Five of us, sitting in a cottage on Waterside. It’s my cottage. We are talking about Othello. There’s passion and joy here. Will, Jules, Claire, Graham and I. I adore these people.
I’m in charge of the music. I’ve been playing Caravan Palace and The Cat Empire. We wanted something more chilled and so I’ve put on Liz Lawrence. Her first album. Bedroom Hero.
Liz was living in Stratford and got tangled up in the three year company here, alongside my bestie. She wrote these songs in these cottages. They have been part of my soundtrack to an extent she might never know. Occasionally she refers to the actors: “the queen wears her jeans when she’s watching TV, she yells at that screen “you don’t know what you mean!”
I love that observation. I know who that queen was. I watch TV and hate it when actors don’t know what they mean. It happens more often than you can possibly countenance. TV actors often have it learnt by rote and are just literally speaking random words in order. Sure you only get one take as often as not. But why not get someone who can act? There’s a whole team whose job it is to do the make-up and make you look nice.
But yeah, the five of us are doing the thing we do when we’ve had a hard week. I’m so tired. So tired. I hosted this drinks but I’m not in party mood. I’m playing my friend’s music and surrounded by new and old friends.
Al Liam and Hester all came tonight. People who have been so wonderful and bright in my life. I feel really really held, up here. Melody came to the matinee. I’ve known her since I was a teenager. Lou quite rightly identified that this is a rare thing, for me to be in one place and predictable. I love that so many of my old friends have come to play. I’m only really on in the second half. These guys are brilliant and this is mad fun and I’m gonna join in.
AlBarclay 