My next job was playing for Variety at the Coliseum - twice nightly and three times on Saturdays. There was half and hour between the matinee and the first evening show and ten minutes between the two evening performances. By the end of Saturday night you didn't know if you were coming or going. In fact I once sent a deputy as I had another date, a colleague from the LPO and respected member of the profession but quite unused to twice-nightly, especially with long spells of idleness every so often; I am sorry to say he spent so much time refreshing himself that he was not at his best by the second show and I was asked not to send him again. << less