For weeks during our first lockdown, I held on to the fact that we would be touring our show Sharing Joy to care homes. We'd fundraised, we were all ready to go. And then, like everything else, the pandemic scuppered it. And yet my determined, stubborn streak wouldn't take no for an answer; we needed to make this tour happen -  now more than ever. The idea came to me the day before going on holiday...what I need is a ridiculously experienced clown, a total idiot, who's already toured Sharing Joy and so understands the depth of engagement and empathy needed but who can also play, play hard...Sean Kempton, of course! One of our Cirque de Soleil performers who's not touring in Texas with Cirque for once.

"Sean, it's Rachael, do you think me and you could pilot a show to perform outside care home windows? I'm away for 10 days…let's speak when I get back about ideas, I want it to be a riot."

The ideas kept me awake at night throughout my holiday (or was that my uncomfortable bed in our new campervan?) and the conversations on my return made me and Sean giggle, like really giggle, and often ask, "Would that be going too far?" We settled with, well let's try it and find out; that's what pilots are for.

And so Love Through Double Glazing began.

The show features three recognisable characters who residents would expect to see in their care home: an armchair fitness enthusiast, a chef, and a window cleaner (all played by Sean, out of mask, each a wild, anarchic clown), and I play Florence, a feisty 81 year old, who rules the roost and plays havoc with each clown that dares to step on her territory.

The show starts with a striptease, followed by a panto-esque  slosh scene hurling eggs and flying flour, smearing food over the windows, then drawing messages of love and hearts on the glass in front of audience’s faces, and an explosive water fight with buckets and a fountain hosepipe to finish. Oh, and there’s a performing dog in a tutu, played by Emerging Artist, Norah the dog.

On our first pilot rehearsal performance we had feedback from an incredible care home manager who said, "Make it more naughty, it's what they want." And so we did. In fact, every show has become more and more outrageous. And the wilder we get...the more joyous and unlocked the staff and residents seem to become.

We will do six pilot shows in total. This week we had staff come out at the end in utter shock, saying, "I can't believe how much the staff needed that let alone the residents." Two carers even ran outside during the show and started dancing behind us, like a couple of streakers on a football pitch (unlike Sean, they kept their clothes on).

We hadn't accounted for windows on higher floors where audiences were looking down on the chaos: at the end of another show, they asked for the cake (that I'd shoved in Sean's face), which was lying decimated on the floor. Sean passed it up to the first floor window on a broom, and when received, they started ripping it up and pelting it at us. Wonderful, limitless fun was unleashed. It's as if this stupidly potty performance releases ten months of fear, anxiety, misery and BOREDOM. I'd like a PHD student to come out and study it, because something quite profound is happening and I can’t quite get my head around it.

So, Sean and I have just come off the phone, discussing how can we engage more with people on the higher floors. Next week we will take them water pistols to fire at the window cleaner the moment Florence sprays the hosepipe, and rounds of bread to throw at the chef the moment the cake smashes into his face. And we will be guided by our audience's feedback, which is brilliantly honest.

With this pilot under our belt, Sean and I will learn from our mistakes, remodel, reshape and tour this show again next year…and fundraise to make a tour happen [donate here if you’d like to]. And we WILL make it happen!

Thank you so much to all the care homes who have helped us develop the show so far, your feedback and support has been instrumental. Here’s a taster of what people have been saying…Love Rachael x

From Rushwick Nursing Home
“He is a cheeky young man, but if I  were younger he would not know what had hit him.” Sheila, 86

“I can’t believe it, I feel alive again.” Walter, 84

“I wish Bob was with me to share so much fun.” Mary, 96

From a Senior Carer at Arden House:
"The guys loved the dog, it was very funny and we were laughing out loud, cleaning the windows after covering them in cream was very clever and passers-by and neighbours were intrigued and they said it was great to see something happy and joyful going on for care homes"

From residents at Hastings:
"I laughed so much I ache."
Alice 94

“I’m all laughed out, that was so good!”
Audrey 89

"I’ve not seen my residents laugh like that in a long time."
April, Activity Co-ordinator

From the Activity Co-ordinator at Regents Care Home:
“Vamos Theatre are the tonic the nation needs in these difficult times- they should be prescribed on the NHS. Vamos thank you for making our hearts happy and memories to last. Thank Norah the dog for making hearts beat a little gladder. Thank you for your warmth, empathy and love that you gave out freely to our residents as you chatted with them. We are so blessed to know the Vamos family and it is a friendship that grows ever stronger each time we have the pleasure of meeting."