2009 anyone?

I think most clubs tend to give some preference to their loyal members who want to direct, whether they are committee members or not. And I think that it is completely fair for them to do so. If you only want to do one season a year, then you should be able to have a reasonable expectation that your club will let you have that season, if you are proposing to do a suitable play. But it is also true that most clubs have a limited number of Directors - most of their active members tend to prefer being on stage rather in front of it - so sometimes those Directors need a rest. And that is when people like me come in handy. I'm currently a member of six clubs, but I'm loyal to none of them exclusively. I consider myself to be a gypsy - I'll go to any club in the Metropolitan area who wants me. I love going to a club that's new to me, seeing how it works, who's around, what facilities they've got. Plus, one season a year, which is all any club will give any Director, is never enough for me. I took 10 years off for no good reason, so I've got a lot of time to make up for since I made my geriatric comeback a few years ago, and a lot of plays to do. So, in answer to your question Walter Whinge, yes, it is healthy - just so long as they have a space for an old duck like me too!