The first play preview night is a week today. Not been back to the rehearsal room for practical reasons, so I’ve been absorbing rehearsal reports from stage manager, Daisy Francis-Bryden, updates from Steve Unwin and messages from the cast/creative team (language/terms are now well bedded in.)

No props originally, there are now mobile phones. Daisy shared a photo of this development; ‘I hope this brings you joy the way it did me.’ [It did.]

And a bus. Discussed in many a rehearsal report. The size, colour, tone, finish. Where it will be on stage. (On the floor, no shelf needed.)

Alfie shared this photo earlier.

Just love.

Last night, Jermyn Street Theatre shared an eight page visual story info document to help people find the theatre, have some idea of the layout and other important stuff.

A document that demonstrates more thought and care than Connor received from many health and social care professionals. In a work meeting earlier, we puzzled over the why (how) of this. Why (how) is this level of thought, sense and attention so often absent, and yet clearly doable in this space? [In a week in which George Julian is reporting the inquests of Marcus Hanlin and Fern Foster, and Dawn Cavanagh and allies organised a #StolenLives protest outside the Senedd, Cardiff.]

Matt Powell, video designer and Holly Kahn, composer and music designer have created a piece of brilliance packed into 75 seconds of film capturing #107DaysOfAction. An intermezzo. I watch it and rewatch it, wondering how this magic is possible, how the hell we pulled it off, and what an extraordinary cast this play draws upon. Literally hundreds of people.

There’s a section about the play with pieces by Saba Salman, Ramandeep Kaur, Steve Unwin, George and me in the latest edition of Byline Times. And other media stuff brewing. Oh, and a book of the script is in preparation. A playtext.

I’m quietly confident it will be a smasher of a play. Setting aside the extraordinary brilliance, commitment and experience of the cast/creative team, I know in practical terms Jermyn Street team thoughtfulness has already helped people. There’s been a shuffling of tickets and attendance behind the scenes. Becca has her (funeral) clipboard back out to organise a bus from Oxford and a large chunk of those in the play will be in the audience on that opening night.

It is really quite something.