This leadership course I did a couple of weeks ago suggested that teams pass through phases when they're working together. I think there were four stages in total. I can only remember three - but these suit my purpose so that's ok.

The first they called "storming" (bear in mind the course trainers were from army backgrounds). This was described as the ropey first phase when the team is getting to know each other, getting used to respective foibles / failings and performing in a consequently shambolic way.

This is followed by "norming". At which point everyone has kind of got used to rubbing along together and are starting to settle into the habit of working alongside each other.

And the final (maybe) prime phase: "performing". Well as it sounds, this is the optimum phase. Everyone understands how to work together to best effect and does astonishingly well as a consequence.

So I'm comparing this to the process of directing a show. And I'm not quite sure what phase we're in at the moment. The actors are all listening to me with touching patience (it's early days) and indeed, looking at me with a kind of childlike optimistic faith that it will all turn alright.

Now I know this will not last. Distrust will start shoving tender faith out of the way in a couple of weeks. Books down time and they'll realise that actually, they have to strut about and do this in real life in front of real people rather than just me delightedly enjoying their every little eyebrow raise. And I expect them to sing too? Really, it's too much.

But for now, I'd say we were practically, given the early circumstance days, "performing" as a team. Maybe the model will this time operate in reverse.