I’m in bed. It’s barely half past nine. Normally at about now I’d be appalled at the shower of shit in Cyprus. “We are gonna lose this island to the Turks,” I’d be thinking. I’ll give the heavy lifting to Gratiano, three corpses to dispose of and all that. I’ll make sure Iago is nine years a’killing. And I’ll fuck off home to tell Dukey what I’ve arbitrated before I go back to Constantinople and my brother the Emperor, if he can be fucked to listen which he won’t be.
Cyprus was only held by the Republic of Venice for a short time. This play details the end of that short time, and concludes with my character installing an injured governor who is a bad drunk. He speaks last which is my only true signal that he’s higher status than the Duke. But he must be. It needn’t matter though. I just need to show up and speak. It’s a lovely part to play even if I have to really keep myself warm and alert longer than any other character, so it’s normally a really late night by the time I’ve eaten my adrenaline.
I sent a self tape today. A Paxman type, but in the seventies so hopefully the beard will fly. Ally did it with me in exchange for a bathroom door handle. I didn’t want to spend too much time on it, really so we just did it and then sent it. It’s one line. I’ll either get it or I won’t and the decision will be about the cut of my jib and not the nuance of my delivery.
I’m happy to seed things into the future. One line in a thing? Yep, sure. That’s an easy tape, and the casting director is good enough that it won’t be a flood of options. It’s mine to lose, largely. Fingers crossed my tired but willing involvement will be enough because these relationships are at the heart of everything we do.
I’ve been slow writing this blog as it is interspersed with messages on WhatsApp. It’s ten. I’m seriously thinking of putting myself into torpor before I would normally put out my final couplet, and try and serve up the word “relate” like it is the beginning of a whole load more. Bed bed bed. I’ll go turn off the heating. I had a really gorgeous expensive dinner courtesy of Lambs of Sheep Street. I’m feeling warm, full, happy and excited. Three more weeks, and it can only continue to deepen with such a company. So much to look forward to.
AlBarclay 