I got myself into the RST on a speculative tech call – I figured I might not be needed yet but my costume is ready for Lodovico. I wanted to try it out. The fitting in London had been on a sweltering day and I almost passed out. There’s a lot of material. I want to be comfortable in it, but also learn what it gives for free.
It gives so much for free. I would post a picture but intellectual property is important with big companies. I don’t want to blow it before it is officially released even if I’m just a little cog in this machine.
Huge breeches. Beautiful fitting jerkin. A custom made sword belt. I stuck my sword into it, walked around back stage a bit. “I’ll put my lenses in,” thought I. “This lift likely leads to the dressing rooms.”
“It’s just through this door I think.” *click*
The theatre is big and closed to the public today. And suddenly I’m in the locked up public area and the door to the staff section is locked behind me and needs a fob which I haven’t got with me. I’m on my own in this incredible costume with a sword. All the lights are off.
For about twenty minutes I stalked the halls of the RST, a Jacobean ghost. It felt like hours. I considered panicking but figured it was better to just explore. I pressed my nose against glass doors, rattled handles. I likely set off many alarms. Someone would have been watching me at security, chuckling at the eejit actor. I contemplated unbolting a huge wooden door and then running round outside to stage door, but the rain is heavy tonight and I knew that would set off an alarm. It’s one thing to get lost, it’s quite another to disrupt the tech. Up and down in lifts. Finally I found a door propped open leading to the back end of running wardrobe and a familiar staircase and behold! My dressing room. I put my eyes in, and nobody had missed me at tech, and my heartbeat went back to normal.
Now I’m sitting stage right. I’ve been singing “THOO” in a little clump whilst Annie picks up a hankie. Now Sam and I are just chilling out. I won’t be needed again but I’m here in case they go back on it. Tomorrow will be Lodovico tech time, so I can just enjoy listening to other people working for a bit. I love this lot. This is a glorious gig.
AlBarclay 