A to Z

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A

Abus 

Brand of padlocks Bedlam uses. Typically, the corresponding keys should only come in two sizes, however a load exist on the TM keys to which there don't appear to be any locks. Each padlock should have a number on it, so if you take the padlock to a locksmith, you should be able to get more padlocks/keys that are the same lock.

Actors 

The biggest disaster area in any production. Just think mobile biological props that run windows. Also see Bastards

Adam House 

A building on Chamber’s Street where Edinburgh University students matriculate. There is also a 106ish seater auditorium in the basement. EUTC has done shows there in the past and through the year several departmental drama groups will do shows there and need crew. Go and ask for a look around cos it’s quite interesting. Tech equipment is very limited. Through the fringe it is run as C venue and they turn the large rooms into auditoriums and have a large bar. Obviously you will be drinking in Bedlam so it shouldn’t matter.

AGM 

Annual General Meeting. Usually really bloody long. Committee reports are given, new committee is elected, a certain amount of shows are proposed, and loads of talk happens about the constitution. Bring a pen, a book and a bottle of booze.

AJ 

Standing for adjustable an AJ is a type of spanner which has a spiral cog which allows you to change the size of the spanner. Less hassle to carry around than a selection of spanners but not quite as easy to use, the reduction in weight normally decides the matter.

Archivist 

A non-voting committee member. S/he is responsible for collecting all the P&P of each show, taking pictures of builds/dress runs/after-show drunken bashes, etc. Some archivists do this better than others. Regardless of whether or not it's the archivist, keep in mind that it's useful to have someone around to photograph builds as, not only is it helpful, but it's good fun to show slideshows to impressionable young freshers of all the amazing things that get built in Bedlam. If you have a useful archivist, s/he may be after copies of set plans once shows finish. Try to promote this as it's really helpful to stage managers in later years who may be looking to do something similar. There is a show archive database held by FoB at www.bedlamites.co.uk

Argument 

see AGM

Art 

What the EUTC is technically all about to promote. “Art holds up a mirror to the universe” but since the universe is infinite, there is no mirror large enough therefore art is crap.

Avalon Stage Armoury 

8 Scone Gardens, Edinburgh. 0131 661 1123. Run by Alan Jeffreys. Make sure to phone before you go there because chances are he’ll not be in. Make sure anything borrowed gets returned on time, in a decent state and people pay promptly. He’s reasonably cheap and the only place around that hires stage armoury out.

Auditorium 

The Bedlam one holds 90 red seats. The seats are depreciated over 5 years so should be up for replacement in 2006. The rostra are depreciated over 10 years so were up for replacement in 1999.

B

Banners 

We have two, one is a large rectangle which people can use for mainterms and one is a large fat cat which is used during the fringe. The mainterm one gets repainted often and gets painted in gloss, often mainterms get to the tech before they think about it so it’s useful to have gloss black in stock for when they think about it. The banners are tied to the eyelets on the front of the building and when the fat cat gets put up the head needs to be tied to the stonework which requires climbing skills.

Barrett, Mr David 

He is incharge of the Electrical department of Estates and Buildings. His phone number is 0131 650 2484. We should get him to organise any electrical installations we get.

Bastards 

See Directors

Bedlam Red (gloss) 

This is the colour that FoH woodwork is painted. It can be bought from Ian Russell and is called rioja red.

Bins 

There are bins all over the place with black liners in. They are never emptied unless you, the FoH Manager or the Duty Manager tell someone to do it….and people rarely remember to put liners in. The large bin outside the side entrance gets emptied on a Monday Morning and the lid was replaced after the old one snapped off in 2001. The fact that it now locks means that local companies don’t dump so much stuff in (Although they do leave stuff beside it) but it does lead to piles of bin bags around it because no one comes and asks for the key. Watch out about overloading it, the bin men can be quite nasty and if the Business Manager gets an earful then your next cheque may take some time to come through. I filled it with scrap metal one day and almost broke the truck which they didn’t appreciate. The key to the large outide bin in the back is the green plastic thing on the Duty Manager's keys, TM keys, and others. The key to the FoH bins is the metal tab thing on the FoH manager's keys.

Bin Bags 

Readily available to company members in the cleaning cupboard, it’s amazing that some long standing members have to ask you where they are.

