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History ensemble member Nick Asbury on being grumpy...
Grumpy old men
Sleep. I have begun to reacquaint myself with it over the last for or five days. And readers, isn't it just great? Jeez, I'd forgotten how nice it is.
 I haven't written in a while because we were so busy up until Wednesday of last week and then I had a whole day off and then after that, frankly, I just couldn't be bothered. We did a lovely Part II on Friday night and then a nice little couple of Henry Vs on Saturday. All three shows I really really enjoyed. This is the part of the project where I can sit back and really let go and enjoy the thing. The simple act of playing in a costume every night. Shouting in the evenings (as Patrick Troughton once said about acting).
I'm beginning to love playing Pistol even more. And Bushy in Richard II is such a weirdo that I'm just beginning to rather enjoy him too. Michael gave me a note about him the other day which basically said just to enjoy and celebrate the beauty and impenetrability of the words Our Man Will gives Bushy. In other words, nobody's going to understand a word I say but if I say it nicely people like it anyway. Which is fine by me. Story of my life.
Having time off, after being so busy, takes a bit of time getting used too. It was only two days - Sunday and Monday - but it felt like 3 weeks. I even had a meeting yesterday (Monday) for the Artists' Forum which the RSC runs. I turned up grumpy from the start but inwardly, I was very happy. I think what made me grumpy was the whitewashed sterilisation of a once lovely building that was once the Union Club on Chapel Lane.
From the outside they have achieved the unique feat of turning it from a nice looking late Georgian building into something resembling a cross between a disused mental home and a business park. The room in which we sat could have been in any room in any office in Anytown, Dumbandblandshire. The RSC, to my mind, is the greatest theatre company in the world and certainly the best THEATRE company I've ever worked for. Their support, welfare systems, practice and brief are the best I have ever known and it is a community and family I will always cherish. We have to remember also that all the actors, directors, designers, stage crew, wardrobe, wigs, everyone, we are all rogues and vagabonds. I know I am. We don't live normally. I made a decision when I was sixteen that I was never going to work in some bland corporate office. I was hopefully going to create something and I was going to live that life. Be silly. Be joyful. And the RSC has been a prime contributor to me being able to do that. We should never be bland.
I said as much in the meeting and then, of course, felt very tired cos it was my day off. So I went to the pub and had a glass of wine - just because I could. Went home and fell asleep, dribbling, on the sofa. Sleep again. Perchance to dream. Now THAT, my friends, is a DAY OFF.
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About blogger Nick
Likes: Cricket and music. Fields and dark pubs with no music
Dislikes: Lager, crowded streets and light bars with music |
