Things have changed drastically since the beginning of the pandemic. Most aspects of our lives are very different now and we are all learning to adapt. The arts and culture sector are no different, in fact they are facing big challenges in order to reopen and get people back into their spaces and engaging again. Personally, I have found not all changes have been bad.
Chippenham Museum, our local, opened its doors to the public again just a few weeks ago. Like all buildings, they have had to think about the visitor experience and how to keep their staff and visitors safe in the current climate. One of the new measures they have put in place is that you need to book in advance and every visit is a private viewing of the museum. Whilst this means you can’t just walk along the high street and think you might just pop in and see the latest exhibition, it does mean you get the museum to yourself. I thought this sounded quite exciting – so obviously, I had to check it out!
I had been contacted by the museum to see if I would help them out with a vlog. Of course, I said yes (I will share it with you when it’s online) and I booked a slot to take Things 1 and 2 back to the museum. We have been lots of times in the past but never had the place to ourselves.
It was great! My worry when I visit anywhere is the impact we will have on other people’s experience. Thing 1 and Thing 2 do not find it easy to stay still and whilst they aren’t always shouting, they are by no means quiet. I did not have to worry about this at all while we were on this visit. We had a good look around the museum and I could talk to The Things about what they were looking at. As always, they enjoyed anything interactive. They love pushing buttons, colouring in and trying on costumes. Thing 1 and Thing 2 could move around the museum at their own pace and engage with whatever they wanted. It was great fun.
I have always enjoyed visiting Chippenham Museum, mainly because most of their exhibits are behind glass. This means The Things can look and not touch anything. There is one section which is just roped off, so of course, Things 1 and 2 were in there, under the barrier in a flash before I could stop them. At least we didn’t have an audience as I coaxed them back out.
Like so many people, I am trying to find some positives in amongst the mess that has been 2020. A private view at the museum is definitely one of them.
It’s been a long few months with little to entertain or distract us. When I saw Music for Miniatures had started to plan some outdoor, socially distanced performances I kept a close eye on their schedule and hoped they would be performing near us. When Bubble Bach was advertised at a park I could get to I made sure it went straight in the diary.
I haven’t written a blog for months. I started my blog as a way of sharing arts and culture with my children, because I couldn’t access it the way I used to and I missed it.
I have had some great adventures with Thing 1 and Thing 2. I had been really enjoying writing the blog and sharing opportunities for parents to access the things I love and enjoy with their children.
Then the pandemic happened. It still feels a bit unreal and like we are living in a disaster film. The whole world stopped. All the things I was just starting to enjoy again stopped. Like many other people, I also lost work.
For the first few weeks I managed to stay positive about everything. I was watching stage shows online, The Things and I were enjoying live streams and regular classes and it felt quite innovative. I quite enjoyed it all and it filled the gap, but that gap has got bigger.
Even as things start to get back to ‘normal’ there is still no news on when indoor live performances can happen again at full capacity. I have been thinking for weeks that if theatres can just open for their pantomime then they will just scrape through. Then last week we had the announcements that pantomimes are being cancelled all over the country.
All in all it’s been hard to write about anything. I like to try and be positive with my blog but I haven’t been feeling very positive.
There is however, some light at the end of the tunnel. I have just this week booked an outdoor performance at The Pound. I see that our friends at Rock the Tots have started to do some socially distanced performances and the brilliant Music For Miniatures also has a programme of outdoor performances. Museums and galleries are also opening and we have visited our local museum in Chippenham this week. Each booking is a private viewing of the museum so it was great having the place to ourselves.
The gaping hole in my life is never going to be completely filled until I can go to the theatre but I need to get back out there (socially distanced of course) and support what is happening and hope I can get to the theatre soon.
How are you all doing? Hope you are staying safe and well!
I have actually lost track of the days or weeks we have now been practicing social distancing. I barely leave our home as it’s not easy trying to explain to toddlers why they shouldn’t be touching gates or running up to people when you are out in public. I know I am not alone in finding lockdown a challenge. I have never been one to stay at home when there are new places to explore and new things to learn. Thing 1 and Thing 2 are certainly easier to handle when they have had a good run, or they are experiencing something new.
