md part otto...long and wordy
Oct. 17th, 2006 04:32 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
ptpgradWOW, what an intense and wonderful weekend. I have MOST of my voice and will be resting for the next few days before we all get to do it just one more time. Before that happens though…a recap of the weekend we just finished. Same disclaimers: names, times, order, events, will be forgotten, but I will do my best. And away we go…
SWORDS AND SIMPLICITY
Lelio and I head to site on Friday to drop off costumes, etc. and to try to work on the swordfight changes. The weather is chilly and crisp, but as we start working, we warm up. There is a burr on the handle of his sword, so he heads over to Kate C’s to get a file. I wander over and see Callie, who washes me merely so I will wash here with my wet hand. I do it happily. Back to sword fighting. It’s not bad, but we aren’t perfect in it yet, so we plan to work a bit each morning and not add it yet. Back to the house and eventually to prepare and sleep.
BRRRRRRRR
Ok, so the weather today promises to be a bit chilly with frost warnings and a high of 62. I get up and do my morning routine then head to the car…only to see thick frost on the glass. I pull out the scraper and clear the windows off. I leave the scraper in the house for the Lelios as I know they don’t have one, being from Southern CA. I head off to site with 4 layers on top and two on the bottom. At site, I head to Gatehouse to stretch and prepare. I have to short shrift my warm up to hit the privy. Then, to the Fortune Stage. They arrive and we run sound and the like. Once we finish, I have to run to the privy again. GRRRR, this is NOT going to be a good morning. Back out to the costume house and another visit. I begin to tell my body that it damn well better get it out of me now, cause it won’t be allowed after gate opens.
LAYERING GOODNESS
Once the costume house opens, I head out with my props and set up at Gatehouse. I have done this first because I wanted to leave every layer I could on as long as possible. Once that is done, I head inside and begin to change into Stupina. I have never been able to get another layer in the shoe with my foot, but I figure it’s worth a try and add a thin set of socks. While not exciting, they are another layer and that helps. I don’t have any other underlayers to add, so I have just the costume. I then add Edina on top and grab my Stupina face, scarf, cloak and other essentials. And then set them down to go to the privy again. Joy.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Off to morning meeting and the masses of huddled actors. We hear about the massive crowds from the week before and wonder about where this weekend is going to be with the over all good weather. We boom and head toward opening gate...with a break at the privy again. This is the last time I can do so in approximate privacy and I tell my body that it's now or never. I get my rose and head to the stairs after depositing my cloak, face and bota. My scarf stays with me to keep me warm. While I am "backstage," I see a huge crowd in the audience and more cars just pouring in. We are going to be slammed. While I might not sound pretty, I am vocally wandering all around my range and it isn't hurting me at all. My rose is still in tact when I hit Zack Rackham in the head and the rose explodes into a myriad of petals floating around his head. It gets a huge laugh, as does Weatherby's line about the bloom being off the rose. I destroy Eleanor's rose again as it's time for his Maj to enter. We have taken to trying to upstage each other to get the nobility's attention as they enter, personally, I started waving in front of the other ladies faces trying to block them. Eleanor is starting to fight back. The King flirts outrageously with us, the cannon booms, and I say goodbye to my daughters before the I rush down to meet the crowds.
SPEEDY STUPINA
With BlueEowyn's help, I transition quickly into Stupina and add on the cloak, scarf, gloves, and bota to keep warm. I get out while the crowd is rushing in to greet them "Goodbye." After getting permission, Diego, Random not Mrs. Pugh, and I give out a brief village tour, just to keep the tradition going. When the crowd dies down, I do my normal greeting to the crowds hoping that my body will keep it together until after my show. As I begin hawking, I realize that won't happen and with 5 minutes before I start, I rush to the privy. I tell my body it has exactly one minute to get out what it needs to, and it seems to listen. I grab hand sanitizer on the way to the stage (and chuckle at the irony) and go back to hawking with 3 minutes left. I rush to the stage and begin.
