MERRY CHRISTMAS MONKEYS!!!! HAVE A LOVELY HOLIDAY AND EAT LOTS AND DRINK LOTS AND BE MERRY AND WATCH CHICKEN RUN AND DON"T FORGET TO LEAVE FATHER CHRISTMAS A MINCE PIE AND LOTS OF CARROTS FOR ALL THE REINDEER (not just Rudolf because that's not fair) AND LAUGH AT THE RUBBISH JOKES IN THE CRACKERS EAT 'CHEESELTS' EVEN THOUGH YOU DON'T LIKE THEM AND WAKE UP STUPIDLY EARLY AND HAVE YOUR PARENTS SHOUT AT YOU FOR JUMPING ON THEIR BED AND SECRETLY EAT ALL THE CHOCOLATES ON THE TREE AND THEN BLAME THE CATS AND BE HAPPY AND JOLLY AND SLIGHTLY TIPSY AND WARM AND FUZZY WITH ALL THE FAMILY, YIPPEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!
Anyway... Well done Debden. You well and truly redeemed yourself in the daylight. Even Charlotte (our official Debden-hate-specialist) had a complete change of heart and was sad to wave goodbye to it. Trudging up from the train station Natalie nearly gave Charlotte, Sam and I a heart attack by suddenly appearing in the doorway of the flats we were walking past. Charlotte (as per) found it very difficult to control herself. She was in a great deal of shock I think. So we were all laughing for about ten years which was a good way to start the day. Not such a great start to the day was the terrifying few minutes when it looked like it was going to be just us three in the session. There would be no escaping the individual dancing. Charlotte did a very convincing 'rigamortis' of which Steve would have been proud. Fortunately the others turned up soon afterwards. But there was still no escaping the individual dancing. Natalie had been asking us to bring in songs all week and 'move' to them... alone... while everyone else stood still... and watched. After you'd danced solo for the duration of your song (3 minutes IS a long time) you created a little routine and everyone else joined in and then elaborated on your sequence. Jack nearly killed us all with his running and jumping routine, I felt well and truly ready for a career in the marines after that one. Sam impressed us all with his secret dancer skills (not so secret now Sam!) and dear Charlotte has my utmost respect for biting the bullet and going first that day. Claudia instead of dancing sang us a song, walking round and connecting with each one of us in some way, and it was just beautiful. She has the most stunning voice and I was, strangely, having to fight back tears. Everyone produced amazingly beautiful things. I did most of my dying inside not during my song but whilst watching other people in awe, and terrified about when it was going to be my turn. But my turn came. Oh Dear God. Whilst walking over to Natalie's laptop I was thinking how I could break my leg and make it look like an accident, but damn it, I just wasn't quick enough. I also wanted to bury this demon. I think it's important to try to do the things that scare you so I knew this would be an achievement, as well as utterly horrific. Everyone was also quite aware of my crippling fear of this particular exercise and I had a lot of friendly smiles as I walked towards the gallows. Bacchae-ville is a very nice place to be. Natalie decided she was going to choose my music, which was quite alarming but I was resigned to my fate by this point. Well actually, I had a really jolly time and had a little happy rave all by myself, occasionally co-ersing people around me to jump around like idiots too. HA! So it wasn't so bad after all (I mean emotionally) -- I think my dancing was pretty shocking but perhaps that wasn't the point. For me anyway it certainly wasn't. That felt (personally) like a big hurdle to get over and now I feel a lot freer to try things out; I think it would be hard to produce anything more hideous than that dance so the skies' the limit now. We all know you have to risk making an utter fool of yourself in order to get where you need to but actually forcing yourself into that situation is quite terrifying. I often look to Mai for guidance in these things as she is truly wonderful and so generous and supportive with it.
Needless to say nobody made a fool out of themselves but really did produce beautiful things and it was really entrancing to watch, and I think The Bacchae will be very special with this talented bunch, and Natalie to lead us.
We then had a sort of dance-off in pairs. We had to take someone else's sequence that we had learned and developed and somehow connect it with what our partner was doing with their sequence. Again this was so so interesting to watch, and to see how expressive it is and how quickly a relationship is built up. Mai and Jack's was particularly impressive. Everyone was marvellous and dear Sam who was my partner is lovely to work with and didn't once kick me in the head as he was leaping over it, so thanks for that!
We also had a little go at some traditional greek dances and emotion type exercises; giving an impulse to another person stemming from a particular emotion. Charlotte and I eyeballed each other across the room and were making our way towards each other, emoting 'grief'. As we got face to face, looking very grief stricken, Natalie suddenly shouted 'joy'. We tried to change emotions very quickly but these confused facial contortions became the funniest thing in the world; we just about managed to stifle splutters, and had to work very hard to control ourselves whenever we caught each other's eye for the rest of the exercise.
To finish we had a little sit down and ran through the basic story of the script trying to action it, eg Dionysus 'manipulates'. Natalie want's us to use traditional Greek pronunciation wherever possible. Poor Sam still can't say Dionysus in our new greek style which is the cause of much merriment.
So we all left on Saturday in very, very high spirits indeed and as Charlotte and I trundled down to the train station we decided we quite liked Debden after all.
Sunday dawned and The Lord of The Flies chaps were in early for a workshop with Steve and Hamish; their new, exciting director, and from what everyone was saying it sounded like fun being 12 year olds. for the day :) Us non-flies people went down and watched Metal do some seriously great stage combat whilst the others were finding out their casting, and we then went up to hear all about 4;48. Steve gave us all a little pep-talk and geared us up for next season. Much to Charlotte's delight Steve came out with another classic, "... smack the fuc*ing arse out of this thing"which is a truly great use of the English language I think. Hilarious... and weirdly motivational.
Then off to the pub, scripts in hand for Carlotta's birthday celebrations and farewell Christmas bevvies.
Also, as I won't have a clue what is going on in Lord of the Flies, I was having a chat with Maria and she is kindly going to keep everyone posted on what is going on there, so this blogging business is now a team effort :)
Anywhooo, have a very, very, very, very Merry Christmas everybody and a Happy New Year :) xx
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