under another sun

Up early to rather concerning news from a friend. But have to focus. Lorraine drove Beth and I down to the Warren for our Tech rehearsal in the Theatre Box. Sam the sound and lights guy helping us get our ducks in a row with lighting and sound effects. We then did a rehearsal of the show in which everyone had their lines and we slipped through it almost faultlessly. In manufacturing, they call this Just In Time production, but it certainly left me feeling relieved and for my nerves it would have been better to arrive a week or so earlier. Lorraine contributing and suggesting this morning too, not to mention bringing in coffee and a couple of bacon rolls. She is excellent at all this, and it is very useful to have a fresh pair of eyes on things. But then, having Beth has given her years of practice.  L and I briefly fantasised about all of us being able to make a living in theatre like this, Beth performing, me writing and Lorraine effortlessly smoothing everything. Such as going ...

Saturday, but Lorraine and I up fairly early, after I'd brought my lovely wife up breakfast in bed. Phone call from Maureen this morning, reading out a bit from the Daily Mail, talking about Dylan , his grandfather and grandma who will be coming to  A Glass of Nothing , her first outing since becoming a widow to support Dylan. Things to be done, and Dawn came around to our house and we went for a quick mooch around in the Open Houses. Biffing into quite a few. Although I most love paintings, it is the crafty bits and ceramics that tend to appeal more to me in the Open Houses. Having said that, if money was no object I'd come away with armfuls. Then Lorraine drove me down to the school where we rehearse. I took a firm and positive line today,  and we worked at the three or four spots in the play where there were line glitches. Dylan has a difficult bit where he is doing a similar thing and saying similar lines three times in the play, but we managed to get this sorted throu...

Up early, feeling fairly and feeling far healthier this week than I have done for a long while. I went to the gym for the third day in a row. The sunshine helps too, it does't feel right to be indoors. So after working at various adminny bits to do with the play this morning, I went off to the gym in the afternoon, then called in on Janet and Ken having picked up a few bits and bobs in town for them and had a cup of tea and a chat. Good to see Ken at home, much happier in himself and looking a good deal brighter. Home, and chatted to Mum on FaceTime, then made my lovely wife a curry to eat and ate this with her before zooming off to The Warren which was opened tonight. Beth and I were expecting an intimate gathering of performers, but actually it was a formless free for all. Still, we drank a couple of beers that needed drinking, and distributed some leaflets and chatted to a few people, including Dave Bramwell who is a pal of Dawn's and wrote the Cheeky guides among other ...

Off for blood tests this morning, and the nurse thanking me nicely for my poo sample. The nurse thanking me for this gift. Then to Starbucks where I tried to do some work for a while. Brain not functioning with any alacrity and generally feeling unproductively antsy, even when I came back home. Spoke to Mum today, who had read last week's short story and found it disturbing. Naturally I was pleased with this. Noticed that The Warren, where we will have our show, is now being constructed. In the evening off to The Black Dove in Kemptown, which managed in an instant, to become my new favourite pub. A strange little space downstairs, dark and mysterious, with a tiny stage. We ran through the whole play, and actually having a stage was good as it focused everyone's minds. It also made me realise I had to cut a few lines from the opening section. Good to do it now. Had a swift drink upstairs afterwards with Dylan and Beth, before we all went our separate ways, Beth off to se...