The Hills are Alive...

Sound of Music at Coldspot

You will all have remembered that this weekend our first Musical Something took place in the new Theatre Garden and are probably dying to find out how it went.

Well, it was a resounding success; the hills came alive just as anticipated. A group of twenty-two random members of the general public congregated in the top hall with the Musical Someone and his friend Mme la Choreographe. They shared an interest in music, but that was all. Language was not shared – some only spoke French, others only English; some were short and some were tall; some were young and some were older; some were thin and others definitely were not. However, after two days of intensive song and dance practice, they put on a very respectable performance for the mustered audience of parents, friends and neighbours. It was impossible to learn the whole two and a half hours of the Sound of Music in two days so this was the abridged version, including that famous song: Mes Joies Quotidiennes (My Favourite Things) Forget raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens, the French, it seems, go for long moustaches, wet hair and large vanilla slices. I can’t help wondering what the Germans or the Spanish might have selected – Black Forest gateaux and rattling maracas?

‘Doe a Deer’ proved untranslatable, fortunately, and the English contingent rebelled at the idea of ‘The Hills are Alive’ in anything but the original version. So the result was a good mixture of the French and English, just like the performers.
Le Comte and I were unfortunately unable to take part in the spectacle as we were the designated Catering Corp providing nourishing dinners for the players. Princess 2 had a minor role as part of the choir and a major role as waitress. Princess 1 cleaned up the kitchen and is consequently one of my favourite daughters.
The randomly assembled members of the public left Coldspot on a high note having become, over two nights, a theatre troupe.
‘It was great to work with Andrew and Solene (the Musical Someone & Mme la Choreographe),’ drawled Larry Stein, a Francophile American who had responded to our publicity and come all the way from Bordeaux with his wife, especially for the event. ‘They really managed to get the best out of each of us.’
But Larry had particular reason to be cheerful – when the Steins drove out of the Coldspot gates on Monday morning, as well as memories of a great weekend, they took with them a large tub of le Comte’s legendary rice pudding. After the singing it was this dessert that earned the most compliments.
To follow up on the success of the weekend le Comte and I have scheduled a planning meeting with the Musical Somebody with a view to holding further events of this kind including, possibly, ‘Learn a Show’ holidays at Chateau Coldspot. These would be intensive, all-inclusive coaching weeks ending with a grand finale/performance. They should be fun – watch this space.

The sunshine has arrived and Chateau Coldspot is starting to fill up. The Happy Holidaymakers are climbing into their cars and onto their motorbikes and heading south. We have beds made up ready for them. The temperature of the agricultural basin is up to 24°C so they won’t freeze if they fall in. This is five degrees warmer than the Chateau lounge. A cardigan is essential attire in the Coldspot salon all year round and consequently I have one to embellish every outfit. I am wearing my current favourite - a green-spotted one - as I write.

End note: Apparently Prince Arsenal was in London again recently staying with les Crouch End Vegetariens. On Thursday he attended a conference for Young Entrepreneurs in the City and on Friday he slept until half past three in the afternoon – much to the surprise of Madame la Vegetarienne, who didn’t realise anyone could.