Quiet Days, Lazy Nights

These two weeks are passing pleasantly enough. I wake up late, walk for an hour down to the office, and mostly just take in the mail, though I've made a few phone calls too. I've been spending a good chunk of time preparing for my project this fall. I decided that if I'm to have the gall to claim I can teach the history of English drama, I should know it very well myself. So I've been reading a play a day.

I've decided Ben Jonson was a twat.

I've also been watching movies. The BBC is running a "Summer of British Films". British films are really quite distinctive from American ones and the farther back you go, the more it's apparent. Tonight I watched "The Most Violent Film of 1963", a charming film called "Witchfinder General" starring Vincent Price, who meets his end with 14 blows of an ax and then a bullet. But don't worry- he deserved it.

Now, I don't want anyone thinking that I'm wasting my time in London. I went to the Tower of London this week and my student discount was almost exactly the cost of an audio guide... so I splurged and got to hear all the gristly stores of noble deaths and horrid tortures. Not that the English tortured many people, quite a decent record compared to say... the Spanish and the majority was done under the first Queen Elizabeth and you almost can't blame her considering how many people were trying to kick her off the throne.

And today we had sunshine. Very exciting.

However, I am very much looking forward to returning home on Thursday.

Bangkok

No, I'm not going, sadly, but I got a call from my boss on holiday asking if I wouldn't mind helping them send six actors to Bangkok for a week to play the rude mechanicals in a German ballet version of "A Midsummer Night's Dream".

I'm going to miss this job. Things like this just don't happen in Minneapolis.

They also offered to pay me for the work, leading me to realise that I'm well on my way to a criminal life. This isn't just a beer before I turned 21, or jaywalking. No, I'm working illegally. They have whole scuads of people to stop me from what I might very well be doing. But what's the other option? Say, "sorry, I can't help you with a little research while you try to have a holiday and keep your business going, it's not legal"? I figure that I'd do this for free right, so if they happen to give me money, it's more a gift than a salary. I wonder if that would convince the immigrant police?

Triumphant Return

I have returned to London, having seen 19 plays at the fringe and one last night, with Greg, in Chichester. It made me a touch sad, because that could well be the last play I ever watch with him. Of course, thinking like that brings madness. I must not think of these two weeks in terms of lasts, but of last chances. This is a wonderful oppurtunity I've been given- time to say good-bye.

I know I will return in time, but likely not permanantly and likely not for awhile. But what of that? I have had an experience that most people don't get- an inclusion into a foreign culture. Not that it feels foreign anymore really, but like Dorothy says: there's no place like home. And I will be glad to return at the end of August. I just might be a little sad for awhile.

A proper entry

Last night's entry was a bit pathetic. Now I shall tell you more about what I've been up to.

The Edinburgh Fringe is nothing like the Minneapolis one. Most of Minneapolis probably doesn't even know it happens. In Edinburgh, you know. The Royal Mile is sectioned off and filled with banners and all over people perform bits of their shows, do juggling, or play the bagpipes. There are lots of Bagpipes.

The weirdest thing I've come up against is that after five months of seeing theatre by myself in London and traveling alone through Europe, for the first time, I've felt ashamed about flying solo. Monday was 2 for 1 day. At one theatre they insisted on giving me the second ticket, despite my solo status. One for me and one for Harvey I guess. (Brownie Points for anyone who gets the reference.) And the tone of voice in which they ask "just one ticket then?" makes me want to pull a stranger off the street and buy them a ticket too, just to avoid that slight look of pity in ticket seller's eyes. But honestly, if I had a friend crazy enough to come to Edinburgh and see 5 shows a day with me... don't you think they'd be here? I just happen to be the craziest one in the group.

But never mind, I just try not to let them guilt me when I'm doing nothing worse than supporting the arts.

Good news by the way. Last night I learned that I will be directing for the Xperimental theater again this Autumn. Very exciting, because if I don't get in a rehearsal room soon, I will run mad. Luckily, I will be in rehearsal by September 12th and that should be soon enough to sooth my manic mind.

Fringe Faintness

I've seen 9 shows in the last two days. A couple were great and none of them were bad. Not too shabby for a fringe festival. However, all this theatre is making me really tired.

I'm being treated really well here, but it's hard to get used to the cold after my boiling hot July.

Safe and Sound in Scotland

After many hours and many miles of travel, I have arrived in Scotland. My wonderful host, Lindsay has made me feel right at home. She even got me a copy of the Fringe program. The blog will be getting a bit dull from here on out and I probably won't post as often as I have been. No one really wants a running tally of the shows I've seen.

My thoughts are in Minneapolis however, and the bridge tragedy. Britain, being the excellent news country it is, has reported the story in every paper I've seen and it's quite a shock to see photos of a bridge I've crossed countless times in pieces from halfway across the world.

Musings on Athens

My blogs have been short lately and tending toward the negative. But I don't want anyone taking away the notion that I dislike Athens. It is pitilessly hot, of course, but I knew that before I came. The architecture is mostly ugly, but there's an undenible charm to wondering through streets of identical ugly buildings to fall upon a 13th century church.

Their national guide at the parliment... wear fuzzy balls on the toes of their shoes, two-foot long tassles off their little red hats, and have nails on the bottoms of their shoes. The purpose of these nails is to be able to sound like a horse when they march, knee up, swing the lower leg, bring it down in a clop. All while pumping a closed fist on an extended arm. Someone must have thought it looked strong and intimidating. I think it belongs in Monty Python's "Ministry of Silly Walks"

The Metro system is very new, and it's amazing it ever got finished considering the numbers of archeology founds they discovered when they dug down. A lot of these are now displayed in the stations, so you're walking to your train and suddenly... a two thousand year old vase is on your left, with a section of ancient drainage system on your right. It's rather fun.

And the food is amazing. Spinach Pie, sesame rolls, chunks of grilled pork in a pita, moussaka, grilled swordfish. Everything I eat is delicious.

Tonight, if I can find it... I'm going to try to get to an outdoor cinema.