I never thought the day would come that I felt like I had had too much screen time. Not that I get much time to watch TV these days but when I do, I love relaxing in front of the telly. I really enjoy saving a whole series and watching each episode within a week (gone are the times I could binge watch in a day). But I have had enough of receiving everything on my TV. It took me a good week to figure out the best way to access a Facebook live event, to find the best app to watch things on YouTube and to sign up to all of the new websites that are showing theatre recordings. But I am getting fed up of my life being all about screens. We watch theatre using a screen, attend live gigs using a screen, access our weekly music group using a screen and catch up with friends and family using a screen. I miss people. The Things miss people.
More than ever I am aware that I enjoy going to the theatre, museums, galleries and events because of the people. I love going to the theatre. I love the time before a show starts. Just being in the foyer when people arrive, collecting tickets, buying drinks and snacks and just the general excitement you can feel. Nothing beats it. Part of live theatre and live events is being there, experiencing it in person and sharing it with others. There have been some amazing pieces of theatre made available online and there is more to come (Andrew Lloyd Webbers Love Never Dies is available this weekend). I watched Phantom of the Opera on my iPad at the weekend as Things 1 and 2 weren’t interested and they aren’t at an age where I can sit in another room. Even on a small screen it brought a tear to my eye. But my overwhelming feeling was, I want to be there!
We are all safe and well at home and lucky to have a garden and some sun to pass the time. Social Distancing is necessary at the moment and I am still amazed at the amount of theatre you can now access online; at the events and classes you can now access in your own home. But I cannot wait to get out and be a part of the world of arts and culture again.
I am going to be 40 next month (I can’t quite believe I just admitted that!). In my secondary school we had a few computers and IT consisted of two or three of us huddled around the computer drawing things. I didn’t send my first email until I was at university and didn’t type my first essay until my second year at university. My old house mates will remember that I typed my whole dissertation using just two fingers! However, like most people, technology has crept into my life. Nowadays I live in a house with smart phones, laptops, e-readers, smart TVs and tablets. I have learnt how things work as technology has developed, I can get most things to do, what I need them to do and I can even type properly now. I thought I was doing pretty well until social distancing was introduced and now all of a sudden everything in my life is being delivered electronically and it turns out, I don’t really have a clue how anything works!
I am in total awe of the creative people and organisations out there who, in such a short amount of time, have managed to get activities, performances, classes and entertainment online. There is everything from live streamed performances to Facebook live interactive classes, to creative activity ideas you can do at home. I am totally overwhelmed and feel like I should be making the best of these opportunities but time and my lack of experience with technology is letting me down. I can see friends planning their days to make the most of what is on offer when I am still struggling with running a home, getting work done and looking after Thing 1 and Thing 2. I have less time to myself to get things organised now that we are all social distancing and I don’t have as much help with childcare. To anyone else feeling like me, hi, I see you. I have no idea how anyone is working from home AND home schooling. You are my heroes!
I am trying though. Firstly, this week I have managed to get things working on our TV. We have a smart TV in our living room, and I assumed that would mean you could browse the internet on it. I was wrong. It’s all to do with apps and I couldn’t find an app that let me browse the internet and watch videos, live or recorded. I spent a lot of time last week getting frustrated and ended up using my laptop (and throwing remote controls across the room in frustration). Luckily Things 1 and 2 didn’t seem to mind and we did manage to get some things working. Now that I have worked out that I can use the Xbox (which I couldn’t even turn on until last week) to browse the internet I feel like I am getting there. This week we have managed to take part in a pre-recorded Magical Music and Movement class, watched a live Rock the Tots gig and enjoy The Eggs Christmas show; Snow Mouse – all from the TV in the front room. I even managed to watch The National Theatre’s One Man, Two Governors on YouTube.
