Day 7: Birthday

Today was Mike Bradwell's birthday so naturally we all arrived into rehearsals ready to make it a day to remember for the big guy. Well, actually, none of us had thought that far ahead and no one had any presents, cards or confectionary, so lunchtime involved a dash to Sainsbury's in Debden for Zara and Cleo to purchase not one but two cakes. Mike was sat at a table in the rehearsal room doing something important-looking when a torrent of actors singing "Happy birthday" and blowing party whistles emerged from the kitchen behind him. He graciously sat giving us V-signs, presumably to show how "VERY" happy he was and managed to blow out all the candles without hitting any of us for being so drama-studenty. We can only assume his wish involved being somewhere else entirely. He spent much of the day complaining that, as an "old person", he really ought to have a string on which to hang his glasses round his neck.

This major event aside, the day saw much progress. We began with one of the camper warm-ups in the shape of Stuart's Dolly Parton-inspired workout and a slippery game of Duck Duck Goose, or Stanislavski Stanislavski Strasberg, as it was rechristened. We then revised what work had been done yesterday and built up the choreography for "Homage To Marat". I was paraded around in the shopping trolley by Mauricio, trying to look regal and not like an eejit in a blanket, feet firmly gripping the mesh of the trolley in an effort not to lose balance. The weather was beautiful outside and Mike sent singers and others out to enjoy it and learn lines while he put together then ensuing scenes, later adding them in and setting an outline for "Corday's Arrival In Paris". Suffice to say, there was horse-acting, Bill on a bench, Robbie and Kim tied up and much bloodthirsty thrusting, if such an activity exists. In the middle of it all, Cleo wreaked havoc on everyone's fitness regimes with two bags of Doritos. They weren't on offer, she just saw them, wanted them, took them.

By the end of the day we had gotten a good 20 pages on their feet and we broke for some costume fittings to take place. Helen looked quite good in her smock and cap. I looked decidedly less sexy than the words "naked except for his pants" might suggest - Asa assured me that the long-johns I tried on would be tighter and dirtier come show week. Which is a relief to all of you, I'm sure. We all reconvened in a rehearsal room on campus for a read-through of the play in the presence of our newbies - 6 actors from our sister show, "Good", will be playing Mrs Coulmier, Coulmier's daughter and 4 more background lunatics. It was great to see other people react to the play for the first time and to read the script in light of a couple of weeks worth of character work. All in all, it's shaping up nicely. Although reading Act 2 has reminded me of just how long my speech to the National Assembly is. Hope the old memory holds up. If not, well...um...I forget what might happen.

QUOTE OF THE DAY: "And if that ends up on the bloody blog, I'll kill you". This is a substitute quote of the day from Mike Bradwell. I can't tell you what it refers too because I value my life quite highly.