LESSON LEARNED
Shirley U. Jest is my reader and asking her name does bring amusement to the show. I am feeling really off though. It started with the privy and then, when I start, I begin to choke and am tring to perform through the coughing that I am trying to hide. I finally get that settled to find my shoe break. I am totally outside the show watching it happen. I am doing whatever I can to refocus myself, but it isn't very successful. I am realizing though, that the writing, physical memory and character are strong enough, that the audience is still laughing, and more than I expect with all the problems I am having. It reminded me of the dilemna of a broadway actor having to do the show 8 times a week and how they get days where they feel they are phoning it in. The lesson is, if you do the homework before then, you will still have a good performance for the audience. I was glad they were happy with it, but it will not go down as my best performance in my mind, though I did find a new bit of business from the broken shoe.
FREE HUGS
So this past week, I was rather inspiried by something that I was shown on YouTube (see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4&mode=related&search= ). Because of it, I went to Home Despot on Friday and got a sheet of wood 2 by 2 and white paint. I painted the wood and painted the words "Free Hugs" on it. Once props were packed and back, I took the sign and headed out to the streets. The experience was amazing. I entered site at Customer Service. Within a minute, I had my first hug from a boothie and almost immediately after from a patron. Everyone came for hugs: every age, every gender, every color, every subgroup, and I couldn't guess who would and who wouldn't. Men in wheelchairs and little children running out of their strollers to collide with my chest and let me enfold them in my arms. Participants, Patrons, Playtrons, everyone. In an hour and twenty minutes, I had only moved from Customer service to near the souvenier booth (not even to the fountain). I had lines of people wanting to hug me when they saw me hugging someone else and read the sign. I was at the entrance, so the flow of traffic was coming at me and the hugs often were fast and furious. I was complimented on the quality of my hugs and the joy of the idea. My arm/shoulder/elbow were killing me, but I didn't mind. I was absolutely bubbling from excitement and joy. There were little to no people who were negative. It was a tremendous experience and I left site, only because I had to, with the knowledge that I was definitely doing this again.
MORE FREE HUGS
When I get backstage, I run into one of the Palmer girls who almost bursts into tears when she sees my sign. She had also seen the link and been touched by it. She tells me her mom needs to see it and I oblige. As I am changing into Columbina, we speak of the show and how it manifested for me on street today. I am still bubbling. I am buoyant when I enter site and head to get my steak on a stake. The lines are long and I head to the back to gather my meal. Once out on site, the normal tables I sit are full, so I head toward O'shucks and sit with random patrons, who happen to include Imbri66 in from St. Louis and two complete strangers in mundanes. We chat and talk about good shows, good fun, and traveling for performing. The people seem interested and I am glad that, by fluke, I was able to see a friendly face I knew. I head off to take care of the other major need today.
PRIVY DUTY
I know with the crowds like this, the lines at the privy are going to be bad. When I get to the Joust privy (after dropping of just the cloak) I see the line and head in. Mimi is doing it and I begin to assist. She leaves as another arrives and then Queen Maggie, then Betram, then, then...besides Maggie and I, the extras keep changing. I have set my mug on the ground near my scarf and gloves. I tell people to come in and stop at the mug, BUT DON"T USE IT. Trust me, some men asked. Of course, I lost my water when someone walked over my mug and ignored it. Joy. After about an hour of changing people and the moving line, we finally end it. In triumph. I head to try Kenwood and the other privy and ATM.
MONEY ANYONE?
I make the Kenwood line move quickly and then move to the ATM. Again, I ask them about the line and the money. They inform me that I can only have the money if I have a card, but I don't have a card, so I can't be in the line. Sigh. At least they are laughing. I chat with other down the line in "hopes" that someone will have an extra card to lend me. Eventually, Lady Kytson stops and I ask her if she has a card, she tells me she just goes to her exchequer and asks for money and he gives it to her. But no, she has no card either. Finally, it's time to head back toward the Fortune to prepare.
