Middle of it all

Nine rehearsal/acting things over six days this week, I guess that's how you get better.  Had two tonight, and two on Thursday.  We didn't get to our scene last night, but did the monologues, we will do a mock audition with them next week.  My center of gravity has crept up again, I think I must be in my head too much, and also, I'm afraid of falling and hurting myself:  guarding, I suppose.  Need to do something about that, it's affecting my work, my characters need to move more freely (or in the case of the monologue, move at all.)  Thinking about animals, and which one might the character move like...tried one for the Lady M tonight, haven't decided on the other.

Went over the new film script.  I have no lines in this version.  Normally, I'd find that difficult, but it's an interesting character, and probably easy to find an action for her, so I'm feeling connected and grounded in the scene.

Also, reading "Station Eleven" by Emily St. John Mandel.  It's my current bus read.  Very engaging; she's a really good writer.  I have to finish it soon, as there is a wait list for it, so I can't renew it.  I'd seen a friend's review of it.  It's about a post-pandemic world, where modern civilization has collapsed, and small groups of people remain here and there.  The main character is an actress with a travelling caravan of musicians and actors that move from town to town, the caravan itself being home.  It goes forward to the post-collapsed world, and then backward to the time before, following the life of an actor and his associates in ealier days.  I'm about half-way through.  (Reminds me a lot of "Mr. Burns, a Post-Electric Play," by Anne Washburn, which I've mentioned previously when it played at ACT.  It has a similar feel, where people are survivng on memories, and how memory becomes apochryphal over time.  A world of danger, where you don't know who you can trust.)

Finally dealing with all these health things in the next couple of weeks.  Nervous, but I guess it's better to know. (And I don't feel like being chastised, which is the bigger dread.)

Stuff

The rescheduled Ibsen rehearsal left me with more time to go over the whole scene, and for cooking.  I had been planning on going straight there, but a sudden rain storm, and then a break in the weather, helped to change my mind, and I went home first (after drinking coffee and going over my class/script notes.)  I had nothing waterproof, and I didn't want my script/notes to get soaked.  Checked email to verify the time only to find the rehearsal had been cancelled, otherwise, I would have just shown up.  Trying to work with everyone's schedule is like herding cats.  Now we will try for Wednesday, before class, and I'll be late, which is lame on my part, but there's a volunteer party for the exhibit I've been working at, and I'm broke, and we'll get fed.

There's a script description of Thea as being kinda' weak and timid ("quietly" "desperately"), but then there is subtext in what she says, and what she's done, and the idea that she's the character that represents "courage"...she embodies what Hedda might do (choose what she wants, i.e., Eilert, who has reformed himself, through Thea, and come back to town), but lacks the "courage" or will, to do.  She (Hedda) lacks the will to choose her own happiness, and chose safety, in marrying Tessman, instead.  Anyway, the script notes make Thea sound mousy and clueless, and yet she throws the first volley after entering the room by suggesting she go speak to Mr. Tessman, and it just keeps escalating.  And her acts of courage go against the idea of weak, she chose her own happiness, regardless of any scandal that will bring; she's the strongest character in the play, she's willing to lose everything.  Anyway...all this is to say, I still need to decide if I'm addressing my words to Eilert, as encouragement, or to Hedda, as a challenge.  Could go either way.  Just have to decide what I want.

Shakespeare seems like some far-off memory, we'll have had three weeks off by the time we're back together.   At least I know my lines.

Sibelius is in less than two weeks, and I was just reminded that I'm working a fundraiser this weekend, so I guess snowshoeing is out for now.  (Random, I know.  Got invited to go up to the mountains on Saturday.)

I was excitedly pointing out to everyone I had contact with last night, the full moon and Jupiter.  Will be even closer tonight, if it's clear.  After 9 pm, I believe.