Black Light 

"Scotland's lighting company" The tech manager will normally deal with them more than you will. A useful source of gaffa and flamcheck. They are located on West Harbour road and really helpful. They charge for delivery so make friends with someone who has a car to take you down. 0131 551 2337 (ask Richard Hogg)

Black Techie 

A tech initiation drink and tastes nicer than you might think. Ingredients:

• Ingrediants:
  1. Pint 80/-
  2. Vodka & Coke, no ice or lemon
• Method:
  1. Drink from pint of 80/- down to just below the bulge in the glass
  2. Add Vodka & Coke
  3. Turn maglite to switch it on.
  4. Take lit maglite and, in order of tech superiority, stir drink
  5. Last to stir must suck the residue from the maglite.
  6. Senior Technician then recites an appropriate blessing
  7. All technicians must then down three fingers.
  8. Drinking continues until finished.
  9. Redo from 1.

The other positive thing is that your maglite will taste nice for the next couple of days. It also proves that maglites work underwater and gives a pleasing lighting effect (Especially as you will be drunk before you try this).

Blackwood, Alan 

EUSA Buildings Manager. Not Owen Quinn.

Bleach 

Buy it in big 5l bottles, great for cleaning the toilets and for pouring over the backstage exit when someone has forgotten to lock is and it’s been pissed on. Also works as a weed killer.

Blue Meanie 

The Edinburgh term for Parking Attendant, they’re the nasty people who fine you if you park in the wrong place. See parking for how to get away with parking at Bedlam. They live on Chamber’s Street so never park here illegally because it’s the first and last place they check. They also have offices on Garden Terrace so watch out if you park here.

Bobby's 

See Greyfriar’s Bobby’s Bar

Bolts 

Really useful for holding things together but you can never find a matching set. Encourage people to attach nuts and washers to them when they add them to the collection.

Braces, Stage 

These are long pieces of wood which are used to hold flats up. They consist of a piece of 2x1 about three feet long with a metal foot at one end, which you can put stage weights (See Stage Weights) on top of, and a metal prong called a bull’s horn (Cos it looks like one) at the other. The bull’s horn goes through an eyelet (See Eyelets) attached to the flat in a complicated twisting manoeuvre and then the flat can be held vertical without needing a member of stage crew to perform a human cleat. Some braces have half hinges, instead of bull's horns, which allows them to be attached to the back of flats with screws rather than eyelets. Just make sure the half hinges are well-attached to the brace itself.

Broom, Alastair 

Part Techie, Part Author (of the 1991 revision of this manual). Complete saint and has been known to be witty on occasion.

Buildings Agreement 

There is an agreement between EUSA and the university which gives us this fine theatre. It basically reads that the University will keep us weather tight and legal and cannot shift us unless they can provide an alternative venue equivalent in location, amenities, space and access. They want to shift us but haven’t got anywhere to put us. There is also a buildings agreement between EUSA and the EUTC which has since been lost by both parties, if anyone ever finds out what it said there are lots of people who would be interested to know.

Business Manager 

The person who is responsible for all financial matters within EUTC. All major (Over £100) Must be approved by:

1. The Business Manager
2. EUSA Permanent Secretary Graham Boyak

C

Cable 

Mains cable is best bought from Blacklight. Fancy cable can be bought from Farnell (See Farnell) or from Maplin (See Maplin)

Cafe 

The useable area is: (detail). The floor was last sanded and re-varnished for fringe 2001 as were the tables in 2004. The stools were repainted and reupholstered in 2003. There must always be a fire escape measuring at least 1.2m wide between the doors. This often interferes with the aesthetic placement of seats and chairs but since feng shui is not appreciated by the fire officer be gentle with the poor misguided souls. The café can be used for all sorts of mood creating measures but make sure you know what’s going on so you can stop anything stupid. If people want to put up banners make sure they are sensibly flame proofed due to the number of people smoking. If you want to clean the floor properly, you can borrow a big scary floor buffer from Bobby's (see Bobby's).

Cappadocia 

A Turkish take-away located on the stage right side of the Bedlam triangle selling burgers, pizza and kebabs. They are open to 3am most mornings and later on Fridays and Saturdays making them the latest opening take away around.

