3rd Week
Somehow we've racked up 11 shows already. Dunno where the time goes.
This week started strangely. Had a really bad run personally on Monday. Out of sorts. Details were obscured and I wasn't comfortable. Overall energy was low and the show felt slow. The house was full but the audience never quite got into it – completely our fault and a shame we missed that opportunity. So we tweaked things, cut some lines and speeded up the play at the end. It hasn't felt like a fully presented play – rather a series of gags and physical comedy that doesn't build to any climax. We're trying to sort that. Last night was excellent. A good level from which to build further. Audience was fantastic. I had more energy to give and it paid off. It was a very strange evening all round but the show was great.
What do people do in their days? Some people work. People see shows. The Muppets show has gone down well with those of the cast who've seen em. As has "Black Watch" – an incredible piece of theatre and a brilliant advert for the new National Theatre. Going to see Peter Stein's "Troilus & Cressida" on Sunday. He's one of the greatest directors alive so am really looking forward to that.
I've been running and doing lots of exercise. And a lot of emailing. Roslin is a sunny place today and gives a lot of space for thinking and writing.
Middle of the 3rd Week and we may be losing energy so we need to galvanise ourselves and find ways to keep it fresh. A trick I've been using is to consvince myself its the last night I get to perform and this is the only opportunity I have to make it great. In a sense it is, as the audience only see it once and each night is a different, unique event. So far we've been fortunate with the weather and had 1 indoors performance. I like watching the audience outside. I think they have to work harder and are more involved with the scenes. Sitting down inside is more passive.
One thing about the Gala Show on Saturday was Bruce asked the audience how many had seen a Shakespeare show before. Most of them. Then he asked for how many this was the first time. A few put their hands up. So we have a responsibility. Hopefully after watching this people will want to go read his plays or see more shows. Its so important to make a good impression. Especially as people can be turned off his work at school, for whatever reason, be it poor, uninspired teaching, rebellion at authority, or simply boredom. It might be good to think of this as a first time for every member of the audience. And if we can present it in a fresh way to veterans of Shakespeare, so much the better.
