RIDE OF LIFE 1
THE LIVING ROOM  1989
Cabaret Mechanical theatre was approached by Sheffield's Meadowhall shopping centre (mall), to produce an attraction for their food court. Sue Jackson invited all the makers to meet up and we came up with the idea of a theme park style ride called the Ride of Life, which visitors would travel round sitting on a sofa. All the makers and associates would make sets for the sofa to travel through. Gary Alexander took on the role of project manager and Gary, Paul Spooner and I set off for Disneyworld, Florida, to look at about rides. So my first day ever in the US was spent in Disneyworld - – I remember thinking how thoughtful of Disney to provide lots of places for visitors to rest – not knowing the meaning of restroom.

Anyway, we had a great time and returned, not much the wiser, to make it all.

THE LIVING ROOM
I offered to make the living room. This was the departure lounge – where visitors climbed aboard their sofas. I made it in collaboration with Greville White. It was literally a ‘living room’ – everything was alive, moving or dancing. For example, the teapot tipped and poured tea into each of the cups in turn, and the record player danced.

This is a general view of the room which the public filed past to embark on their sofas