I’ve been doing a lot of reading and research lately. It seems that the work I’m doing for the next couple of months needs tons of reading. And you know how it is; one thing leads to the next. So I’m having an ‘internet is amazing’ month. It really is. Everything is out there, from speaking Shakespeare to conversations in the future to great cold tomato soup recipes. And of course, I have become a bit of a facebook addict. I am totally caught up in the application that lets us write 3 word at a time stories. I know that none of this is new. No revelation here; just a moment of gratitude and excitement that learning can be this beautiful and easy. Viva ToingToing too.
Month: November 2007 (Page 1 of 4)
Reading
Freaky
Last night’s show was just plain freaky. Not the show itself, but the stuff that happened. We were completely sold out and full and squeezed in to The Kalk Bay Theatre, which was so fabulous. I emceed the show. While I was explaining “the fluffy thing of redemption” to the audience (for those of you who don’t know, it’s a lappie that the emcee throws onto stage to save a scene if it is going on too long) and I was saying, “when I throw the fluffy thing onto stage, you’ll all stand up and sing, “Stop, (in the name of fluff)”, but at the exact moment that I said “Stop!” there was a total power failure! (Eskom!) Everyone hauled out their phones, we lit candles and somehow managed to get enough candles and torches onto stage to continue. It was quite amazing actually. So, then I was explaining to the audience how the warm-up game “It’s Your Party” works and there is this noise from the piano. Now, imagine the whole little stage covered in candlelight when all of a sudden this cat walks across the piano keys! Yes, a cat, who I have never seen at the theatre before, gets in on the act. Then! I am explaining to the audience how it would normally work (when there is no power failure) with the lights going down the audience shouting “Five, four, three, two, one and then the lights coming up again so that the scene can start, and as I said “up” the lights came back on. It was like total magic power. The audience was aghast. So was I. It was freaky.
The show was fantastic and we were loved by all. Yay.
Coeria Steak Restaurant
When we were in that small town last week we stayed at the Coeria Steak Restaurant and Lodge. We arrived quite late on the Monday night and had dinner in the outside lapa. Just to give you an idea; the lamb shanks that three of our party ordered were the size of small children. The eaters looked like they were feasting with Obelix and Asterix. This pescetarian struggled. Anyway, I digress.
In my room (which was charming and modern and pretty and TINY) I found this amazing photocopy on the little table. It was a welcome and info letter. I brought it home to copy some of it.
“Also make sure all the electrical equipment are working. If any problems you can let one of the managers know immediately for us not charging you for something you did not break.”
Then, “We have gas geysers and to make sure you have hot water you must open both the shower and basin’s hot water tap for the flame to light. As soon as the hot water are running through you can close the one tap.”
And lastly, for comfort for overseas travellers, “We have international plugs available. If you need one you can book one to your room.”
Love it.
another mystery of missing members
We had a great show last night. We were on top form and even changed the format of what we normally do, for a more spontaneous and exciting show. And we were great. The games, styles, characters and situations were all totally original and just blew the audience away.
Which brings me to my point. We thought we had 60 bookings last night. Which is really good. Only, about 20 of those didn’t turn up! How weird is that? I don’t understand. What happened to them? Who were they? Why didn’t they come? Well, they sure missed a hellova fun evening I tell you!
thieving ninnies
This is a note to the three women who arrived at the Kalk Bay Theatre last night, ate a delicious meal, complained because there was a big group of children (about 20 divine, well behaved, enthusiastic 12 year olds) attending the show, and got up and left before the show WITHOUT even paying for their meal. Apparently they were cross because no-one told them there was going to be a big group of kids at the show. Have you ever? What did they expect? “I hope you approve of the general age of our public audience madam.”? The irony was that there were many more adults than children in the audience and everybody had a total blast. As always, the kids came up with some truly remarkable suggestions which helped us on our way to being brilliant. You horrible lady-crooks missed a brilliant Understudy called “My Sweet Sugar-Plum Wolverine”, an Indie rock song called “Killer Bunnies”, a Jonathan’s Lisp where all es’s became els and much, much more. I don’t see where you get to decide on the age group of an audience if the show is suitable for all ages. And not paying for your food makes you crooks and thieves. Shame on you. Sies.
a theatre intervention on Racism
Four actors (including me) flew and then drove to a small town just outside Jozi to perform in incredibly interesting theatre intervention yesterday. Top management through to middle management of a big company were having a leadership workshop and they needed to confront their attitudes around racism in a new way, since it was not something that was openly spoken about.
I won’t go into the details of what we did. I just want to mention the effect our performance had. We, as actors, literally felt the change happen. It was tangible and dynamic. We could literally feel the energy of the 70 odd people who were watching us. It was quite extra-ordinary. And it re-affirmed the power of live performance as a communication medium. Obviously there were 5 or 6 people who were ideologically resistant. But, what is interesting is that I think the group will be less tolerant of them in future. For me, it was as if I could physically see the group absorbing and moving on. I hope I am right.