Carpet 

Ok, there are lots of carpets around and they were replaced in: Accountant's Office 1999, Side Entrance fringe 2001, Auditorium 1998, Dressing room 2000. Carpet is stored on the balcony under the floor of the workshop area which can be accessed by moving the steps which lead down to the scaff store. The carpet in the dressing room is guaranteed for five years against most of the stuff that happens to it but you have try to clean it with the stuff they provided first which has since been lost. The paperwork can be found in the Theatre Manager’s drawer in the guarantees section. The carpet in the side entrance is tiles so that when too much paint is spilled on them you can just replace the affected tiles.

Ceilidhs 

Fun and joy! Go, go dance like a crazy person! See Teannaich

Central Fish and Chip Shop 

Located on the back of the Bedlam Triangle it is the techie take away of choice, serving pizza, pasta, burgers, potatoes as well as chip stuff.

Cigarettes 

Look in the show section for "Smoking on stage" guidelines. It's amazing how many times you have to tell people not to smoke in the auditorium.

Cigars 

For when pissed and dressed up (Or end of fringe). See Cigarettes

Cloths (or material) 

Usually bought from Edinburgh Fabric Store, South Clerk Street. If part of a set, flamcheck!!

Construction 

This tends to be a bit of a nightmare and any major undertakings should be vetoed in the Theatre Manager’s Questionnaire stage. You need to keep an eye on people doing it because it’s amazing the number of actors who will try and use power tools without knowing anything about what they’re doing. Construction should not happen in FoH areas without the permission of the Theatre Manager and the FoH Manager. Café furniture should not be used in construction because it gets damaged. Allowing construction in the Office is not sensible because it makes a mess and the president rarely tidies.

Cooker, kitchen 

Buggered. Front left ring never turns off completely so you must switch off the cooker at the switch on the wall. Otherwise the ring will get hotter and hotter (see Fire).

Costume Cupboard 

The personal and private domain of the Wardrobe Manager. Production teams should not be given free access because they make a big mess and then the Wardrobe Manager (rightly) complains. Just lock it and they can ask because using it is a privilege not a right. Props kept in here.

Counter, Box Office 

Thing the Box Office computer sits on. The drawer should be filled with money bags and pens by the FoH Manager. It is now attached securely to the floor. A strip of wood on the front can be pulled off to reveal fluoros.

D

Degree 

1. Unit of temperature, normally low in the auditorium and too high in the office, just right in the cafe.
2. Level of education, normally gained at University. Technically this is what you’re here for, try not to forget although don’t neglect the building.

Desk, Office 

We have 2 working desks! Woot!

Detergent 

Buy it in big 5L containers.

Directors 

These people need watching, most problem sets are not due to SMs but directors demanding them and not knowing how to build them. They will give you more problems than any group of people but are useful for cleaning the toilets at work ins, but check up on them because they tend to miss bits. They are also some of the worst offenders for smoking where they shouldn't.

Disabled Access 

The only disabled access to the theatre is through the side entrance. This classes as only limited access as people can’t use it when a show is on. Make sure box office staff know to tell them to turn up 20 mins before the performance so they’re not left sitting in the rain.

Disabled Legislation 

By 2003 all public buildings must have full disabled access. We should build a ramp into the main doors.

Disabled Seats 

The two seats on the front row stage left are easily removes, you just have to remove the four coach bolts and they lift out in a block. It’s a lot easier than the old practice of having to take two seats apart. You just have to make sure that the box office staff reduce the number of seats available for the performance. Always make sure you know about any disabled people who book themselves in, most will because they do recognise that we have to make special provision.

Disabled Toilets 

We really need to have these so we can go in the fringe programme as having disabled facilities. The legislation sets a minimum door width, the doors must open outwards and you need to be able to open them from the outside.

Doorbell 

The doorbell on the side entrance is attached to an old fire alarm which makes it loud enough to be heard anywhere in the building. It can be changed to a quiet buzzer mode which is easier for people to ignore and they often look offended when you ask them to answer the door. It can be turned off for shows at the switch in the tech box. Details of the wiring can be found in the appendix.

E

EDC 

Edinburgh District Council. 200 2000. For Trade Waste, Licensing, Listed Building stuff.

EIF 

Edinburgh International Festival. Runs at a similar time to the Fringe but tends to be big events like opera and concerts. Finishes with the Firework concert which is held in Prince’s Street Gardens and rivals the Hogmanay display.

