It's September 2011. I've had a break and am now looking into the future and wondering if it is possible to perform three different plays on separate nights within a week. Actually, I am already learning that caution is required.
The first performance of the season was last Saturday. "Family Matters" in Bulkington. Last time I went there all my sound and lighting equipment was nicked from the back of the car during the show. I'm convinced it wasn't Bulkington's fault. Just a toerag passing through I'm sure. That's all water under the bridge now. Bulkington conjures other thoughts in my mind now... egg sandwiches. The organiser, Fiona and her mum score very highly indeed on the refreshments front and I stepped on stage feeling very well fed and content. The audience was a little small. I was competing with a Beer Festival and it seems that Bulkington prefers beer of a Saturday night. Nevertheless it was a nice night. I would just ask one small thing of the lady who beat me to the punch line a few times, though. Would you mind awfully waiting till I've said it too before you say it out loud?
Later in the week I reviewed a play at The Belgrade Theatre in Coventry. It was the first time I'd been to a play there, and my first review. The play looked interesting and I settled down to a thoroughly enjoyable evening. Then something extraordinary happened. One of the actors messed up a scene and then completely forgot his lines. I mean, completely. He didn't just wander around the stage waffling a bit until they came back to him in the magical way that lines sometimes do. He told us what had happened, left the stage and didn't return for about 20 minutes. Mystifying. This was an actor with a pedigree. He'd performed the same part for a whole run in 2010. What on earth had happened? I couldn't understand it.
I'm nowhere near in that actor's league but I'm usually pretty good on lines. Or, I thought I was ... until Dorridge the following week, last night in fact, when I performed "Ten Days ..." for the umpteenth time. I must have done sixty odd performances of this show over the years but suddenly, inexplicably, my brain was a gaping void. It was the same feeling as you get when you go upstairs and can't remember what you went for. Only this time there were 108 people in the audience. Luckily for me, my words came magically back as I wandered around the stage waffling. But now I know it. Noone's safe. Maybe this is a virus that I caught at The Belgrade. Whatever it is, I hope that one bout of it guarantees lifelong immunity. This weekend I'm performing "Double Booked" and I'll do without the gaping void, if that's OK.
Tuesday 20 September 2011
Round up of September 2010 - July 2011 season
I am a neglectful parent. I admit it. My baby, my blog wasn't fed between April and September 2011.
If I give an account of every performance I'll be here forever. My baby will burst. So I'm going to limit myself to one sentence or line describing each performance from April to the end of the summer season.
1. May 2011 - Brighton Fringe - New fringe, new play (10 Questions) , new friends, a new life for the future? Maybe one day.
2. May 2011 - Kirtlington - 10 Days - fourth visit to Kirtlington Much fun trying on the lollipop man's uniform backstage.
3. May 2011 -Dunchurch - 10 Days - Biggest, best audience ever. I love you, Dunchurch. Stay with me.
4. May 2011 - Hallaton - 10 Days - Classy Leicestershire audience. Top nibbles.
5. May 2011 and June 2011 - Stratford Fringe - 10 Qs and Double Booked: Most hilarious venue ever. Low point: Man coming to remove sound system 30 mins before show went up. High point: Previous performance including a totally genuine proposal of marriage on stage.
6. June 2011 - Rock - Double Booked - Rock being the apposite word. Backdrop is a climbing wall. Acoustic nightmare but you could all hear, couldn't you. I said "YOU COULD ALL HEAR, COULDN'T YOU?"
7. June 2011 - Tysoe - 10 Days. Tysoe, if I wasn't already promised to Dunchurch you could marry me. Love you.
8. June 2011 - Abberley - 10 Days. Must confess I did arrive feeling a little tired, but the pure air way up high in Abberley lifted my spirits.
9. June 2011 - Clipston - Double Booked. Rather an interesting conversation after the show with a lady who called me Ruth. Somehow I couldn't bring myself to tell her that Ruth's the character I play. I'm Ginny. Flattering, I suppose.
10. June 2011 - Stratford upon Avon - KES - Double Booked. Do not recommend hearing that your daughter has had a car-write-off crash for relaxation therapy just before you leave home to go to a venue. Also, next time (if there is one) please could someone remind me about the 85 chimes at 8 pm on a Friday night from the clock right above the venue.
11. July 2011 -Buxton Fringe - Double Booked. Best review I've ever had. Show nominated for Best Theatre Production. Am now going to take a short holiday.
If I give an account of every performance I'll be here forever. My baby will burst. So I'm going to limit myself to one sentence or line describing each performance from April to the end of the summer season.
1. May 2011 - Brighton Fringe - New fringe, new play (10 Questions) , new friends, a new life for the future? Maybe one day.
2. May 2011 - Kirtlington - 10 Days - fourth visit to Kirtlington Much fun trying on the lollipop man's uniform backstage.
3. May 2011 -Dunchurch - 10 Days - Biggest, best audience ever. I love you, Dunchurch. Stay with me.
4. May 2011 - Hallaton - 10 Days - Classy Leicestershire audience. Top nibbles.
5. May 2011 and June 2011 - Stratford Fringe - 10 Qs and Double Booked: Most hilarious venue ever. Low point: Man coming to remove sound system 30 mins before show went up. High point: Previous performance including a totally genuine proposal of marriage on stage.
6. June 2011 - Rock - Double Booked - Rock being the apposite word. Backdrop is a climbing wall. Acoustic nightmare but you could all hear, couldn't you. I said "YOU COULD ALL HEAR, COULDN'T YOU?"
7. June 2011 - Tysoe - 10 Days. Tysoe, if I wasn't already promised to Dunchurch you could marry me. Love you.
8. June 2011 - Abberley - 10 Days. Must confess I did arrive feeling a little tired, but the pure air way up high in Abberley lifted my spirits.
9. June 2011 - Clipston - Double Booked. Rather an interesting conversation after the show with a lady who called me Ruth. Somehow I couldn't bring myself to tell her that Ruth's the character I play. I'm Ginny. Flattering, I suppose.
10. June 2011 - Stratford upon Avon - KES - Double Booked. Do not recommend hearing that your daughter has had a car-write-off crash for relaxation therapy just before you leave home to go to a venue. Also, next time (if there is one) please could someone remind me about the 85 chimes at 8 pm on a Friday night from the clock right above the venue.
11. July 2011 -Buxton Fringe - Double Booked. Best review I've ever had. Show nominated for Best Theatre Production. Am now going to take a short holiday.
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