Feeling dirty

We're driving along the country lanes from a little village outside Thaxted where we've been taking part in the annual Thaxted Tennis Club quiz.

As Nathan puts it, we're feeling a little dirty. We were announced runaway winners of the quiz but our entire team got the distinct impression that we'd been over-marked by exactly ten points. The score we thought we ought to have received would have placed us third. The prize was a bottle of wine each, which made us feel even more guilty. Our only consolation was that we didn't win a single raffle prize, and there were about 100 of them, so the goodies were spread out equally amongst those attending.

It's been quite a hectic day, which started with a morning of composing and led on to a production meeting for Brass at Sara's house with Matt Flint and our designer, Erik Rehl, who, purely by chance also designed the first professional musical I ever wrote; Letter To A Daughter with Sir Arnold Wesker. Erik hasn't changed a bit in the 15 or so years since we last saw one another. I know this to be true because there are two large photos on my wall from the time. The one taken at the top of Arthur's Seat is one of my favourite pictures ever.

Matt had dug up a load of film clips of soldiers performing the Swedish Drill, which was a rather crazy exercise regime which all of the Pals battalions did to get fit quickly. It's a rather curious blend of military marching and ballet and yoga moves, which, if we put into Brass, I'm not sure anyone would believe!