Show two

Good lord. Show number two.

I’ve had some gloves added, and also a purse for letters. We are trying to be non literal with letters so I was a bit discombobulated when I was given a container for them. “I’m not gonna be taking any letters out of this,” I found myself saying. Later “You don’t like the purse!” “No it’s fine, I’m just not sure if it’s in the world I’m in where letters are transferred instantly. But that’s a Tim thing.”

Still, then I got some gloves. “Which side is Jethro wearing his gloves?” Ok I’ll have gloves in my belt fine. Jethro has them and my guy is miles posher than his guy this time. So I’m gonna use the gloves, I am thinking as I wander over to my entrance sans sword. “I’ve been travelling,” I think. “I might be wearing my gloves if I’ve just arrived,” I think. My costume change has been delayed because of new staging, I’m already behind time compared to previous times. I’m thinking there’s loads of time still. “Ah fuck, I didn’t put my sword in the scabbard,” I find myself thinking, with one glove on, about exactly one minute before my entrance. “There’s at least five minutes until I go on,” thought my evil previous shows brain, remembering the long wait last night. “I can go get my sword.” So off I went, glove still attached, to get it from the other side of the huge auditorium.

I only realised my mistake when I heard lines right by my entrance. I fucking sprinted back without sprinting. “Lodovico!” I hear Will say with unusually heavy push. “and look your wife is with him” and I’m on the bang, coming through the audience, looking happy as you like, no sword, glove on, talking. “Save you worthy general”. I hit the light and know that Tim and the people on stage know something unusual happened, but only a touch of pace was lost. I then instinctively go into a fucking great big flourish which is entirely character appropriate and designed to stop TC from guillotining me and then excoriating my face from all existing portraits. Do I pull it off? I’m Al Barclay. More to the point I’m well supported. Juliet did the deepest curtsey in the history of curtseys, making herself interesting to look at for the second I needed. Thank God we are an ensemble. I ask myself how I can get so thrown off by a pair of gloves and a purse, but I’m telling a story about someone who gets more thrown off by a handkerchief.

But yeah, career first nearly late entrance. I was discombobulated after. Did some unnecessary walks on stage with all the adrenaline, was trying to make up for the near drop with energy spam as is my way so lost some specifics but also craft caused me to drop into my weight and ground. Didn’t send me up into the stratosphere. I’ve really grounded in my work since those early days when my Vata Libra Air sent me flying.

I made some Pitta offers I wanted to make with the gloves – near strangling Iago myself until I stepped on “oh a dagger, perhaps I’m better off going home”…. it’s better to propose such things now when Tim is here to either say yes nothing or you’re a twat, all of which have deeper and deeper nuance the further you go towards knowing he wants you to be the best version of yourself.

Vocally solved last night’s issues. I was thoroughly warmed up and maintained it through the whole show. That’s what I needed to do last night. I wasn’t pushing, I was the voice of status: “Hi, my brother’s the pope. I’m only here in this shithole because I wanted to see my cousin.”

Much more experimentation. Much more joy. Free ensemble. We’ve only just begun and Colin counted it there are at least 8 Factory people and I count 9 cos Juliet came and played for early shows and she’s always gonna have a space. Ten with Jox who was 100% Odyssey Squad and I personally pimped him into some really powerful improv positions, knowing his strengths and calling him a friend. This is a really delightful company. We are now doing internationally recognised Shakespeare, as is correct. We are in charge of it and it is a fine show. It looks so good. Judith and vast team, Paule… everyone heading up the visuals have nailed it, and then Donato and Jox with the sounds… If I start trying to name people I’ll be here until sunset.

I’m gonna go email the ticket people tomorrow so now is a good time if you’ve got a specific time you want to come. I’ll do it all tomorrow but I can’t do comps and would prefer it if you just book and save me the bollocks. But those of you already in a conversation, I think things can be done.