Swimming in the Blue Danube
The extended Stan posse have been split between Vienna and Rostock since monday. I'm with the Cleansing of Constance Brown crew here in Vienna and the rest (in all there's a total of 17 Stanners out!) are doing the rice during the G8 summit.
We premiered here on tuesday - a touch and go affair as the lights, sound and performance were all on the rusty side. That said we pulled it round, and even have the opportunity to gauge audience reaction in the form of a clap at the end (usually doesn't seem appropriate in Stanland).
As the absense of any entries lately suggests it's been a pretty full-on month. The last few weeks of rehearsals in a leaky factory unit in Digbeth took there toll on everyone and as we packed up to open the show in Warwick, Andy was taken ill the night before the premiere. Frantic calls, re-rehearsals and dodgy second hand lx kit later and we just managed to open on time.
It's quite difficult for any of the performers to get a handle on how the show comes across but from general reports it's quite impressive, even prompting a five star 'out-stan-ding' review in the Birmingham Post. A small triumph for the company as the reviewer has been a long standing detractor! We need all the praise we can get as the 100 or so collective costume changes, countless pinpoint cues, twice nightly shows and rock lobster mayhem take their toll!
So it's back to lazy days and keeping focused for evening shows, a lifestyle that's been unfamiliar since leaving Kaos Theatre 4 years ago. I've started to develop a habit of finding anywhere i can to swim outdoors when i'm on tour. Yesterday i sought out the Alte Donau baths which line the banks of an old bend in the Danube. Swimming in an oxbow lake, it doesn't come much better in a capital city and except for the slightly annoying einz, zwei, drei of dragon boat canoers it was a beautifully tranquil and energising afternoon. It has reminded me to get on with trying to lobby for some outdoor swimming facilities in Birmingham. Far away from the sea as you can get in the U.K but they've insisted on blocking up all the old lido's. I've even seen kids trying to cool off in the canal, and that's not right.
Come and be the first to join my campaign
SMETHWICK (or any other Birmo location) MUST HAVE A LIDO!