I’ve slipped into a good routine now for the tour. We usually have a duty in the morning of some description. Today I was teaching a bunch of 21 year old English Lit students how to sing a Shakespearean catch. So it’s wake up, plan, work a bit. Then I get coffee somewhere – this time with an enthusiastic lad who wanted to bounce his excellent idea for a Hamlet around with me in Medici. I love Medici: “Can you do a flat white?” “Yes we can.” None of this “What size?” bullshit. I talked to him a bit about his Henry IV monologue too – worked with him as much as it’s possible in a coffee shop. Nice way to spend some time.
Then a few hours of exploring before I reconnect with the guys, usually involving late lunch with carbs. Yesterday was Tetsu-ya for ramen – so good. Today I’ve gone Korean with bubble tea and spicy chicken at Koriente.
I’m taking recommendations wherever possible and using this tasty and peaceful afternoon time to regather my energy and generosity before the Belch explosion. And to write this down as I’m pretty useless after the show.
Yesterday I walked off the nervous energy but the others came with me. It wasn’t a popular choice with the rest of the company, although the destination was worth the walking. We just aren’t used to this heat. Ten minutes into a half hour walk and some of the others were in open mutiny. Thankfully I didn’t get keelhauled, and the place we were heading to was open, pleasant and had vegetarian food options. But from now on it’ll be an uber xl after the show as we almost invariably are starving and thirsty and walking is less popular than I could’ve imagined. There are no easy dives near to the venue this week, and parking is a nightmare so we can’t drive to work.
To illustrate the parking thing, as we were leaving last night we met two 17 year old girls who had seen the show. “We loved it! It was awesome! But my car got towed.” They were being picked up by their mum, who rolled her eyes at us. “It’s a life lesson,” she remarks. $200 on a Shakespeare show? I guess some people can blow that on a seat for that guy off the telly playing Hamlet. But I felt sorry for them. I’d have preferred it if their first time going out to see a play together hadn’t resulted in such a punitive fine. The private towing firms are a blight in the US. They are so quick, and charge way too much.
Now I’m in my pre-show post lunch siesta time. I reckon it’s shower and snooze. There has just been a tremendous thundercrack which might put paid to my plan to go to Barton Springs tomorrow and have a swim. If it rains too much they close them as they’re worried about runoff from the fields.
It’s consistently 95 degrees though. Maybe a spot of thunder will help.
AlBarclay 