosophy of Science. I'm not in any way affiliated with them.

You don't think the BSHS and BSPS might be in cahoots?
Oh god.

That's right.
My livelihood!

You'll never practice history of science in this country again.
But I have no other skills! What will I do?

Write puppet shows?
But I HATE puppets! I'm only doing this to pay back my debt to the constable.

Who's the constable?
I don't know, it's a Punch and Judy reference. I think. I've never even seen a Punch and Judy show! The others told me.

Who are the others?
I can't say!

Why are you crying?
I don't want to do this anymore.

Please, pull yourself together! This is the last interview you'll ever do!
Good! I don't want to do interviews anymore! I hate interviewers! You're all so mean!

Professor Garyhaus?
Yes?

I'm going to go now. But I want you to know one thing before I leave.
What?

That was an excellent interview.

Karl Popper.

“There is no history of mankind, there are only many histories of all kinds of aspects of human life. And one of these is the history of political power. This is elevated into the history of the world.”

Plato.

“There will be no end to the troubles of states, or of humanity itself, till philosophers become kings in this world, or till those we now call kings and rulers really and truly become philosophers, and political power and philosophy thus come into the same hands.”

The anatomy of a puppet.

Hopefully this should answer most of your puppet anatomy questions. 

Lovely flyers.

We are very excited about our new flyers. They were designed by illustrator Freya Harrison (visit her website, she's very good). The original picture of Isaac was drawn by Naomi Oppenheim, Garyhaus Players' resident puppet specialist. 

Head shots.

The costume department have been working very hard with some frankly rather unruly puppets. The results are, I think, tremendous. Pictured below (from left to right) are Bill Williamson in his Mr Smith costume, Duncan Cottle as the Doctor, and Zac Pinkberry as Mr Rudolph. As Duncan Cottle said to me yesterday, 'When you look this good, who cares if you can't remember your lines?' Although, obviously, I care, quite a bit.

Birthday.

Well, I have exciting news. It would seem that Naomi Oppenheim (our principal puppet designer, maker and handler) is due to have a birthday on the 3rd May. Garyhaus fans will instantly recognise this date as being a mere two days before our first performance at the Brighton Fringe. Fans of British holidays meanwhile will immediately note that there is a bank holiday on the 7th May, two days after our first performance and, crucially, one day after our Sunday performance.

What all this means, of course, is that we simply must celebrate on the 6th May, after our Sunday show. The ideal venue for such a celebration is clearly the Regency Tavern, Brighton, which just so happens to also be the venue for 'I have never cared for sunsets'! Coincidences abound.

With this in mind, all audience members are cordially invited to Naomi's birthday party at the Regency Tavern, due to start promptly at 4.45pm on the 6th May. We hope to see you there.

(We cannot stop people from staying in the pub and NOT celebrating Naomi's birthday. It's not our pub. And since you probably don't know her, that's entirely within reason. However, we hope you will absorb the atmosphere of the evening)

Facebook.

We have an "event" on "Facebook", if you're that way inclined.

A third interview.

Good afternoon.
Yes, hello.

I understand you're quite wary of journalists.
Yes, I've had many problems in the past. However, you appear to have excellent credentials.

Yes I do.
It is my understanding that you are a well respected reporter for a prestigious Brighton publication?

That is correct.
And you refuse to tell me the name of this publication?

That is also correct.
And you will only communicate with me via "thought waves" sent directly into my brain?

Yes, for obvious reasons.
Well, this all seems above board. Shall we begin?

With all due respect, Mr Garyhaus, don't tell me how to do my job. I will let you know when it's time to begin.
Oh, sorry.

Let's begin. Could you tell me what exactly this puppet show is about?
Right, yes, well it's sort of set in a fictional land during an unspecified time period . . .

Clever - so you can't be accused of historical inaccuracies?
Exactly. And also so that we can feature historical figures and scientific ideas that weren't around at the same time.

Why don't you give me some examples of these figures and ideas?
We have the Austrian philosopher of science, Karl Popper. There's also Isaac Newton. Some relativists. Zeno of Elea. Aristotelian theories of motion. Bloodletting. All sorts of things.

Excellent. So you might say you've got it all?
Yes I suppose I might.

I will quote you on that. Now I don't think you actually answered my initial question - what is the show about?
Well you interrupted me.

What?
You asked another question, while I was still answering.