PREPARATIONS ON YOUR FEET
They go easily and tshirt boy comes in a bit latish, but not by much. I expected it with the current crowds. The stage is a bit late again, but this is no surprise. We are able to start pretty much on time and the show seems to be ok. We have always talked about if Lelio loses the wooing, what we would do, but we have never had to bother before, until today. Our Bob, while playful and fun with me, becomes the overkill super-homophobe and won't even accept the the "Free Beer" joke. Lelio whispers "change the swordfight" and I cheer that I won. Not pleasant. We were able to change it easily enough, I just don't drop and do the normal spin, but it was really odd. The rest of the show goes well and the slo mo is fine. After the fact I think of all the funny things I could have done if we change stuff, but there was nothing I could do, I just know it was a bit disappointing energy wise for me, but the crowd still died well, so I was not worried.
MY TURN
After the show, it's my turn to take the special stuff to the car. I walk with tshirt boy and he drops off the shirt items while I finish car duty. I head back out and know I will need hot food as my toes are still a bit cold. I am well enough with the gloves and scarf, so I leave the cloak. I get my Scotch Egg and sit with patrons. They are also a bit off and not as playful. Hrm. Seems to be the way. I head to pub and that is pleasant enough, though I do notice more conversations happening in the back now. Soon enough, the show is over and it's time to go out. I audibly yell mush as the court and I start to exit. At the costume house, we are all chilled and sharing stories as we change. I put back on my 4 layers and go out to figure out where to eat. One other and I choose a quiet chinese dinner and split our meals. It's a lovely evening, but it is so very much time for me to go to bed. I crawl into my down comforter and nasal spray and call it a night.
BRRRR AGAIN
But not AS cold as the other day. There is still frost, so I scrape windows and leave the scraper for the californians. That is, after I wake them up as their alarm didn't go off. I get to site and have more time to stretch as my system is settled. I get to Fortune and prepare everything for the Lelio's arrival. We get through the fight and the sound check easily. It is so infuriating. Every morning we check the sound and it's great, little to no of ANY ringing, clear, etc. Every afternoon, when I get there, the second our mics get near each other, they ring. All I can figure is the ambient mics around us are feeding into our channels, but it makes me crazy. They go off to brekkies and I head over to get ready for the morning.
MORNING
I get to the costume house and there is no one else there yet. I lay down and close my eyes in my layers of clothing. Eventually, it opens and I set props, including the heel I "fixed" the night before and the rest of the items. The last thing I do is get dressed and add layers. I bring my cloak along with me and rush out to pick up an item from the pottery booth that they are holding for me and get it back to the costume house before cast call starts. At morning meeting, we hear that a good lady who has been missing will be by to visit and we are pleased to hear it. We hear vagueries about numbers and hope for clarification on them. We hear plans for final cast party dinner, we hear about Fido's for Freedom and beep. On the way to the gate, I am amused to see almost half the cast stopping to pet the puppies. I feel really awful for the French Poodle who is working and can't get pets. That is a life I don't think I would want, were I a dog.
LAYERS NOT
I go to the privy, get my rose and head toward the stairs. Again, I see a huge crowd outside, but the cars are flowing in a bit lighter, we will still be slammed. The show goes well and the crowds laugh. I am messing up some of my lines though and think ironically of the day's guest and how appropos that is. Once the show is over, I head downstairs and realize I do not need my cloak so BlueEowyn returns it with Edina and I head out to welcome the crowds. We have another tour, we welcome alot. I wander and sleep on some people and direct others. It is feeling like a better day. As it is close to Stupina time. I head toward the stage to do the final set. I start placing out props and then start to hawk. The audience seems playful. Today, Catherine Edgecombe is reading and is getting more and more disgruntled with me, much to the audience's amusement. It is also the day for Deaf Awareness and the reader is helping out in my show. At one point, Catherine notes I should have my hair in big bouncy curls. As she says that, I happen to look at her and see the signer doing the most amusing gesture. I ask Catherine to say it again. I start laughing and tell her to look at the signer as she says it. Catherine is also now hooked on "big bouncy curls" and says it about 3 times before we realize we have to move on. Bob is pretty playful and the show goes well. I remember to thank the ASL lady, and clean up quickly as those curls added a minute to the show. They were too good to pass up though.