I am getting there, and The Things have been brilliant. Their world has been turned upside down and they don’t understand why. They keep asking after friends and family and wanting to go to the park and all I can do is distract them. Both Magical Music and Movement and Rock the Tots have been brilliant. I am aware that there are so many other options for pre-school music out there but for Thing 1 and Thing 2, familiarity seems to be the key. They recognise the faces on screen, and they respond to the usual routine. We’ve been able to join in with both of these activities straight away. Anything new has not caught their imagination yet but I will keep trying.
Yesterday we sat down together to watch Snow Mouse, which The Egg are letting people view for free. I was really unsure how Things 1 and 2 would respond to theatre on the TV but they really enjoyed this. We sat cuddled up under the blanket watching the performance unfold. Thing 1 did get up and move about a bit after 15 minutes, but that was fine. There are more distractions in our front room than in an auditorium and if you have read any of my blogs you will know that The Things like to enjoy performances while they stand up. By the end of Snow Mouse, they were both on their feet but standing in front of the TV watching the performance. The show really made them laugh and they gave a big clap at the end.
I have wanted to see One Man, Two Governors for ages. I missed my chance when it was in London and even missed the recent cinema screenings, so what a treat to be able to watch it during this strange time. I really enjoyed the performance. Great cast and very funny, especially the audience interaction. I did find myself thinking it must have been so good to have actually been in the audience.
I miss live theatre and going to our regular classes. I miss experiencing it with other people. I miss being a part of something. But for now, this is how life needs to be. A huge well done to the creative people who have taken this on as a challenge and made sure that arts and culture can still be a part of our lives.
If you read my very first blog, you will know that when I was pregnant my biggest fear was never getting to see any decent theatre again. It was a genuine fear of having to watch TV adaptations on stage in an auditorium full of children. I started the blog to find my way back to the world of arts, culture and theatre and to find a way of enjoying it with Things 1 and Thing 2. Over the past year I have been pleasantly surprised that with a bit of searching there are plenty of things I can enjoy with my children. While I still love a night at the theatre with Daddy or my friends, I have found some wonderful activities that myself and The Things can enjoy.
Fast forward a year and now we all find ourselves in this bleak state where we are observing social distancing and staying away from crowds. That means no theatre, cinemas, museums, galleries, events or festivals. Whilst I completely understand why this has to happen, it is still my worst nightmare. Like so many other people we have had regular classes and performances we had purchased tickets for cancelled, and we have no idea when we are going to be able to get out and enjoy arts and culture again.
We are still at the beginning of this process and being realistic, it could be months before I see the inside of a theatre again. So, how am I going to survive? And how am I going to keep two energetic toddlers occupied in the confines of our own house? Firstly, I am going to have to learn how to work technology. We have lots, I know it can do stuff, I just don’t know how to make it. We have a smart TV and an Xbox attached to that TV, but I still haven’t figured out how to access the internet on my TV. So far, we have just been using my little laptop to watch things online.
I feel a bit overwhelmed by the online options available to me and Things 1 and 2 now. I take my hat of the many creative people who are keeping us going through this time by live streaming events, creating their own YouTube channels or making performances available online. It’s just that there are so many, and I need to get the tech working so I can sort out some kind of new daily routine in our house.
We have already managed a live streamed gig with the brilliant Rock the Tots. They are going to be live streaming every Thursday morning at 11am. Its free with an option to make a donation. We have also signed up to http://www.magicalmusiconline.com which has been created by Jean, who runs our regular music class. She is offering a seven-day free trial.
Both of these have been great because they are familiar to Things 1 and 2. They concentrated for the whole of the Rock the Tots gig, playing instruments and dancing along. I know they recognised Steph and Craig and kept pointing at the logo and saying ‘Rock the Tots’. They sat through half an hour of music videos with Magical Music and Movement and joined in with the actions. They enjoyed seeing a familiar face singing to them.
Once I have got the big TV situation sorted, I am hoping to watch a recording of The Snow Mouse which The Egg in Bath have made available online. I am also aware of the numerous musicals I can now access and hopefully we can watch The Wind in the Willows at some point to.