This interview is over.
Oh.

Secret Garden Party.

The Garyhaus Players will be taking I Have Never Cared For Sunsets: A History to this summer's Secret Garden Party festival, 19th to the 22nd of July.

Post-interview thoughts.

That went quite badly.

A second interview.

Hi, lovely to meet you!

Oh I see, another one of these? Great.

Sorry, are you being sarcastic? I think it might be unclear to anybody reading the transcript of this interview that you're being sarcastic.

Oh, so it's an 'interview' now?

Well, yes, what else would it be?

Oh I don't know, maybe a nonsensical conversation with a character who exists only in my head and refuses to discuss anything but his hatred for sunsets?

From my experience, that seems far less likely.

Oh?

Yes, I think interviews are much more common than what you've just described.

I've been hurt before.

Maybe I should go.

Maybe you should.

Goodbye.

Goodbye.

Introducing the characters.

I've been thinking about my performance in the below interview, and I've started to suspect that, while I performed adequately, my interviewer was rather unprofessional, and as a result you really learn very little about the play itself. Since the interview, he's refused to tell me what publication he works for, or whether he himself even exists. This is all very worrying, as you can imagine. I've decided to put the whole experience behind me, hold my head up high, and prepare for a second interview, whenever that may be.

In the meantime, in order to give you some information about the play which my terrible interviewer was unable  to coax out of me, I shall briefly introduce you to all of the characters featuring in 'I Have Never Cared for Sunsets' (in order of appearance).

Man One: A fine fellow. Although, in retrospect, apparently not fine enough to be designated a name. Anyway, I feel he sort of holds the whole thing together.

Man Two: He's there so that Man One has somebody to talk to.

Ruler George: One of many rulers of the fictional land in which our characters reside. This guy read Plato once, but I'm not sure he understood it.

The Doctor: Likes moustaches. Doesn't like wearing trousers. The only Doctor in town, so of some use, as you can imagine.

Mr Rudolph: A gentleman of leisure, prone to substance abuse (particularly when the substance in question is a big fat leech).

Mr Smith: Physics teacher, just trying to keep up with everything. Tricky business, this physics.

Isaac Newton: Precocious child, thinks he knows more about physics than his teachers!

Jimmy: Friend of Isaac's. Not much more than that. Quite good at star jumps, also.

Tennis Player: He's ever so good at tennis.

Colin: The second of our leaders. A free-spirited man of peace, believes that all ideas are equal and should be treated accordingly.

Zeno: Holder of some sort of paradox that has led him to stop believing in motion. I suspect he hasn't really thought this through. Has a bow and arrow, and isn't afraid to use it.

Karl Popper: Austrian philosopher of science. Strongly believes in empirical falsification. But, as usual, takes it too bloody far. To be honest, he's quite evil. It's him that doesn't like sunsets.

Falsification Ministers: Hired muscle. They work for Popper.

Relativist One: A relativist. Rather good at maths.

Relativist Two: A second relativist. Not that bright. If you ask me, Relativist One could probably do without him.

There we are. I hope that helps.

An interview.

What's this 'sunset' play all about then?
Good question. I should begin by making it clear it's not about sunsets.

I was really hoping it would be about sunsets.
You're a sunset fan, I take it?

Not so much a fan, no. In fact, the very opposite. I myself have never cared for sunsets.
That's the name of the play!

A misleading name.
Well, the line 'I have never cared for sunsets' does feature in the play itself. It is spoken by one of the characters.

Really? So there's a fellow in the play who doesn't care for sunsets? Much like how I don't care for sunsets?
Yes.

In that case, I shall buy myself a ticket right now!
Brilliant!

I'm very much looking forward to watching this play about a man who doesn't like sunsets.
Ah, I think I may have accidentally misled you again. That's not really what the play is about. There is a man in it who, at one point, says that he doesn't like sunsets, but it's not fundamental to the play. It's not even fundamental to his character. It's a bit of a throw-away line.

You have lost yourself a customer. Good day, sir.
Good day.

Brighton Fringe show dates.

I Have Never Cared For Sunsets will be appearing on the stage (in the booth?) for the first time at this years Brighton Fringe.

We'll be doing three shows a-weekend through May.
Two each Saturday, and a matinee on the Sundays.

Show dates are: 5th, 6th, 12th, 13th, 19th and 20th.

Tickets available though the Brighton Fringe box office here.