'I got sat on... and NOT in the good way'

I did get sat on. By about nine people. Welcome to movement class at Fourth Monkey Theatre Company. These have been underway for a good few weeks now, and as our progress is apparently becoming tangible I thought it was high time some monkey or other charted it all down. So here it is.

The multiple sitting incident occurred after Natalia (our brilliant teacher) gave us the rather dangerous instruction, 'use each other as a surface, and keep your eyes closed.' So whilst the inevitable bruises are ripening, so is a pretty special feeling within the company. You would think standing on stage, alone bar an envelope dangling limply from your hand, and then being expected to move about with it evoking a poem you've just learned might be a mortifying experience. Well if you move like I do it is a bit, but equally the other people in the room make you brave enough to give it a damn good go! Our company ( namely 'Earth', one half of Fourth Monkey) are feeling pretty safe and comfortable with each other these days, which bodes well for our upcoming season, and proves irrefutably the benefits of ensemble. I feel perfectly happy now following my right elbow about the room and not feeling like a pratt, and looking about at various company members being led by their ears, or their little fingers I think everyone else is feeling pretty jolly too!

Movement is certainly not a strong point of mine, but thanks to Natalia and Charlene I think I am beginning to feel an improvement, or at least feeling more comfortable, which is extraordinary in itself! So we have also been exploring various parts of our bodies, what happens when your breath moves you, where an impulse might take you, moving in staccato, changing levels, attaching ourselves to each other, working with poems, working with objects, and most importantly working with each other. We aren't mental. I promise. There are some real movers and shakers in this company, and it is so exciting to watch! We are moving in a pretty special direction, with everyone being bold enough to give something new a go, and with such a talented bunch of people the results are stunning; what more could you want in a rehearsal room?

I should also mention, that we have been doing bikram yoga 3 times a week for a few weeks now, and oh my word we are all feeling the benefits of that. Even if in the bikram studio you think death is just round the corner. We all found the first session pretty tough/ hell on earth. I didn't realise shins were able to sweat. This becomes apparent however when you have to squeeze your face on your legs. Also when someone tells you to grab your elbows and you physically can't because they are so sweaty, you begin to think something ain't right. Having said that, I absolutely love it! Mentally, physically it is quite extraordinary.