Blog #4 The stores - aladdin's (and everyone else's) cave

'THE STORES'

Where on earth does all that stuff go after each SPS panto has finished?

Some of the less useful items will be binned; the rest goes to...

'THE STORES !

Each year, at the end of the last show, once the roar of the grease and the smell of the crowd has subsided, an enormous effort is required to stash away all the costumes, props, worsels and wizbits, fluff and nonsense that linger.  For the most part, they end up in the STORES!

Storage of stuff was always a big headache for SPS in the past, but for the past few years we've been lucky enough to have use of the barn at the Montessori school near Grenade.  In return for the storage space, a team of SPS navies have helped to make the barn useable by building and mending bits of the building. 
Although this is my third time at directing SPS panto, I've never actually made it up to the 'STORES'.  So, a few weeks ago, I plucked up the courage and travelled - through blistering blizzards, searing heat, high mountains and low valleys - to reach this cavern of intrigue.  My intention was to help a bit with some sorting of 'stuff'.  I had a vague idea of what I might find, but my expectations of finding treasure were low ...  but COR BLIMEY, there's a lot of stuff in there! And what treasure...It's like a hoarder's heaven!

When you enter the 'STORES', the first thing you see is a huge pile of wood.  Loads and loads of wood.  More wood.  Some bits are recognisable as something; a table and chairs perhaps. Some bits have a hint of their former self.

Anyone recognise this?  Harduppo Hall door from 'Cinderella'!

But we all know that later in the year, that pile of wood will be transformed into something pretty spectacular as usual.  The very accomplished scenery crew do it.  I have always wanted to be able to construct things from wood (and I have tried many times but the results are bad and usually wonky).  I have very limited carpentry skills.  This is not surprising because if I haven't got the right tools handy, I'll use whatever is nearby.  I often knock nails in with a tin of soup or paperweight, maybe a shoe (not very good because I don't have any with proper heels).  I once used a can of beer as a hammer - it exploded and made a lot more work cleaning up than just going to the garage to get the hammer! But enough of that...

To the right of the wood pile area is a smaller 'room'.  This is full with big metal trunks (and a Darlek!).

Darlek guarding the costume store!

In those trunks are several pantos worth of costumes.  Millions of costumes, in fact. Yeah millions!

Fran, Karin and Ann-yi, that brave and incredibly organised trio, have been there for weeks sorting out this 'costume department'. 

Karin takes no prisoners when photographing the costumes.

Although this plucky job had been started a few years ago by previous intrepid panto pioneers, sadly many old costumes have been turned into varmits nests, so had to be chucked out.

The varmits have been!

Now most of the costumes (did I say there are loads of them?) are safely stashed away in rat-proof trunks.  And the painstaking process of cataloging the whole panto wardrobe collection has been completed.  Each item of clothing, each hat, each pair of shoes, belts, gloves, frilly things, have all been photographed, packed away and recorded on a computer spreadsheet. Marvellous.  I say 'respect' to those who have done this mighty task - before and now.

Ooo! Lovely shiny costumes packed in their trunk

I arrived just at the end of the process (shame!) and had a mere glimpse of what lies in those trunks.  Some costumes are from pantos long past and are a bit puzzling!

Who wore this? How? And... why?

Next, it's time to sort out the props!  The first job is to wade through the rat poo and discard anything that's been eaten, nested in or peed upon! It's fascinating opening up all the boxes and bags and finding all sorts of interesting objects...

Treasure indeed!

But what on earth could this be?
A retractable sword of course!

I enjoyed my rummage through the props (apart from the rat poo and pee). It's a bit of a nostalgia trip for me.  I saw things I'd used in some the the pantos I've been in.  I was very excited when I found the giant underpants I made for 'Jack and the Beanstalk'.  I've nabbed them to 'look after' at home (I don't think they'll be used again - even giants don't want second hand underpants). I will be using them as a bedspread of course.  Other props may trigger a memory for others involved in panto.  A couple of skulls - 'Treasure island', 'Peter Pan'...  These are certain to be used again.

'Hamlet' the panto? Nah, too depressing.

That's better!

I'll bet loads of SPS panto people recognise this one:

Top of the props, and the old clock (yes, it's still there)

And I spy some wagon wheels in the background ripe for recycling (yeehaa!).


After all that rummaging a cup of tea was most definitely needed.  And a piece of cake too.

Nice cuppa!

'STORES' selfie

Back to the Darlek - the question is:  'Is is a prop? Is is a costume? (someone did 'wear' it) Or, is is scenery?

Whatever it is, it wasn't much use for EXTERMINATING the vermin.  We love it though.  It may never be used in panto again, but it's a fabulous nostalgia piece from the SPS 25th birthday production of 'Snow White'. 

By the way, I wasn't joking about it guarding the stores.  I swear I saw it twitch as I left the room!