CONFESSIONS of a stage technician.

Diane Prentice, 31, lives in Cardiff with son Kai, three.

She has worked at the Wales Millennium Centre as a stage technician since it opened nearly five years ago.

Q How did you become a stagehand?

A On leaving school aged 16, I was unsure as to what career path I wanted to follow, some friends of mine were doing a performing arts course in Coleg Powys, Newtown. I was painfully shy so hadn't even considered it as an option, until one of them said that you could study the backstage professions instead of performance. I enrolled on the course and thoroughly enjoyed myself. I loved being a part of the magic that created an illusion for the audience, the buzz of hearing the applause on the first night, knowing that the audience had enjoyed the show made any stress during the preparations totally worth it.

Q What are the best and worst things about the job?

A By far the best thing about my job is the variety, one day I might be working on a one man show such as Jimmy Carr or Russell Howard, the next could be a huge musical such as Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or the Sound of Music. The worst things are operating long runs of shows. Large musicals can run for six to eight weeks and having to watch the same show over and over can get a little repetitive. The hours can be very long too, we often work weekends and sometimes overnight, simply to get the show up and running as quickly as possible. It is a very sociable job, so it doesn't feel as if you are missing out too much. The main challenge we face is the timescale being tight, we sometimes have a show turn up at 8am loaded on four or five trucks, and we have to unload them and have everything set up for a performance at 7.30pm the same night. Or we'll finish packing a show up at 3am, and the next show is due to be unloaded at 9am the same morning!

Q What do your day to day duties involve? Is there any such thing as an average day for you?

AI work as part of a resident team of eight technicians, who are supported by a much larger team of casual technicians (stagehands). My role is to welcome the visiting company and help unload the trucks which have carried all the set, lighting, sound equipment and costumes necessary for the production which can vary from one transit van to 15 articulated lorries. Then I will be allocated to a certain department, as lighting is my speciality, it would usually be that. I am then there to assist the touring electricians. We would normally rig the lighting whilst the set and sound are also being rigged, then I would help to focus the lights to ensure each one is pointing in the correct direction in the correct colour and so on.

Q Have you had any real nightmares in the technical realm, or with actors' egos? Has anyone been particularly nice or inspiring?

A My biggest nightmare was being dragged on stage by Jim Davidson in the middle of his act at St David's Hall. He hadn't turned up for a sound check, so it was taking the sound operator a little while to balance the system when he came on stage. Someone from the audience shouted that they couldn't hear, so he pulled me on to the stage, handed me the microphone and told me to 'Sort it out!' Mostly though, the performers are grateful for what we do, and very down to earth.

Q What qualities do you need to carry out your role?

A Good communication skills are key in this role.

Onstage, we work as a team, it simply couldn't happen any other way. During a fit up, we are in constant contact through radios and know exactly what each other is doing. We have to work to tight deadlines in a potentially dangerous environment, as much of the work is at height. A lack of communication could result in someone getting seriously hurt.

Q What advice do you have for anyone who wants to follow in your footsteps?

A My advice to anyone wishing to follow this kind of career, would be to try to get some experience of working in a theatre environment, try dropping a CV into the local theatres as they are always looking for good casual staff to work shifting scenery or operating a follow-spot. You don't necessarily need qualifications, but it helps if you have, because it gives you a good understanding of what everyone's role is and how you fit into that.