Electrical work 

You can normally get away with minor stuff like changing light bulbs. We’re definitely not allowed to do mains wiring which is why there are a few interesting cable runs in which look like real sockets but the cable runs to a plug which gets put into a wall socket (much confusion when someone unplugs it).

Electrical Mishaps 

Try not to have any. Hope the fuses blow and the PCBs work. It is possible to survive a 415V 100A shock but the odds are against you so try and be safe.

Electrical Rating 

Explanation. Bedlam is supplied with a full supply of three phases (Red, blue and yellow) each at 100A, 240V. You shouldn’t need to know much more.

Electricity Bills ; A man comes around every so often and checks the meter and we get billed monthly. The annual bill is around £2500.

Entertainments Manager 

The person who keeps you happy, organises bonding sessions and stuff. They’re normally an actor type who doesn’t understand how the building works and that everything gets decided in the pub after committee meetings. If they don’t get to the pub then they don’t know what they’re doing. Their big job through the year is to organise the ball, but sometimes fail to understand that what your average techie wants is food followed by a celeidh with lots of booze in the middle. And some sort of tech supremacy game doesn’t go amiss.

Estates and Buildings 

The department of the University that is responsible for keeping Bedlam upright and weather tight. You will probably be on the phone to them every other week getting stuff fixed. They try to be helpful but you need to get put through to the right department…. We had a problem with the boiler in the kitchen and they sent us a plumber when what it needed was an electrician and the plumber said all the pipes were fine and went away again and I had to call again to get an electrician out. (See Works Department)

EUSA 

Edinburgh University Students Association is the union for Edinburgh University students. They monitor our finances and make sure we’re not being stupid with our use of the building. At the end of the year they take care of any under/over spend so often there is a spending spree just before they empty our coffers. They are also responsible to the University for maintenance to the building, they quite often get left out when you deal directly with the University so try and let them know what’s happening (See Quinn, Mr Owen).

Exterior Floods 

We have one Sunflood (500W) lamp above the door and two 1K floods on the roof. The 1k floods were replaced for fringe 2001 because one of the old ones had had the glass break and then a pigeon decided to make it into a nest and was electrocuted. They can be turned on using the exterior floods breaker and the exterior floods switch in the fuse cupboard. You need to turn them both on. Gelling them looks nice but they burn through very quickly.

Eyelets 

Normally in short supply these are a metal loop attached to a screw. They get lost and people always come to you for them so it is worth keeping a few spares. The best place to find them is in the back of flats (See Flats).

F

Farnell 

Electrical and Electronic component supply company. We have a small (£10000) account with them. The catalogue gets delivered periodically so make sure you get it before it gets binned. Our account number is on the catalouge and you will need it when ordering. If you order before 3pm it should arrive the next day.

Filling Cabinets 

We have four, one in the Accountant's office and two in the main office in which anyone important has a drawer. The Theatre Manager’s drawer is useful for keeping stuff in that you think you’ll need, I normally kept a 4D Maglite, Gaffa, eyelets and proplus there. The accountant, the Business Manager and the President are the only people with keys to the cabinet in the accountant’s office. Currently the fourth cabinet is in the side entrance lobby till someone tells me where they want it. The Accountant’s cabinet was new after the old one was trashed when we were broken into fringe 2001.

Fire 

It's bad.

Fire Alarm 

It's crap. The only sounder is in the dressing room because we can’t have a sounder in a public place and there is a flashing red light in the auditorium which is the reason we have indoor hall keepers. There are four break glass points which should be checked and logged weekly. The box sometimes shows fault and needs reset. The University wants us to get a new one but has done nothing about it as yet.

Fire Exits 

By Law we must have at least two fire exits from the auditorium which must be suitably illuminated by maintained lighting and at least 1.2m wide. We cannot have anyone or thing obstructing these exits. The ones we use are the exit to Forest Road and the one through the toilet corridor, the route through the café is dodgy due the loose nature of the furniture but it is still good practice to keep it clear. We've been told by EUSA that the door leading out of the dressing room stage left onto Forrest Road should be a fire exit, and thus must be kept un-padlocked while people are in the building. However, the door still opens inwards and it doesn't have a fire exit sign, so we're simply waiting on EUSA to fix this grumble.