Live streaming and watching recorded performances aren’t the same as being in a live theatre but right now it is all we have. This is the only way to get my theatre fix and keep everyone safe.
I first visited The Palace Theatre, Westcliff as a child to see Button Moon. I believe I went a few times. But I really fell in love with the place when I was 15 and spent my school work experience at the theatre. It was still a producing house then and I just loved being in the building. I loved every moment I spent there and couldn’t wait to go back. I was lucky enough to be part of the promotion team for the summer season in 2000 and worked in the building for four years as Southend Theatres Community and Education Manager. I am still proud of being a part of the buildings centenary celebrations and remain a member of The Palace Theatre Club.
I’ve been writing this blog for almost a year now. We’ve been exploring arts and cultural activities far and wide but I find very little of it happens in our home town. So, when I saw a festival on our doorstep I knew we had to go. Not just to make the most of a cultural activity so close to home but also to show our support with the hope that more will follow.
It’s been a wet, cold, grey few weeks and this weekend was no different. Thing 1 and Thing 2 have had enough of being stuck inside and they’ve been showing this through their behaviour. We have definitely had more temper tantrums than usual. I have also been missing the sun and the opportunity to get out of the house. So, on Saturday, in the cold, wet, grey weather we headed into the High Street for Fringe Feb. I wasn’t too sure if there was much that I could engage with while entertaining two toddlers but it was better than being inside.
I had a friend join us to help out and we started with a bit of performance art in the form of The Department of Complaints. It turned out this was the best place to start as we had a good giggle complaining about the weather while The Things enjoyed collecting stickers. It was a great start to our experience that only got better.
Next we headed in to the High Street. Things 1 and 2 had ditched their pushchair by this point and it was lucky I had an extra pair of hands to help with two toddlers on reins as well as the pushchair. We walked past a dance school who were setting up but The Things were impatient so we moved on. We came across some yarn bombing at the Butter Cross. The Things were exploring the patterns and textures when the music for the dance school began. It was like the Pied Piper had called and they walked straight towards the sound. They were motionless the whole time the children and young people were dancing. They seemed fascinated and gave them a big clap at the end.
We headed from here to the museum. It’s one of our favourite places anyway but I knew there was also an activity inside. After letting Thing 1 and Thing 2 explore their favourite places we found Call of the Page who were sat behind an old typewriter scribing letters. So The Things wrote and sent their first letter. I hope my Mum was surprised to find a typed letter in her letter box a few days later. I took a photo of the letter as a lasting memory.
So, let’s talk about the mess and dirt that comes with arts and crafts at home…
I used to be a very neat, tidy, clean person. So much so, that at university my house mates nicknamed me Monica! I have been known to spend days cleaning my house and never used to go to bed without arranging my sofa cushions. Then ten years ago I got a cat. My cat is mainly white and her hair gets everywhere. I rescued her and she doesn’t like going outside so she uses a litter tray which is smelly and dirty. On top of that she loves to chuck up. I remember when she first came to live with me, I used to vacuum every day, even the bed! But that soon stopped. Then of course I had twins and now I find I tidy up all day and the house is still a mess.
Most parents will tell you their house is not clean and to ignore the mess. I hate to look behind any furniture in my house. I suspect I am growing penicillin somewhere. But none of this compares to the mess and the dirt created by toddlers doing arts and crafts at home.
Last weekend most of the UK was hit by a storm. Daddy had pre-warned me and we had already decided we weren’t going to leave the house. Before children this would have involved a pj day and a chance to watch a film or two. Now it’s a mission to entertain two energetic toddlers. Thing 1 and Thing 2 are full of energy and need constant activities so I thought it would be a good idea to plan a couple of arty activities during the day.
In the morning we tried making pasta and cereal hoop necklaces. I gave myself a pat on the back for finding an activity that created very little mess and gave The Things an opportunity to improve their new found threading skills. They were very good at threading but ate most of the cereal so we didn’t end up with a finished product. Never mind. Better that than cereal all over the front room. I was finding dried pasta for days after, but thankfully it’s easy to clean up.
