The Dream of a Ridiculous Man

Dream Rehearsals and Paradise on Brown Sea Island: 1975

London-Harrow Road-Rehearsals Dream of a Ridiculous Man with Paradise on Brown Sea Island:1975

The Dream of the Ridiculous Man is based on a short story by Fyodor Dostoevsky. The Ridiculous man is on his way to kill himself and has a chance encounter with a young girl which prompts a life-changing vision of paradise. Roderick is our Ridiculous Man and I the young girl. Try as we might, the scene for paradise eluded us all. We are rehearsing at The Factory on the Harrow Rd W9, a day out to Brown Sea Island is planned.

Roderic, Emil, Rowan & Pete. Rehearsals at the Factory

Roderic Emil Rowan & Pete at the Factory, note Wolk Sucks on the wall in Rod’s hand

The rules for that day’s impro are to be nice to each other all day long. Food, alcohol and substances are part of the plan and we all bring our offerings for the feast. I bake a cake, Rod cooks a side of pork, Chris brings avocado pears. Ben brings cream cakes and so on. We even dress up for the occasion. The cream cakes eventually ends up like the classic gag in someones face, mine, but it’s good to get out of London, not sure we found paradise.

Rod and Ben in paradise

Pip and Chris in paradise

Rowen Olly & Emil in Paradise

Chris writes Corruption a rollicking stadium epic about temptation, corruption and damnation. This goes down well, we all love doing it, me and Rowan dress up in fishnets and hi heels, we taunt Roderic whist Olly strangled a cockerel.The cockerel comes in handy for most scenes and travels with us along with the doves, his name is Dave, the doves don’t have names. I have progressed to a clarinet and am doing Tune a Day and Olly the trombone, also doing Tune a Day, we being the beginners are the only ones without musical skills. Roderic is let off because he is the Ridiculous Man apart from that, his singing is worst than mine which takes some doing

Pete Pip and Sheila rehearsing corruption.

Roderic, Ben, Rod, Chris, Olly, Emil, Sheila, Rowan & Pete in paradise at the Factory.

Standing: Roderic Rod Chris Olly & Emil Sitting: Ben Sheila Rowan & Pete finally get paradise in rehearsals at the Factory

This really is an all singing all dancing show full of props and costumes. Everyone has at least 3 changes I was in charge of costumes, Rowan props, Peter Oliver in charge of doves and fowl, Rod and Rod the drivers in charge of the van, Emil in charge of his own wardrobe 5ft stilts and a huge cape. We all have a job to do in prep for the long tour planned for Oct 1975 – May 1976

Dream Rehearsals and Paradise on Brown Sea Island: 1975

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