I have been reading weblogs for a few weeks now and so I thought I would start one myself.

I considered using Userland Radio but decided instead that I would prefer to host the content on my own site. I came across Blosxom but decided instead of using the Perl version that I would build a compatible version in C#.

The page you are viewing now is the result of that experiment. Once I have tidied up the code I will post on this site. I use Aggie as a aggregator of RSS feeds and it accepts this feed as a valid RSS feed so it looks like I am in business. As the RSS representation of the page is simply an XML serialization of an object I use to represent the articles in the web log it is very easy for me to alter the RSS feed for different RSS specifications. I think at the moment it is a RSS 0.91 feed.

First I better introduce myself. My name is Martin Spedding and I created the BaselPanto.org web site. This year I will be appearing in the pantomime, "Robinson Crusoe", as the Dame "Mother Melodia". I first acted in a pantomime in 1998 when I played one of the henchmen of the Sheriff of Nottingham in "Robin Hood". It was very important year for me as I met my wife Claire, who was also acting in the pantomime. Naturally playing the Dame is a much larger part and requires me to be on stage for much of the performance. It also requires me to dress up as a woman----which will certainly be a new experience for me.

I thought I would start posting a web diary (Weblog), where I could give you some insight into all the work that goes into producing the pantomime. We started back in September and have been rehearsing every Tuesday and Thursday. My goal is to update this diary after each of the rehearsal. I may even post some pictures so you get an idea of how much effort we all have to put in to get the show on the road.
After many weeks of rehearsals being able to read our parts from the script, we have finally reached the point where we acted the whole of act 1 without the safety net of the script. I was quite nervous as I have a lot of lines and it I was scared of forgetting my lines and putting off the other actors. It was also a difficult rehearsal because it clashed with the FC Basel vs Liverpool game, which meant that many of the principal actors were missing. This made it quite difficult, as some people had to read more than one role. I think it went quite well even though naturally we sometimes forgot our lines or upstage each other. On Thursday we will run through act 1 again but this time with the music as well.

Angela Robinson the director is always coming up with new ideas how we can play a certain scene and refining the costumes we will be wearing, which means there is no chance to get bored, even when you have read through the script hundreds of times.

The next rehearsal is on Thursday and I hope we can nail act 1 as it will reduce the stress that all of us are feeling and I am sure it will make Angela's life much easier.

I almost forgot last night Angela appeared on RadioX's English show promoting the pantomime, so remember get your tickets fast, as we expect to sell out.