In the afternoon I decided to be brave and get the paints out. I tried to be really prepared and I set everything up in the kitchen thinking Thing 1 and Thing 2 could do the least damage in there. I covered the floor, I covered the table and I have long sleeved aprons for Thing 1 and Thing 2. Within about 30 seconds l realised I had no cover for myself but quickly found my plastic apron that I used to wear when l had time to bake.
Almost instantly I could see how much damage The Things could do with paint, paint brushes and sponges. The paint was all over The Things pretty quickly and their little paint splattered hands found the kitchen cupboards, the washing machine and the dishwasher…. and I was frantically running around trying to wipe it all off.
Things 1 and 2 played with the paints for about half an hour. During that half an hour I went between panic that paint would be everywhere and telling myself off because I need to give them space to be creative without a neurotic mother hang around them panicking every time they step away from the paint.
I do my best to try not to worry about mess and dirt. I know that Thing 1 and Thing 2 learn through play and exploring. They don’t care about mess and dirt. They like to have fun and enjoy activities and I try my best to go along with it. If me from ten years ago could see this she would have a meltdown but I just need to keep thinking about what is right for The Things. I am looking forward to the weather getting warmer so I can at least move the messy activities outside.
* I wrote this in January. I promise I do know it’s February now
I have been slow with my blog in 2020. It’s January and we have been busy but haven’t made it along to as many cultural activities as I would like. There are many reasons for this; money (it is January!), time and finding the motivation to get myself organised (again, it is January!). So, when I saw the opportunity to live stream an orchestral concert aimed at early years, I thought I had better get myself organised and make sure we tuned in.
NYMAZ is a youth music development charity and they teamed up with Orchestras Live and The Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment to live stream The Apple Tree. I have been involved in live streaming concerts in schools and venues but have to confess that the tech stuff has never been up to me. We have a smart TV in our front room so in my head I thought it would all be fine to use that. Of course, I was wrong. Luckily, I had a practice run a couple of hours before the streaming and just couldn’t get my TV to do what I wanted it to do. So, as a backup I tried my laptop. It worked. I was worried however that Thing 1 and Thing 2 wouldn’t pay as much attention to the laptop as they would the TV, but it was all I had so it was going to have to do.
I popped the laptop on the sofa and made sure we were ready for the beginning of the concert. I managed to link up to the live stream and the sound was all fine. That was all my tech stuff over, time to enjoy the concert.
Auntie P was helping out so the four of us sat to watch the concert. For the first 15 minutes Things 1 and 2 were hooked. They stood in front of the laptop and took it all in. After those 15 minutes they started to get distracted by all of their toys. I couldn’t help but think that wouldn’t have happened if we had been at the venue. Although being at any venue brings its own stresses with two toddlers and watching from the comfort of your own home is nice.
I was worried that The Things had lost interest, but I think they were just enjoying the concert in their own way. We kept the streaming going while they played as Auntie P and myself were enjoying it and Thing 1 and Thing 2 were obviously listening as they would come back to it. They enjoyed all of the music and at times were playing along with our own instruments and having a little dance. They also enjoyed the storytelling. They were only two in October and I sometimes think I am expecting too much from them in terms of concentration. That’s what made this live streaming so good for us. The Things could enjoy the concert in their own way. They watched, they listened, they danced and played instruments, but they could also have a little play when their minds started to wander.
I can’t get out to as many activities as I would like. We have so much going on in our lives what with The Things regular activities and work, that there isn’t always the time. I am also conscious of how young Things 1 and 2 are and as well as their short attention span just getting out of the house with all the stuff we need is a task. Watching a live stream is never the same as being in a venue. You miss out on the atmosphere and the feeling of enjoying something with lots of other people but there are also some plus points. I can change a nappy in the middle of it, Thing 1 and Thing 2 can dance around or go and play, and we haven’t had to leave the house with a bag full of everything we need for the day. Plus you still get the feeling of a live event.
I would definitely tune in to a live stream again.
The Greatest Showmum 