HUGGING AGAIN
Once props are packed an tshirts are put away (YOU KNOW YOU WANT ONE...only two more days to get one), I head back out with my sign. Entering again at customer service, I decide to head into the faire, just to see what traffic does. Once inside, I notice a different feeling overall. I still get all types hugging me, but there is more negative energy and more naysayers. Initially, most of my hugs are from participants and playtrons. As I keep going, I start to adjust by holding out my arm so that they realize I am not just being funny, but am actually offering the hugs. Goths love me. Once that arm is out, the hugs start coming. One little girl with her face painted comes barreling toward me and almost breaks my heart, I hug a gentleman in a wheelchair, who was sourfaced before I approached and smiled as I finished hugging him. I head toward the slide and hug those in the line who are waiting and back down stub toe toward Hengrave. I hug most of Hengrave's staff and the Duke of Norfolk with his companion. I head toward the front and have 13 minutes to get to customer service again. I barely make it in time with all the stops. I promise myself to try ANOTHER path next weekend to see if I can walk the entire faire before the season is over.
DINNER AND PRIVIES
So I finish my change hearing that pretty hair boy is sad he didn't get the cloak stuck in the tree. I head out to my steak, but with the cold, I am craving something more. I end up borrowing a wood bowl from the steak booth and getting fries with my steak. I sit with a group of young twenty somethings and chat. It takes them a little while to open up, but by the end, we are chatting over their dirt cake and chocolate chip cookies. Did I mention I miss chocolate...sigh. Ok, so enough of that, I head directly to the privy by the joust. Today, we have a vendor, a weird patron, another patron, Maggie, myself and Bertram. We clear the line relatively quickly and I am pleased about that. So I head back to the ATM line and get the Kenwood privy line to go away and then chat with the patrons in the money line. That is quick, so I head toward the pony ride line and chat with that group after standing at the fountain and talking to the crowd for a moment or two. Finally, it's time for the show prep and I head backstage.
TIME OK
Today is Emrys' last day so there is suddenly vast amounts of space backstage that wasn't there before. It makes moving props out easier and I am prepped pretty quickly, but it also means I don't see all of them. Lelio arrives and we note that the Squire looks to be ending close to time. Then he asks me where the gun is...um, it's still in my trunk from the night before...CRAP. Isabella (mrs lelio) asks where my keys are and heads off to get the stuff before the show starts...it would be the day that things are on schedule. Lelio goes out and hawks while I set the props, Isabella arrives and I hawk while Lelio loads the prop. We start on time, wow. The show is good today. Playful, the Bob is better, his audience defects to me, the swordfight is silly, the slow mo has a few new lines and better laughs, I am feeling pretty good about it. The deaths are not as copious, but those that die do it well.
WANDERINGS
I pack props with Tshirt boy and we wander back out to street. I have 15 minutes more on the clock, so I go and work the Kenwood atm/privy area once more. I wander into the village and debate on what to eat. I head toward Nobless and get handed a gift that was waiting for redistribution, a package from bullseye, another gift from Hemloche, and I hide it all as best I can. I am greeted by a man I only know from the etherial world and we chat face to face. I regale people with tales of my birthday ring and am warmed by a kindly stranger. Eventually, I end up in the pub looking for a friend who had some materials for me. Today feels more normal. Many people having fun in the back, good energy and then I see Trinket. I pull her aside for a more serious conversation and we find that men are coming up to us while we are chatting. Um, sorry, we aren't available for a moment. It's actually rather amusing. I guess we make a good combination. She is donating Nymblewyck's coat as she is a tiny thing and I have another chat with Vyxen. It's cold again, but it feels good today. At the end of the show, I head to meet the royalty and realize that the bells hadn't sounded. They ring and take me off guard. I cry bit.
ENDINGS
Finally, we escort Maggie out, a small gathering, but enough I jump off at the end and head backstage to warm up. I change again to more tales of amusement and am invited to an italian dinner. HOW can I resist that? I pack up ALL my stuff and head out after getting to talk with the lady who had been missed. I leave site and meet with friends. The gentleman who is working the restaurant is taken with my Italian accent and starts to ask me about how I learned and how much I know. It is amusement to me as he tells me he will deliver to my house...but they don't do delivery I discover. Dinner is a festive affair and I get to taste an number of other dishes I didn't order and relish my antipasto that I do have. Finally, we close the restaurant down and head for home.
Only one left, this one should be a doozy.
