…I found myself wondering, as the curtain rose on the opening night of the Playhouse revival of The Seven-Year Itch. The action is set in a New York apartment with a big living room, kitchen area and a small patio on stage-right.

This is the scene for a key part of the action but unfortunately it’s out of sight for a fair number of those sitting on the right-hand side of the auditorium. Luckily we had seats near the middle of row three and could (just) see what happened. But it must have been irritating for those seated further over. The designer’s problem was made worse by the need to use the curtains for scene changes. Presumably the original Broadway production had a much wider stage available, and lacked an apron.

That said, The Seven Year Itch provides a great evening’s entertainment. It is a lighting director’s dream, with flashbacks and imagined events all relying on some very clever effects. So, take a special bow, Malcolm Rippeth.

Fancy a swim for charity?

There’s still time to sign on for this year’s Swimathon at the Godolphin School’s excellent pool on April 14. It’s easy enough, you get together a team of (say) six or eight, open a website with someone like Just Giving, and invite friends to sponsor you.

Just go at your own pace, as slowly or fast as the mood takes you. Because the fundraising is online there’s no embarrassment when contacting possible sponsors, and the money goes to very good causes.

This year we (Salisbury Rotary Club), the Journal and the Godolphin have nominated three local charities: Hope and Homes for Children, Children’s Cancer and Wiltshire Young Carers, and their representatives joined us for last Friday’s photocall. The rules are simple: each team gets 55 minutes in the pool; only one swimmer allowed in a lane at a time; no diving unless you’re certified to do so. And that’s it.

There are trophies for the best teams, and everyone who takes part gets a splendid team photo taken by a Rotary member whose modesty prevents me from naming them. So, if you’ve got some friends who enjoy swimming, please contact Alan Corkill on 01722 333666.

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Readers who submit articles must agree to our terms of use. The content is the sole responsibility of the contributor and is unmoderated. But we will react if anything that breaks the rules comes to our attention. If you wish to complain about this article, contact us here