azdak

Wolfgang's grandfather died last week. He was 87, and looking around at the assembled mourners, I couldn't help thinking that Ogden Nash nailed it:

People expect old men to die,
They do not really mourn old men.
Old men are different. People look
At them with eyes that wonder when...
People watch with unshocked eyes;
But the old men know when an old man dies.


In other news, the play is continuing apace, but my rehearsal schedule is getting ever more complicated and I still lack two actors. Honestly, it's like trying to herd cats. I'm pretty pleased with the first scene (soldier/rent boy), largely because my rent boy is such a wonderful actor - he's going to be playing Mikhal for me in The Pillowman, and I really can't wait to get cracking on that. The other scenes (that I've been able to work on) aren't quite as far advanced - they're technically okay but still lack the emotional depth, but we're getting there. And I've finally persuaded my set deisgner that, brilliant as her concepts are, they're no good if I can't actually get my actors on and off stage in the way I've envisaged, and she's now come up with something that's usable, so I can gear rehearsals towards an actual space and tighten up the blocking.

First night is Jan 19, which is terrifyingly close, especially with the Christmas break interfering with rehearsals. Oh well, it'll be all right on the night. I hope.