Saturday, Zack Rackham will be reading the Girlie book
Sunday, Maid Marian will finish the season for me.
Don't miss it, this is going to be FUN!
SWORDS AND SIMPLICITY
Lelio and I head to site on Friday to drop off costumes, etc. and to try to work on the swordfight changes. The weather is chilly and crisp, but as we start working, we warm up. There is a burr on the handle of his sword, so he heads over to Kate C’s to get a file. I wander over and see Callie, who washes me merely so I will wash here with my wet hand. I do it happily. Back to sword fighting. It’s not bad, but we aren’t perfect in it yet, so we plan to work a bit each morning and not add it yet. Back to the house and eventually to prepare and sleep.
BRRRRRRRR
Ok, so the weather today promises to be a bit chilly with frost warnings and a high of 62. I get up and do my morning routine then head to the car…only to see thick frost on the glass. I pull out the scraper and clear the windows off. I leave the scraper in the house for the Lelios as I know they don’t have one, being from Southern CA. I head off to site with 4 layers on top and two on the bottom. At site, I head to Gatehouse to stretch and prepare. I have to short shrift my warm up to hit the privy. Then, to the Fortune Stage. They arrive and we run sound and the like. Once we finish, I have to run to the privy again. GRRRR, this is NOT going to be a good morning. Back out to the costume house and another visit. I begin to tell my body that it damn well better get it out of me now, cause it won’t be allowed after gate opens.
LAYERING GOODNESS
Once the costume house opens, I head out with my props and set up at Gatehouse. I have done this first because I wanted to leave every layer I could on as long as possible. Once that is done, I head inside and begin to change into Stupina. I have never been able to get another layer in the shoe with my foot, but I figure it’s worth a try and add a thin set of socks. While not exciting, they are another layer and that helps. I don’t have any other underlayers to add, so I have just the costume. I then add Edina on top and grab my Stupina face, scarf, cloak and other essentials. And then set them down to go to the privy again. Joy.
BOOM BOOM BOOM
Off to morning meeting and the masses of huddled actors. We hear about the massive crowds from the week before and wonder about where this weekend is going to be with the over all good weather. We boom and head toward opening gate...with a break at the privy again. This is the last time I can do so in approximate privacy and I tell my body that it's now or never. I get my rose and head to the stairs after depositing my cloak, face and bota. My scarf stays with me to keep me warm. While I am "backstage," I see a huge crowd in the audience and more cars just pouring in. We are going to be slammed. While I might not sound pretty, I am vocally wandering all around my range and it isn't hurting me at all. My rose is still in tact when I hit Zack Rackham in the head and the rose explodes into a myriad of petals floating around his head. It gets a huge laugh, as does Weatherby's line about the bloom being off the rose. I destroy Eleanor's rose again as it's time for his Maj to enter. We have taken to trying to upstage each other to get the nobility's attention as they enter, personally, I started waving in front of the other ladies faces trying to block them. Eleanor is starting to fight back. The King flirts outrageously with us, the cannon booms, and I say goodbye to my daughters before the I rush down to meet the crowds.
SPEEDY STUPINA
With BlueEowyn's help, I transition quickly into Stupina and add on the cloak, scarf, gloves, and bota to keep warm. I get out while the crowd is rushing in to greet them "Goodbye." After getting permission, Diego, Random not Mrs. Pugh, and I give out a brief village tour, just to keep the tradition going. When the crowd dies down, I do my normal greeting to the crowds hoping that my body will keep it together until after my show. As I begin hawking, I realize that won't happen and with 5 minutes before I start, I rush to the privy. I tell my body it has exactly one minute to get out what it needs to, and it seems to listen. I grab hand sanitizer on the way to the stage (and chuckle at the irony) and go back to hawking with 3 minutes left. I rush to the stage and begin.
