The Guardian gave us five stars!
The news ripples through the green room faster than the flood rising towards the Ark.
We've already had four stars from the Times and Telegraph but this is special. With a cast jam-packed with teachers - both active and retired - this is our newspaper. We are gleeful but reminding ourselves as does Liam, that we ain't resting on our laurels.The news comes as we're about to do the second of a gruelling 7 consecutive performances to add to the three we've already done. That's all behind us now - ten down and four to go... Those with real stamina, went to the late night party at Thomas's wine bar on Saturday night, hosted by Ferdy and Graham who acted as DJs. That was after two shows on Saturday finishing after eleven... It was a case of spirit willing, flesh weak for me but I gather it was great fun. That's if what I overheard on Sunday is anything to go by: 'Everyone on that ark has a hangover'.
The Carpenters have a break now and we're catching up on sleep. But it's been good to perform every night for six consecutive nights - it's sharpened us up and we're starting to feel like professionals. We notice audience reaction more - like where the laughs come in the Flood scene. As one of the line of washerwomen, I was delighted that some of the audience were apparently wondering how the bloodstained sheets we hold up, turn into white sheets after God's intervention. Ah the magic of theatre.
Good luck to the Potters tonight! Oh and in case you haven't seen that review, here's a link to it:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2012/aug/16/york-mystery-plays-review
Yes, it's funny where people laugh, isn't it? In my Joseph scene, they *always* laugh when I say 'Who's been here?'. Probably something to do with the audience knowing what Joseph doesn't. I tried resisting it for the first few performances, then realised the best thing to do is to embrace and try to utilise it... which I hope I'm managing to do!
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