Bentwater Roads: Let There Be Light.

Begun my day feeling somewhat at odds with life. When I woke up it was raining and Ivan and I had planned to go for a jog together. He advised it wasn't the best weather for running and I thought it might be a little rude to insist.

So I had a very quiet morning sitting in my room writing my blog, after Ivan had told me stories about his deep sea diving days in the Navy and his encounter with an enormous eel 90 feet below the surface. Rosie and I tried to arrange what day was best for her and Ivan and Bunty (Richard and Nadia's Landlady who lives next door) to come and see the show. Sunday the 18th in the afternoon was the verdict.

I stocked up on a big bowl of porridge before lumbering my way to the Theatre. I was told the day before that there had been some favourable comments about me in the East Anglia Daily Times review and I knew my agent would want me to get her a copy (so she can send them to potential employees and hopefully secure me a job for after this show finishes). I couldn't find the said article or online or a copy of July 6th issue of the newspaper. So that was a bit of a dead end but one I didn't mind as I always find my responses to good or bad comments in a review far too irrational and I try to keep my faith in the show steadfast by not reading them, that said we have been getting some really smashing reviews and Peter has been deemed excellent in a few of them too. Tickets sales have been reflecting this as well, so, if you haven't booked your tickets yet I strongly recommend you get in quick.

A long phone call home had a very happy conclusion - I'll be seeing Trina on the weekend and we'll be camping out at Bentwaters on the Saturday night, really exciting, planning a little portable BBQ with sausages and marshmallows and of course ghost stories.

I kept my bag firmly strapped to my back for the whole voyage from digs to the hush house and am pleased to say I didn't lose it - though I'm certain I wont be trusted with anything valuable ever again.

Tickets for Ivan, Rosie and Bunty were arranged for the Saturday afternoon instead as that was the performance I could get them comps (complimentary/free tickets).

At the hush house James was already kicking the football about. We had a rather limp game of cricket before getting ready for the one show of the day - a mid afternoon matinee, the hush house was quite full. The first act sounded great and I finally got all my lines out in the right order, delivery and clear enough to be understood - simple things, eh?

Though the quiet of back stage was broken when the medieval tool bag split it's handle and the tools came clattering out onto the concrete, two seconds later a gentleman in the top row of the audience decided to join in and his very fine walking cane came flying down from the sky and clattering onto the ground. All comical in hindsight but very upsetting for those on stage trying to be heard and those in the audience trying to hear them.

In the second act I felt everything was going fine and I must say that Richard was giving a stella performance, not that he normally doesn't but I think maybe like me he is a little spurred on by having his partner in the audience as was the case yesterday and there was a real glint in his eye to his performance.

As Peter, Richard and I came off from the final Pilot/Clerk/Commander scene the lights dipped into darkness.

And they stayed...

In

Darkness

Until Max our lighting operator realised something had gone terribly wrong and he flew (no great exaggeration there) down the makeshift stairs that lead to the operating tower behind the audience's seating block and into the switchboard room and then quick as a flash he was back up in his seat and had the lights up and operating. Superhuman Max, really well done, everyone else was just a little dumbfounded and shocked - you saved the day buddy.

In very professional style Nadia and Peter went on with the play as if nothing untoward had happened and it was all wrapped up beautifully. I think we are really hitting our stride as a company; everyone is working so well together and taking individual ownership of the play as well. This isn't always the case with cast and crew even in the biggest scale shows in the West End. Its great to be a part of and it helps to make you feel happy and proud of your work.

I can't sing the praises of the community chorus enough, they lift the show to another level all together and they are giving their free time to the project and have been so friendly and quick at getting to grips with the story and carving their own place in the overall story. Bloody brilliant work guys and great working with you all.

In the evening Mark, Dan, Nadia and I headed to Isaac's near the marina in Ipswich to watch the second semi-final of the world cup. 

Nadia and Mark as the blonde haired blue eyed participants were forced to support Germany in thick German accents while Dan and I were the Spanish contingency, though I think we were all very happy that Spain won the game. Caitlin and her friend Katie joined us just in time for the end of the match.

We demolished burgers from the open grill top and washed back quite a few beers, by the time the game was finished we'd made good friends with a couple of RAF boys ‘Mark and Kev from up North, Fleetwood' 

sitting on the picnic bench next to ours. A few shots of tequila to celebrate Spain's victory and motown tracks playing over the speakers and we were up and singing - I think maybe a little to the embarrassment of poor Amy (from the community chorus) and her family who were having a quiet night out behind us.

Cheerfully singing and stumbling our way back uphill towards Henley Road. I was still beaming from the thought that come Saturday I'll be seeing my beautiful Trina. x