Tech rolls on. There’s a lot of it. Considering it is a very clean and stark telling of this sad tale, there is a lot of technical stuff to work through. A huge amount. The engine of theatre… This stuff has such history, flying in huge things, trapdoors, massive lights. Sometimes I’ll be exiting down a narrow track with drops into the audience on both sides and a bright light shining right into my eyes, and I have to exit like a normal person walking instead of someone who is concerned they might stack it into the audience and look like a twit.
I’ve finally popped my cherry on the big old stage, teching the first few bits of Lodo. We will finish tomorrow. Tech is a friendly time to experiment when nobody is really thinking about you. Experimentation with physicality and voice. I’m still enjoying the discovery process with my boy. He gives a fuck, Lodovico. And he’s very very high status. How do I settle into this extremely handsome and commanding human being? Well, obviously it’s just who I’ve always been etc etc.
Today has been largely about working out where I need my costume changes, what my show track will be, where my hangers need to be, when I have time down and when I need to be alert. We’ve all been in shows where someone has missed a cue. The key is to never be that someone. It’s not that much to ask but right now it’s bombardment. People who are sure on their words can still momentarily lose the plot when suddenly they’re in a blinding light looking at something that isn’t the person they’ve been talking to in rehearsal. I’m sure all of us have done movies and TV where you only really get one shot and you don’t have all this rehearsal time. We dress rehearse tomorrow, but there are so many previews to come. It’s remarkable. So many previews, and a surprisingly short run.
I’m loving this process, drinking it in. In the corridors I walk past signatures of old friends and acquaintances – there are clusters of names associated with old shows. Some make me curious as they have been painted over. Others make me smile. There’s this long old history of actors doing acting in the place. I’m happy to play my part.
After tech today a few of us grabbed a pint in the duck to decompress. Then I cooked myself dinner and somehow it is really late and I guess I’m going to have to get used to these days that start in the afternoon and end at night. Hey diddly dee. I’m off to bed. These sheets are wonderful.
AlBarclay 