Monday 2 July 2012

Ed Fringe Adventures Part I

In August of this year, I am going to be in the Edinburgh Fringe with Two Shades of Blue, a lightly entertaining company which I know about because of USLES. This weekend was my first rehearsal weekend with the cast of 'Back to the Future, the Pantomime!' and it went a little like this:

07:51
It's 8AM on a Saturday morning and I have braved Nottingham's torrential downpour to make it to my train, after a nervous car journey where I wasn't sure that I would. But I did, hooray, all is well. In 2 hours time I will be arriving in Cambridge (if all goes to plan) where I hope they are having a little less weather otherwise my walk will be wet and my feet very squelchy in their canvas shoes. Looking forward to getting there and meeting everyone, and getting started, woo!

09:39
Just left Ely for Cambridge, not long to go now. And it's not raining, yay!

10:00
Arrived safe and sound and the sun is shining, huzzah!

10:18
Left the station (eventually!) after having to queue for a ridiculously long time for the loo (Perils of being a girl!). It's also chucking it down. Bollocks.

10:35
Shoes are decidedly soggy, have bought some cheap flip flops to stop them getting ruined completely. Sun comes out as I leave the shop; bloody typical.

Closer to 11am than it should really be, onwards
Arrived at the rehearsal (at King's College, lovely) fiiinally. Met the assembled cast fiiinally and they seem like a lovely bunch thus far. Onto warm ups and singing through the songs in the show, which I still have stuck in my head a day later! A rather sophisticated lunch (2 types of hummus. I'm not sure I've ever even been to a lunch with hummus ever before!) and my terrible attempt at an American accent later, we landed at the end of the day. It was long, but really good fun! (That's what she said ;p ) We worked hard but got a lot done for it, and it was really enjoyable to boot. However, whether we can still remember any of it tomorrow is another story!

5:30ish onwards
Back to the HoLE (House of Light Entertainers) for dinner, chatting and (for me at least) falling asleep on the ridiculously comfortable sofas. Twice. Everyone else played Mao* whilst I dozed until gradually airbeds, sofas and cushions were claimed for sleeping places around 1am, as we were somewhat exhausted. Ready to do it all again tomorrow!!

Sunday, 22:39
Currently twenty minutes from being back in Nottingham station, after some slight train confusion left me getting the indirect route via Leicester rather than the direct train from Ely. No matter, I am only half an hour or so behind where I would have been anyway, and I haven't been charged any extra, phew! I'm terribly sleepy but I've enjoyed this weekend immensely so I have a light heart. Today was complicated warm ups and stage fighting and tryingnottoactuallypunchpeopleintheface and remembering the stuff we did yesterday. To say this is only the 2nd rehearsal weekend we've had, both with people missing, everything seems to be running smoothly-everyone has a wonderful grasp of their various characters and it's lovely to see them coming to life as flesh and blood rather than just words on a page. More than just the general fun of the show though, I've enjoyed meeting all the people that I am going to be in it with-these are my kinda people, who instantly understand me without me having to explain anything because they're exactly the same. They're the kind of people that I want to fill my life up with because it's so easy and enjoyable to exist in their company. They're my "theatre" peeps and they get it.
It's been a good weekend =)

Homework:
  • Learn lines/songs
  • Perfect an American accent that doesn't sound Australian
  • Learn to fall over without injuring myself or overbalancing.
But for now, my bed is calling me into its soft embrace, and who am I to resist?
Goodnight!


Book now to avoid disappointment, as it looks set to sell out!
Also why not come see the other Two Shades shows while you're there?




*I don't think I could ever explain this to you. It's basically a game where no-one knows what's going on and the rules change constantly throughout. Russian accents optional.

3 comments:

  1. Lightly entertaining? Oh good. That's just my speed. I don't like those groups that are too entertaining...

    Love Cambridge and King's College. A bit jealous that you get to go in and rehearse there. Okay, maybe more than a bit...

    Never had hummus for lunch?!?! Sheesh. We gotta get you out and about more.

    I have a feeling I don't want to hear the American accent.... Is there any particular region you're going for? (Or am I just talking crazy as usual...?...) Wait. It sounds... Welsh...?!?!?! *headdeskfloor*

    Anywho, sounds like you're having a blast and staying busy (and wet)! The most broken of legs as you continue forth with this performance! (BTDubs, who are you playing in Back to the Future, The Pantomime?)

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    Replies
    1. Yeah, you don't wanna hear my accent lol. I need to watch lots of cheesy American films in order to 'perfect' it. Tim Skew (the dame) is talking like a Southern Belle which is HILARIOUS. I don't actually have a single character part, I'm in the chorus which includes backing singing, being a member of Biff's gang and actually getting to use my Welsh accent in something for the first time ever!

      It's FUN!

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    2. Sounds pretty lush to me! (Really just wanted to use the word "lush," to be perfectly hon-est (with a "huh").)

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