Brighton again, being scrutinised by Tessy as I attempt to get this blog started before the end of the day. It’s only a snatch of time with Lou so it’s an opportunity to write a bit while she switches into her evening wear. We are off to see the Scottish play – she was on wardrobe and some of my costumes will be on stage.
“Are you ready to go?” So much for that plan.
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We had dinner at Botanica on Lou. Food this week, good God. I’ve been spoilt but it’s my birthday week so its allowed. It’s in a great big old stately grounds that is now all full of restaurants and Botanica is the affordable one and it is still posh, dairy free and healthy, £26 for pork but it was excellent and it was on Lou this time so tasted even sweeter.
Then to Macbeth. I got to watch some of my costumes on stage. We were in a tiny little theatre in Horsham so the last person I expected to sit next to me was Ffion. “Get the fuck out,” I said almost by mistake as I saw her. We got to sit next to each other and watch Shakespeare. I think that’s the first time I’ve seen the play live with both the big Macs played by Scottish actors. It was nice to see it done well on a low budget, and considering it was so deep into a van tour and they’ve only just come inside, it was in great nick.
They must be knackered. They’ve got the get out down to 28 minutes. I remember that being such a driver, the way we would hit a timer every night and celebrate when we beat the record but get it all loaded in tidyily. You come off stage, take off your costume, and go grab a wazzer, or start banging out the truss, or derig the lights. There’s a terrific connection to the whole business of show in a van tour. Exit stage right, wipe the tears from your eyes, grab a bit of tech, do tech things for the other actors, quick swig of water, chuck a cape on, listen at a door, come on as someone else, repeat and then it all goes in a van every night and you put it there and you don’t know what your bed is gonna look like until you collapse into it. And at the end of the week your agent puts in about enough money for a week’s worth of food and … that’s your summer. “I think I’ve been to Horsham. I can’t remember for sure…”
Lou and I said goodbye to the cast and producer. What a delightful gig – similar vibe to AFTLS but you’re really on top of each other. If it’s harmonious it is really harmonious. One squeaky wheel starts to magnify and magnify. These guys had a cast change early in the run, perhaps for that reason. It felt harmonious. They all still had the light in their eyes. And that little theatre was packed in the first half and no less packed in the second half, and this is Shakespeare. Excellent stuff. That’s what I like to see.
AlBarclay 