welcome to my world
The week ahead will be quite busy. One of the things I wanted 2012 to be about was saying “Yes” to things more often. Recent years have necessarily involved a fair bit of saying “No” on account of health. But I am fed up with feeling defined by illness and am trying to accept a few more of the challenges and opportunities life sends my way.
It’s not a grand attempt at living out some crazy ‘Yes Man’ scenario, just a desire to rack up a few more experiences to be proud of, to feel enriched by as I stagger towards the end of my forties over the next few years.
My gig last month was the first of the things I said “Yes” to and as of Tuesday I start work properly on the second. I have accepted a small part in a play to be staged at the local arts centre at the beginning of February. Tuesday sees my first formal rehearsal, although last Friday I was involved in preliminary blocking for some of the scenes.
I haven’t acted for seven years and the guy taking the main role is clearly a strong talent so I was a little daunted Friday night. But as long as I learn my lines, give what is needed for my character and pull together with the cast and crew I know I’ll be proud to have uttered a few lines onstage once more.
The play is The Woodsman, by Stephen Fechter. It’s a weighty piece about the possibility of personal redemption and the pull of temptation to fall back into old habits. But there are some great moments of sarcastic, dark humour too so it’s not heavy to my mind. It may divide audiences but that’s a good thing I think. If you want easily digested, non controversial entertainment watch Saturday afternoon tv or watch a musical. Theatre should be provocative as well as entertaining. Hmm, get me, a few lines in a local production and I am already sounding like a luvvie. I’d better get back to my dressing room and check they’ve taken all the red smarties put of my rider.
Oooo! Break a leg! What an interesting chapter to start off the year.