So off we went for a site visit to Castlefield, the narrowboat that’ll be the venue for our performance, It’s owned by the Bridgewater Heritage Boat Company who operate from Worsley, so a whole new section of the Bridgewater Canal for two of us and a whole new experience – crusing on a narrowboat – for two of us. Inevitable then we were a bit excited.
Worsley itself is a magnificent testament to the age of canals – with a grand sweeping pedestrian bridge over the canal with gorgeously neat sets and curved dressed stone at the bridge’s entrance.
In between measuring up the performance space and discussing the script we managed to ooh and ahh at the extraordinary Barton Swing Aquaduct whose mechanism is such it can swing while holding the canal water in it, and enjoy the stacked cream tea (at lunch time) that comes with the trip.
My advice: don’t have breakfast. They’re extraordinarily generous.Two and a quarter hours later, we’re full of possibilities for what the performance can deliver, scones and a wonderment for canal travel.