The quiet before the storm

Despite a deeply exhausting 19 hours of travel, our arrival in Edinburgh was met with a tranquil familiarity, an 'ah yes... I remember how to do this.' We immediately kicked into gear, and saw our first show within just a couple of hours of getting here.

 'After the Rainfall', a multidimensional production utilising multimedia to juxtapose the life of ants against the aftermath of the British Empire. A very powerful show that I would highly recommend. 

But despite jumping in the deep end and heading for a show almost instantly on arrival, this year we have succeeded in shedding the hunger to see as MANY shows as possible, and replaced it with a much more cautious 'let's dig out the quality in these 2000+ shows.' It won't be easy, and we're bound to end up seeing things we don't like, but 3-4 shows a day simply isn't an option for us this year. We've simply put too much on our plates. 

And, having corrected 700 of our 5000 leaflets, we're feeling the pressure already. There is not a moment that is not filled with a minimum of 10 things that need doing. Oh, and we missed our technical rehearsal... did I mention that?

That might be the single most important thing NOT to miss.... and we missed it. Despite having double checked the date, I was certain it was on Thursday evening. According to the email I received Thursday morning, it was on the Wednesday. I think I saw my life flash before my eyes when I opened that email...

However, we are firmly of the belief that every wrong turn is simply a re-direction to something better. Every cloud has a silver lining, and I am even now considering that at the very back of my mind, I may have sabotaged this on purpose. 

Firstly, to put your minds at ease - we've solved the problem by cancelling our first preview performance, and using this time for rehearsal instead. So... in an hour we'll do our tech.

Why is this a good thing? Well... as I mentioned already, the technical is kind of important. Especially for a play like 'The Jhiva of Nietzsche'. The technical is kind of 50% of the show. And, being the one who runs it all, it's kind of important for me to be at the top of my game in this (very, very short) rehearsal. So, running this vital rehearsal after 48 hours of no sleep, after having spent the last 24 hours lugging around suitcases and waiting in endless queues.... maybe that's not the best way to kick off the show?

So, the disaster did indeed serve in our favour, and we await what good might come of the fact that our dates were changed and we have to correct 5000 LEAFLETS BY HAND.... I guess if nothing else, we're definitely burning some karma doing this!

But even with these disasters the quiet still reigns - the storm itself will hit only once the performances begin. That's when the game starts, when leafleting becomes a necessity, a way of life. 

But the wind is certainly blowing, and we welcome it.