LESSON LEARNED
Shirley U. Jest is my reader and asking her name does bring amusement to the show. I am feeling really off though. It started with the privy and then, when I start, I begin to choke and am tring to perform through the coughing that I am trying to hide. I finally get that settled to find my shoe break. I am totally outside the show watching it happen. I am doing whatever I can to refocus myself, but it isn't very successful. I am realizing though, that the writing, physical memory and character are strong enough, that the audience is still laughing, and more than I expect with all the problems I am having. It reminded me of the dilemna of a broadway actor having to do the show 8 times a week and how they get days where they feel they are phoning it in. The lesson is, if you do the homework before then, you will still have a good performance for the audience. I was glad they were happy with it, but it will not go down as my best performance in my mind, though I did find a new bit of business from the broken shoe.
FREE HUGS
So this past week, I was rather inspiried by something that I was shown on YouTube (see it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vr3x_RRJdd4&mode=related&search= ). Because of it, I went to Home Despot on Friday and got a sheet of wood 2 by 2 and white paint. I painted the wood and painted the words "Free Hugs" on it. Once props were packed and back, I took the sign and headed out to the streets. The experience was amazing. I entered site at Customer Service. Within a minute, I had my first hug from a boothie and almost immediately after from a patron. Everyone came for hugs: every age, every gender, every color, every subgroup, and I couldn't guess who would and who wouldn't. Men in wheelchairs and little children running out of their strollers to collide with my chest and let me enfold them in my arms. Participants, Patrons, Playtrons, everyone. In an hour and twenty minutes, I had only moved from Customer service to near the souvenier booth (not even to the fountain). I had lines of people wanting to hug me when they saw me hugging someone else and read the sign. I was at the entrance, so the flow of traffic was coming at me and the hugs often were fast and furious. I was complimented on the quality of my hugs and the joy of the idea. My arm/shoulder/elbow were killing me, but I didn't mind. I was absolutely bubbling from excitement and joy. There were little to no people who were negative. It was a tremendous experience and I left site, only because I had to, with the knowledge that I was definitely doing this again.
MORE FREE HUGS
When I get backstage, I run into one of the Palmer girls who almost bursts into tears when she sees my sign. She had also seen the link and been touched by it. She tells me her mom needs to see it and I oblige. As I am changing into Columbina, we speak of the show and how it manifested for me on street today. I am still bubbling. I am buoyant when I enter site and head to get my steak on a stake. The lines are long and I head to the back to gather my meal. Once out on site, the normal tables I sit are full, so I head toward O'shucks and sit with random patrons, who happen to include Imbri66 in from St. Louis and two complete strangers in mundanes. We chat and talk about good shows, good fun, and traveling for performing. The people seem interested and I am glad that, by fluke, I was able to see a friendly face I knew. I head off to take care of the other major need today.
PRIVY DUTY
I know with the crowds like this, the lines at the privy are going to be bad. When I get to the Joust privy (after dropping of just the cloak) I see the line and head in. Mimi is doing it and I begin to assist. She leaves as another arrives and then Queen Maggie, then Betram, then, then...besides Maggie and I, the extras keep changing. I have set my mug on the ground near my scarf and gloves. I tell people to come in and stop at the mug, BUT DON"T USE IT. Trust me, some men asked. Of course, I lost my water when someone walked over my mug and ignored it. Joy. After about an hour of changing people and the moving line, we finally end it. In triumph. I head to try Kenwood and the other privy and ATM.
MONEY ANYONE?
I make the Kenwood line move quickly and then move to the ATM. Again, I ask them about the line and the money. They inform me that I can only have the money if I have a card, but I don't have a card, so I can't be in the line. Sigh. At least they are laughing. I chat with other down the line in "hopes" that someone will have an extra card to lend me. Eventually, Lady Kytson stops and I ask her if she has a card, she tells me she just goes to her exchequer and asks for money and he gives it to her. But no, she has no card either. Finally, it's time to head back toward the Fortune to prepare.
PREPARATIONS ON YOUR FEET
They go easily and tshirt boy comes in a bit latish, but not by much. I expected it with the current crowds. The stage is a bit late again, but this is no surprise. We are able to start pretty much on time and the show seems to be ok. We have always talked about if Lelio loses the wooing, what we would do, but we have never had to bother before, until today. Our Bob, while playful and fun with me, becomes the overkill super-homophobe and won't even accept the the "Free Beer" joke. Lelio whispers "change the swordfight" and I cheer that I won. Not pleasant. We were able to change it easily enough, I just don't drop and do the normal spin, but it was really odd. The rest of the show goes well and the slo mo is fine. After the fact I think of all the funny things I could have done if we change stuff, but there was nothing I could do, I just know it was a bit disappointing energy wise for me, but the crowd still died well, so I was not worried.
