I was thinking about the Red Riding Hood script now available and how it is very different to the first Crazy Fox 'Red Riding Hood' script written many years ago. In that first script, I wrote the character of the 'Wolf' as a werewolf-like character 'Wulfgar' lurking in an underground hideaway with his hareem of forest sprites, ready to add Red Riding Hood to his collection. 

'Looking less villainous and more cheeky backstage!'

(Today in the updated script*, I've changed the villain, to more of an irascible real wolf, light-fingered, sharp tongued with a penchant for hoodies and a determination to get his hands on a vast sum of money and escape to exotic climes!)

However, back to that original script and a Stage Show where I was directing and collaborating hand in hand with a tirelessly hard working and creative Producer, Evelyn Wales. In order to create the sinister and atmospheric scenes for 'Wulfgar's lair we invested in hiring a state of the art mist machine...well why not?

The visual effect was stunning as the curtain rose at the beginning of the scene. The mist machine hidden beneath 'Wulfgar's throne rolled out mist which shimmered in the evocative lighting, crawled like spectral fingers across the floor and tumbled like a waterfall over the front of the stage.It was breathtaking and we could hear the audience gasp in amazement from our dark and cramped positions backstage. This special 'mist' was designed to quickly evaporate in the heat of the Theatre and disappear from sight within seconds of us turning off the machine. It was wonderful! We were so proud of it! 

 However, pride comes before a fall! One night's Show didn't quite go according to plan. We turned on the machine, curtains opened and the mist began to roll out across the floor of the stage in ever increasing waves of thickening milky mist slowly becoming a dense fog as Evelyn and I struggled backstage with the controls of the machine unable to switch it off and make it stop!

Not only did the actors disappear in the murky dense clouds but the fog continued to rush over the front of the stage and slowly fill the auditorium. Frantically we struggled to no avail! We decided as we couldn't stop the mist machine making more and more mist that the only option was to remove the whole machine.

Slowly, groping around in a fog filled darkness, we dragged the offending item from under the throne, behind the scenes, feeling our way to the side stage door where fumbling to find the door knob, we managed to open it and launch the still fog-making machine outside onto the car-park where it continued for some while to create foggy weather outside while Evelyn and I, exhausted but laughing uncontrollably, held each other up against the wall gasping for fresh air! Back in the Theatre with the mist now clearing the cast took a bow to much laughter and applause and the Show went on! A strong cup of tea fortified the Director and Producer!

Phew! Never again!

This was one of many crazy backstage stories I could tell- maybe I will tell more one day but I'll never forget the fun that Evelyn and I shared. Evelyn has moved to Scotland where she is still involved with the local Theatre- our loss is their gain- and it is to remember those past fun times that the new updated Red Riding Hood script* is available until June 2017 in our half price offer! Here's to the fun and definitely no mist machine!