Manchester

We're on a train from Manchester, drifting rather aimlessly through Northamptonshire. We've been holding auditions for the NYMT all day at Cheetham's school of music and are all completely knackered. We've just discussed the young people we'd like to recall, and argued bitterly over some of them. We're only allowed to recall an actor for a maximum of two out of the three shows NYMT are producing this year. It's surprising how this process usually works itself out without any issues, but every so often, someone's photo will crop up which everyone instantly stakes their claim to... Passionately!

We saw some genuinely lovely kids today. One lad brought his cornet in to play, and damned near broke my heart. I felt rather embarrassed to be watching him with tears pouring down my cheeks, but the sound he made was simply devastating; imbued with the most extraordinary sadness.

We worked hard, however. Virgin Trains deposited us in Manchester a full hour late, and from then on it was audition after audition for a seven hour stretch. We worked through lunch without so much as a cup of tea.

I was on the music panel today, and heard sixty songs back to back including four Green Finch and Linnet Birds, three As Long As He Needs Me and two On My Owns.

Onwards and upwards...

What will tomorrow bring, I wonder?