Big Daddy and Baghdadis
April 26, 2012
Shakespeare's Birthday. We don't really know if it was the 23rd of April, so it might as well have been the 21st when we celebrated it on the streets of Stratford.
The great and the good assembled on Saturday to process to the church and lay flowers on the hallowed grave. I seemed to be the only current RSC actor in the procession, but had a wonderful time chatting and people watching.
Tim Piggot Smith slid amongst us; I've known him since Bristol University a hundred and fifty years ago, and it was great to catch up with him. There was a brilliant turn-out from King Edward VI School and it was fun spotting adolescent discomfort at carrying a pretty posy of flowers in public. Disdain spotting.
The Iraqi National Theatre Company had arrived in the middle of the night and joined the parade. Their enthusiasm was infectious. I loved the way they burst into song as we all entered the church. One could speculate about how and why a people who have suffered so much can so readily express such uninhibited jubilation.
This morning we had a Meet & Greet session with them. It was such a privilege to hear about life in Baghdad pre and post Saddam Hussein.
They have paid such an enormous price for their freedom, and as they talked about the balance of loss and gain I felt utterly humbled in my presumption to have made judgements in a position of such ignorance.
This visit is such a wonderful opportunity for the Iraqi company that has been so sequestered from the world for so long. And, of course, a great opportunity for us to witness and share their talent and their joy.
Photo: The Iraqis play at the Meet & Greet
by Nick Day
| No comments yet
Share this