We've had a staff photographer in rehearsals. I thought you would appreciate a sneak peek behind the scenes. This also serves as proof that I do actually work for a living.

Me ... thinking

Me ... directing

Diane ... choreographing

Actors ... acting

Me ... directing with Actors ... acting

Having reached the end of the second week of rehearsals, we have run the show in its entirety and so are bracing ourselves for a week of technical rehearsals on set and on stage starting on Monday. Then, after Christmas, the show opens for real ...

Meanwhile, we had a press call today. Some of the cast were taken off into the woods in Dublin to be photographed. This shot is my favourite of those I was shown, and has made me laugh out loud twice. I think it sums up the show quite well, depicting, as it does, a Hansel and Grettel you may not have been expecting ...

And so it begins. Week one of rehearsals are underway for my musical of "Hansel & Grettel" and all would appear to be going well.

It has been an enjoyable week down in Dun Laoghaire (go on, pronounce that, I dare you) in Dublin with a cast of actors all of whom are relatively new to me.

I think most directors, producers or writers would admit to indulging in a spot of nepotism every now and then. I certainly have a group of actors that I first approach when a project comes along - and a quick glance through past production shots from my shows, or a brief listen to some of the soundtrack recordings, makes it very clear that there is a particular set of performers who enjoy working with me whenever possible. For this latest production, however, I was unable to secure my usual troupe. Various complications with availability and suitability have meant that this year I find myself working with a bunch of fairly new faces and am therefore bereft of the shorthand one develops with regular colleagues or the confidence that comes from having a system of working with which people are familiar.

Two of the cast worked with me earlier this year on "The Little Mermaid" - but that's a non-speaking show, and "Hansel & Grettel" is all singing and dancing. The rest of the cast come from the audition process - an incredibly innacurate and unreliable way of finding suitable performers. Thankfully, the show seems to be coming together, despite my frustration at having to explain everything in full at all times (when a nod and a wink is suffice to someone who knows how I do things). This, however, is the only way to increase the size of the pool of performers on which I regularly draw, so this period of apprenticeship will, I suspect, have long-term benefts.

Living down in Dublin during the week is also affording me some well-needed head space. Pity about the long drive twice a week, but that comes with the territory. There's no rehearsal room gossip as of yet, though we have spent much of the week laughing till we cried. I always like to encourage a fun working environment (too many professionals forget that theatre isn't brain surgery) and this cast are well up for that. We have a fire alarm in the building which, bizarrely, appears to go off every time the word 'duck' is mentioned in the script. It's sense of comic timing is the envy of everyone in the room.

So more news upon my return next week-end. Ticket sales are going well. I haven't checked the figures this week, but a few weeks ago we had shifted well over 20,000.