Which is the special circle of Hell which involves over-caffeinated and
sugared teens in a tiny space at high speed? And for whom is it reserved? Do
I qualify?
Obviously I must. For my sins, that's where I am.
Yup, our Young Company production of Trevor Nunn's Peter Pan, (a truly
charming adaptation) was designed and rehearsed for the outdoor 'bowl' at
Hockley Highlands, a large natural amphitheatre depression in the parkland
of the resort and conference centre.
The audience was to be seated, in awe and wonderment, at the base of the
bowl, and the play to transpire, in dizzying circles, around them on the
slopes. There are natural features we've been taking advantage of, trees and
hills and dips. It was still going to be a whirlwind of a show, but a
natural for an outdoors production.
However, Nature seems to have taken a scunner to us, and suddenly, after a
hot sunny summer, we've suddenly hit the rainy season. We had to mive
yesterday's dress rehearsals indoors, and there's a good chance that today's
shows will be inside as well.
Now the indoor space is rather attractive, but not at all designed for
theatre in the round as played by galloping teenagers!
It felt much like the first exciting days of Earthquake! in Sensurround
must have felt to movie-goers.
(Yes, the earth moved for me.)
The volume, the movement, the blurring speed of it all! Ack!
Combine that with the usual mind and soul-numbing chaos of 24 teenagers
trying to find their costumes (even when sorted and hung neatly on a
well-labelled costume rack) and trying to figure out how to put them on
(remember when I mentioned last year that human clothing seemed to be a
great enigma to these kids?), and then add the post-apocalyptic aftermath of
them removing said costumes.....
Well, I can only assume I must have been a sinner of phenomenal
proportions!
So, from the Circle....
This is Anti-V saying.......
"help me, hhheeeeelllllpppppppp meeeeeeeeeeeeeee"