MY TURN
After the show, it's my turn to take the special stuff to the car. I walk with tshirt boy and he drops off the shirt items while I finish car duty. I head back out and know I will need hot food as my toes are still a bit cold. I am well enough with the gloves and scarf, so I leave the cloak. I get my Scotch Egg and sit with patrons. They are also a bit off and not as playful. Hrm. Seems to be the way. I head to pub and that is pleasant enough, though I do notice more conversations happening in the back now. Soon enough, the show is over and it's time to go out. I audibly yell mush as the court and I start to exit. At the costume house, we are all chilled and sharing stories as we change. I put back on my 4 layers and go out to figure out where to eat. One other and I choose a quiet chinese dinner and split our meals. It's a lovely evening, but it is so very much time for me to go to bed. I crawl into my down comforter and nasal spray and call it a night.
BRRRR AGAIN
But not AS cold as the other day. There is still frost, so I scrape windows and leave the scraper for the californians. That is, after I wake them up as their alarm didn't go off. I get to site and have more time to stretch as my system is settled. I get to Fortune and prepare everything for the Lelio's arrival. We get through the fight and the sound check easily. It is so infuriating. Every morning we check the sound and it's great, little to no of ANY ringing, clear, etc. Every afternoon, when I get there, the second our mics get near each other, they ring. All I can figure is the ambient mics around us are feeding into our channels, but it makes me crazy. They go off to brekkies and I head over to get ready for the morning.
MORNING
I get to the costume house and there is no one else there yet. I lay down and close my eyes in my layers of clothing. Eventually, it opens and I set props, including the heel I "fixed" the night before and the rest of the items. The last thing I do is get dressed and add layers. I bring my cloak along with me and rush out to pick up an item from the pottery booth that they are holding for me and get it back to the costume house before cast call starts. At morning meeting, we hear that a good lady who has been missing will be by to visit and we are pleased to hear it. We hear vagueries about numbers and hope for clarification on them. We hear plans for final cast party dinner, we hear about Fido's for Freedom and beep. On the way to the gate, I am amused to see almost half the cast stopping to pet the puppies. I feel really awful for the French Poodle who is working and can't get pets. That is a life I don't think I would want, were I a dog.
LAYERS NOT
I go to the privy, get my rose and head toward the stairs. Again, I see a huge crowd outside, but the cars are flowing in a bit lighter, we will still be slammed. The show goes well and the crowds laugh. I am messing up some of my lines though and think ironically of the day's guest and how appropos that is. Once the show is over, I head downstairs and realize I do not need my cloak so BlueEowyn returns it with Edina and I head out to welcome the crowds. We have another tour, we welcome alot. I wander and sleep on some people and direct others. It is feeling like a better day. As it is close to Stupina time. I head toward the stage to do the final set. I start placing out props and then start to hawk. The audience seems playful. Today, Catherine Edgecombe is reading and is getting more and more disgruntled with me, much to the audience's amusement. It is also the day for Deaf Awareness and the reader is helping out in my show. At one point, Catherine notes I should have my hair in big bouncy curls. As she says that, I happen to look at her and see the signer doing the most amusing gesture. I ask Catherine to say it again. I start laughing and tell her to look at the signer as she says it. Catherine is also now hooked on "big bouncy curls" and says it about 3 times before we realize we have to move on. Bob is pretty playful and the show goes well. I remember to thank the ASL lady, and clean up quickly as those curls added a minute to the show. They were too good to pass up though.
