Backstage Tour of the Abbey.
I chose to take a backstage tour of the Abbey when I saw it advertised on its website and considered it as a great opportunity to have a better time travel experience to revisit a curiosity about the venue dormant in me all this time. When I was young, millions of years ago, going to the theatre was for the privileged. For 1970s kids at least. These things are in social cycles over history others would argue. The last time I was at the Abbey was 43 years to the day, so I booked it for the same date as the visit in 1980 when I was brought on a school event to see a play. I wanted to line up the date then and now and explore what I was going to feel on this occasion about the experience to the Abbey. I was right in my silent expectation in that it has something special about it. The tour guide Darragh is a Supreme Master of the ceremony. He greeted everyone arriving for the tour, instantly made us all feel welcome as the group was of mixed nationality. His knowledge and style of talking and taking us through the tour was first class. His patience and courtesy to all was impeccable. There would not be enough time to answer all the questions we had but he had certainly triggered much for us to want us to learn more. He covered history, politics, technical details of stage work, showed us the actual structure back stage , explained the work involved in setting up a stage production, acoustics, props, portraits , play performances, famous people, all telescoped into an excellent tour. He is first class professional tour guide and wish to thank him for making my visit as special as it was on December 2nd 1980, 43 years previously. He is surely an agent and Lord of time travel if he can succeed in doing what I had hoped to experience on my visit which I had specially planned in advance.