Welcome Back

Something light to begin. I've just come back from London where I saw two very different shows. If you get a chance to go to the National Theatre to see 'The Pitmen Painters' grab it. A very funny and serious look at art and how it can help a person grow in ways not immediately obvious. We see it here in Fuengirola in the use of drama and theatre in helping young people (and some of us older ones too) learn a little more about ourselves and the world around us. If that sounds too serious it isn't meant to be because that is what a good play or film or even TV show does after it has entertained us and this play really was very entertaining.
Our other show was very different - 'Hairspray' - at the Shaftesbury Theatre. For both shows we bought our tickets in the hut in Leicester Square (useful tip) and for 'Hairspray' we got them at half price, although when we got there the theatre was very full. So from 'Hairspray' I thought we could cheer ourselves up with a song we used in panto a couple of years ago. Although I was in the lineup then I couldn't honestly say we did it better !!


September Committee so to start the serious stuff a report on our first meeting. We are looking for a progress report on the special cleaning of the dressing rooms. We offered at the end of last season to pay for an 'industrial' clean of the dressing rooms which were showing the effects of a busy season. This is to include replacing the floor covering which was way past its sell by date with a special rubberised one recommended by John Pyne, the resident Stage Manager. We are also paying for a new extractor system to cope with the cigarette smoke on the stairwell.

I like, and I think the rest of the Board like, the idea that we can point to specific improvements we can make to the theatre as well as the financial contribution FOTA has made in the past year which is now 25,000 euros. Without that contribution we might not be looking at the season ahead with, well - anything at all. Everyone who joins in with FOTA activities is helping keep the theatre going. Apparent successful shows often bring with them enormous costs in terms of royalties and charges.

Lunches Our first social event of the new year is a lunch at Ku Damm on the port in Fuengirola on October 1st. Whilst it is not my favourite restaurant I know a lot of you like it so I hope we can get the programme off to a good start.
Following that we have plans for Casa Dori on November 5th and El Brujo for the Christmas Lunch on December 17th.

Trips:

Our first trip of the season is to be to SELWO park on October 22nd. This very popular tourist attraction is just outside Estepona and we will stop at Puerto Banus on the way back to shop till our wallets are empty (won't take me long!). The trip will include our usual stop for coffee and tostado and will include lunch. Full details will be available shortly at the desk.

Now a Bribe

Help will be needed during the run of 'Cabaret' when we will have a raffle for our funds. So far these raffles have been pretty successful but we are sure we can do better. Help selling the tickets could add considerably as last season lots of people were never approached to buy a ticket. if you can do anything then please contact David Radford who is at the theatre most days and always on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday.
Here's the bribe. The great Liza herself (I saw her at Puerto Banus last year - wow!)