Fire Extinguishers 

We have eight:

• Six water
  1. Auditorium stage Right
  2. Auditorium stage Left
  3. Cafe
  4. Toilet Corridor
  5. Backstage stairs
  6. Stage Left Balcony
• And two CO2 Extinguishers
  1. Beside the fuse cupboard
  2. On the outer wall of the tech box

They are checked and refilled frequently by the University people, make sure and report to the University fire inspectors if they are discharged and make a note in the fire alarm book.

Fireloading 

Fire Inspector speak for 'a big pile of shit.' Because a big pile of shit will burn more easily than, say, nothing.

First Aid 

There should be a registered first aider on duty when the building is open to the public. It is worth looking into for the Fringe as you’ll have the same staff all month. Legally there should be a first aider around whenever construction is being carried out. First aid training can be arranged from the St Andrew’s Ambulance for about £10 so it might be worth organising a session, especially for the committee because that way you would have one on duty when the building is open.

First Aid Boxes 

First aid boxes can be found in the office, the box office and the café. Blue plasters can normally be found in the kitchen. The first aid boxes need to be monitored to keep their contents up to date, each box has a list of what it should contain on the box. You’ll find that people use up all the plasters without telling you and then complain when they can’t find any.

Flats 

The most useful size is 8'x4'and Bedlam normally owns several of these. They are held upright using braces (See Braces, Stage), eyelets (See Eyelets) and stage weights (See Stage Weights). These can normally be found in the cupboard, back stage right.

Flat Store 

The Flat Store was built in 2000 and holds all our flats sensibly. It is as yet unfinished but still works. Make sure an shows that use flats replace them sensibly because all it takes is for a couple to be shoved in at a funny angle and you’ll have people dumping them on the balcony because the store is “Full”.

Flooding 

Do not- I repeat - NOT replace the cover on the drainpipe outside the back fire exit. It causes flooding, and water runs straight down into the foundations, causing the building to collapse even faster than it will already.

Floor Boards 

Most of ours are pretty manky especially the ones under the stage. They are faff to replace and quite expensive.

Foyer Lights ; The Lights in the foyer run off a 12V supply which also feeds the doorbell. The supply is located in the tech box. They are turned on at the switch in the box office and have a tendency to blow.

Fresher’s Week 

This is when we try and sell EUTC to lots of sweet innocent things straight from high school. Try and keep the building reasonably tidy and concentrate on going out drinking, don’t let them rope you into organising anything. It is a good idea to try and make a decent first impression. There are normally shows happening and they tend to have no budget and ask for lots of favours, try and make them good because good shows attract members.

Fringe 

So much work and yet so much fun. The Fringe TM has so much to do to get the building and will appreciate any help you can give them. Don’t get talked into doing fringe shows because it eats your life for not a lot of benefit. See lots of shows, socialise and drink lots. The pubs tend to be open later (Bobbys till 3 and Igloo till 5) so make the most of it.

Fringe Venue Manager 

This is the person responsible for running the building during the fringe. It is normally a job taken by people who have experience of producing and little experience of production. They advertise the building in the run up to the Fringe, chose the shows, appoint the staff and are technically in charge for the fringe. Remember that if your name is on the License when the shit hits the fan you make the decisions and can kick Fringe butt.

Fringe Safe 

An excellent book containing all the information you need to stay safe and legal, definitely worth a read even if you’re not doing the Fringe. Can be obtained from the Fringe Society Office on the High Street, although the Venue Manager (See Fringe Administrator) should be sent a copy. Every Fringe company used to be sent a copy but now only the venue managers get one.

Front of House Manager 

This person looks after the FoH areas including kitchen, they make sure the café and cleaning cupboard are kept stocked and that things get cleaned. They also arrange staffing but since producers are notoriously unable to make staff turn up (And their excuse is that they got them to sign up so them not turning up is not their problem). They tend to do their own maintenance if you prod them so that you don’t have to.

Furniture 

This breaks down into two sections.

1. Bedlam furniture which is stuff which is used in the everyday life of the theatre so café stools, tables and the contents of the office. None of this should appear on stage.
2. Set furniture which is mainly kept on the balcony. None of this should appear in the café or office.

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