HUGGING AGAIN
Once props are packed an tshirts are put away (YOU KNOW YOU WANT ONE...only two more days to get one), I head back out with my sign. Entering again at customer service, I decide to head into the faire, just to see what traffic does. Once inside, I notice a different feeling overall. I still get all types hugging me, but there is more negative energy and more naysayers. Initially, most of my hugs are from participants and playtrons. As I keep going, I start to adjust by holding out my arm so that they realize I am not just being funny, but am actually offering the hugs. Goths love me. Once that arm is out, the hugs start coming. One little girl with her face painted comes barreling toward me and almost breaks my heart, I hug a gentleman in a wheelchair, who was sourfaced before I approached and smiled as I finished hugging him. I head toward the slide and hug those in the line who are waiting and back down stub toe toward Hengrave. I hug most of Hengrave's staff and the Duke of Norfolk with his companion. I head toward the front and have 13 minutes to get to customer service again. I barely make it in time with all the stops. I promise myself to try ANOTHER path next weekend to see if I can walk the entire faire before the season is over.
DINNER AND PRIVIES
So I finish my change hearing that pretty hair boy is sad he didn't get the cloak stuck in the tree. I head out to my steak, but with the cold, I am craving something more. I end up borrowing a wood bowl from the steak booth and getting fries with my steak. I sit with a group of young twenty somethings and chat. It takes them a little while to open up, but by the end, we are chatting over their dirt cake and chocolate chip cookies. Did I mention I miss chocolate...sigh. Ok, so enough of that, I head directly to the privy by the joust. Today, we have a vendor, a weird patron, another patron, Maggie, myself and Bertram. We clear the line relatively quickly and I am pleased about that. So I head back to the ATM line and get the Kenwood privy line to go away and then chat with the patrons in the money line. That is quick, so I head toward the pony ride line and chat with that group after standing at the fountain and talking to the crowd for a moment or two. Finally, it's time for the show prep and I head backstage.
TIME OK
Today is Emrys' last day so there is suddenly vast amounts of space backstage that wasn't there before. It makes moving props out easier and I am prepped pretty quickly, but it also means I don't see all of them. Lelio arrives and we note that the Squire looks to be ending close to time. Then he asks me where the gun is...um, it's still in my trunk from the night before...CRAP. Isabella (mrs lelio) asks where my keys are and heads off to get the stuff before the show starts...it would be the day that things are on schedule. Lelio goes out and hawks while I set the props, Isabella arrives and I hawk while Lelio loads the prop. We start on time, wow. The show is good today. Playful, the Bob is better, his audience defects to me, the swordfight is silly, the slow mo has a few new lines and better laughs, I am feeling pretty good about it. The deaths are not as copious, but those that die do it well.
WANDERINGS
I pack props with Tshirt boy and we wander back out to street. I have 15 minutes more on the clock, so I go and work the Kenwood atm/privy area once more. I wander into the village and debate on what to eat. I head toward Nobless and get handed a gift that was waiting for redistribution, a package from bullseye, another gift from Hemloche, and I hide it all as best I can. I am greeted by a man I only know from the etherial world and we chat face to face. I regale people with tales of my birthday ring and am warmed by a kindly stranger. Eventually, I end up in the pub looking for a friend who had some materials for me. Today feels more normal. Many people having fun in the back, good energy and then I see Trinket. I pull her aside for a more serious conversation and we find that men are coming up to us while we are chatting. Um, sorry, we aren't available for a moment. It's actually rather amusing. I guess we make a good combination. She is donating Nymblewyck's coat as she is a tiny thing and I have another chat with Vyxen. It's cold again, but it feels good today. At the end of the show, I head to meet the royalty and realize that the bells hadn't sounded. They ring and take me off guard. I cry bit.
ENDINGS
Finally, we escort Maggie out, a small gathering, but enough I jump off at the end and head backstage to warm up. I change again to more tales of amusement and am invited to an italian dinner. HOW can I resist that? I pack up ALL my stuff and head out after getting to talk with the lady who had been missed. I leave site and meet with friends. The gentleman who is working the restaurant is taken with my Italian accent and starts to ask me about how I learned and how much I know. It is amusement to me as he tells me he will deliver to my house...but they don't do delivery I discover. Dinner is a festive affair and I get to taste an number of other dishes I didn't order and relish my antipasto that I do have. Finally, we close the restaurant down and head for home.
Only one left, this one should be a doozy.
Saturday, Zack Rackham will be reading the Girlie book
Sunday, Maid Marian will finish the season for me.
Don't miss it, this is going to be FUN!