May is a very busy time of year in Brighton. It’s as if the city suddenly springs to life. I believe it is to do with a number of things not least of which is the change in the weather. No even though there are 2 bank holidays the main reason Brighton is buzzing in May is because the city holds one of the best festivals anywhere in the country (or anywhere but I am biased).

The festival makes use of the buildings and theatres around the city and many of Brighton’s finest artists open their houses to exhibit their work to the general public every weekend.

So invariably May was going to be a busy Month (in fact it still is as I write this). Having had a week at functions earlier this year I volunteered myself to help out on the Fringe. I got sent to help out a production at The Old Courthouse (opposite the Pavilion) and got thrown in at the deep end to help with the sound and lights. This involved cueing up music, running a power point and changing the lights to the cues on time. I found this task very stressful at first but soon (after a few mistakes) managed to get my head around it. The play was a series of monologues about characters from Brighton’s past. Bearing in mind my apprenticeship I found this fascinating as it really brought to life some of the characters that helped make Brighton what it is today.

I have also been helping contractors up in the voids behind the ceiling domes in the Pavilion. I love it up there it really gives you a different perspective on the Pavilion and how it is constructed. Just as I think I have seen everything there is to see here someone shows me something I have never seen before. For instance when I was showing a water testing company around they showed me a whole new room I didn’t know existed! It turned out to be an old blue bathroom that was put in for the Queens visit to the Pavilion (or that’s what I heard anyway).

Zak