The end is in sight
-
Simon Harper
Deputy Project Manager - 23 March 2006
Progress at the Courtyard is now faster than ever as more and more of the buildings final finishes are applied. Each day sees another transformation as rooms are painted, doors hung and carpets laid. As the building phase nears an end the works to turn our temporary home into a working theatre begin. The installation of lighting and sound systems as well as the construction of the stage and the fixing of the seating will begin within the next few weeks.
This is traditionally the most risky point of any major building project. There are lots of people all trying to finish their bit of the building but who need someone else to finish their bit first, it only takes one contractor to miss a deadline and it can delay many others.
To avoid this we have regular co-ordination meetings with upwards of twenty people shut in a meeting room for as long as it takes for everyone to agree on the issues of the day. Order is maintained by our Project Managers who have to be both Rottweiler and Sheepdog during the course of the meeting.
As our occupation of the building gets nearer more and more RSC staff are involved and I am starting to feel the shift from building site to theatre take place. This is comforting and scary, nice to be surrounded by colleagues taking on more and more responsibility, but also a daily reminder that our opening night in July is drawing ever closer...