Inside the Tent

Today the lighting is being installed in the Spiegeltent in preparation for the arrival of the performers, tomorrow.

Getting the Spiegeltent to this point has involved a whole parallel organisation to the main Festival over the last few months: including for example, negotiating use of the site, getting the necessary permissions, converting a derelict builders merchant's shop into acceptable dressing rooms and green room and organising volunteers to provide accommodation for performers and crew.

Last night the Fire Brigade visited to inspect the site. That was the point two years ago where I finally relaxed about the event. After weeks of dealing with officialdom which was, at best, nervous about the whole thing, the sight of the Kirkwall Fire Brigade marching onto site in full uniform to see what we were up to was not comforting. However, as soon as they walked in and saw the Deco splendour of the tent, the reaction was 'this is great, where can we get tickets'.

To be clear the Festival, or rather its upstart offspring 'Magfest', hires the Spiegeltent as a venue only. The shows are completely seperate and put together specially for us. ' Moulin Rouge' is one of a number of tents belonging to Klessens, a Belgian company who take them all over the world: you may have enjoyed a Highland Park in 'Moulin Rouge' at the Edinburgh Book Festival. To find out more about their tents see http://www.spiegeltent.com/en_home.aspx