as remembered

Jenny Hector

arriving on Sundays
a desolate Errol and Queensberry street
venue key checked and re checked
the front door is heavy
race to punch the security code
the red light turns off
the red light is off- a producer is in the building playing catch up after hours

hit the light switch conveniently (not) located outside the room
the main hall lights hum and warm slowly getting brighter
previously three baubled chandeliers decorated and helped to light the room
the rosettes now empty

the brass hand handles turn and lift the rod latches to the main hall
bifold doors mark the opposite or laneway side of the room and slap in the breeze
they require a special pull to ensure they’re closed
two small double doors at the base of the hall stage store long things that end up being forgotten
a curved door leads to the small steps onto the stage
off the stage large double wooden doors open to the lane onto Errol street, but are never used

the mouse door in the arch door leads from the laneway into the basement
an open door in the bowels of the basement reveals a dusty storage, fondly called asbestos alley
concrete steps lead down and past a bright yellow hydraulic goods lift and then out a door into the supper room
enter and exit doors swing in to and out of the kitchen

take the lift, it lands and the doors wait a too long beat
a glass door opens to a balcony for lunch
an ajar door hides a red baroque couch
a cupboard with a door for modesty allowed for changes of clothes and sneaky naps
climbing to the clocktower an anonymous heritage brown door lets you in the roof cavity above the studios
automatic button press doors open towards the warehouse and the post office veranda

hook your foot under the laneway gate to hold its weight and allow enough slack on the chain to unlock the padlock
one side swings under its weight, the other needs help to open

in the back lane Tonka patrolled, meowing for pats
Newman! was and still is any postie parked blocking access for too heavy road cases
a portable spit roast trailer parked and cooked lunch for the annual association of train drivers
the rubbish bins a constant, only their layout and type changing

mind your head on the way down to the supper room
roll big circle tables into position, surrounding them with chairs
each week day set aside for a different community group
homemade food and laughter interrupted rehearsals above
another door leads back up and out to the laneway

a fine metal ladder with rungs too small takes you to the main hall balcony
you head butt the hatch to open
there is carpet on the floor
a small reset brass ring lifts the hatch

huge wooden A-frame ladders now replaced with rolling yellow fibreglass ones complete with platforms
new floor beams meant a lifter
a hand worn wooden ladder replaced by aluminium, caged and harnessed
words warning of the possibility of a fall at the hole you climb through
old red winches click on the way up, flick the brake up off the teeth to wind them down
stage bar heights denoted by shackles slowly making their way to the pulleys
the bars stopping slightly short of helpful
three chandeliers stored, hang from the wooden rail

mind your head
a wooden ladder or possibly steps rise to the roof cavity
chipboard lines the floor and two by four fences you from the delicate roof below
morning energy, you jump the angled beams that mar the path
by evening you lumber over them
hand winches are now motorised
moveable bars are now shiny tri truss
communicating by yelling through the holes in the roof replaced with two-way radios
Errol St, Laneway, Stage and Balcony remain the spatial references between the crew in the roof and on the floor
the tin roof and 40 degree days made more bearable
return to ground level, the roof work lights glow through the rosettes and chain block holes
back to the roof you go

where is the ute?
a constant pathway to and from Meatmarket and Warehouse swapping and sharing gear

every year the roof gets vacuumed
the cable traps cleaned of tape, glitter, drinks and dry vomit
the technical gear brought out of the previously domesticated rooms into the main hall
lights hung in neat rows
tables in lines with gear arranged in like minded sets
tested and tagged, cleaned and repaired
drapes neatly refolded
the basement reorganised, storage maximised
stage floor mopped and freshly painted stage black

slowly the hall is emptied and readied
a relaxed crew, no pressure from a waiting audience

Image Credit: Jenny Hector
Image Description: Four large, dusty light fixtures are lying on a wooden floor.