Woke up feeling considerably worse, so cancelled my Spoken English class.
Then had considerable difficulty connecting my laptop to the internet, in any of the usual locations. Which caused me considerable difficulties, since without it there were various chores I was unable to manage. In the end, the people in Room 11 (the exams office at SPA) after some initial puzzlement, were able to get it working; I suspect by that old trick of turning it off and then on again. Which I think I had tried, though perhaps not with sufficient finality (restarting doesn’t work, I have discovered.)
Struggled to rehearsal, with all three that were required present! Plus Pranita/Lady Capulet, who had mistaken the date, and arrived for rehearsal precisely twenty-four hours late. Steady progress was made. My perception is that other directors try at a very early stage to obtain exactly what they want. My own approach is to build slowly, gradually improving over the course of the rehearsal period. Probably this is a combination of my own more laid-back approach, but also because I am often working with inexperienced actors, leading them in small steps towards the desired result. (And if that is not achieved, well that is the consequence.) Romeo is a bit too stupidly melodramatic; Juliet too understated (and far too quiet); the Nurse combines startling perception with occasional chronic lapses in understanding – where she is to come on from, for example. But, like I say, progress.
I then had a brief meeting with the contractor who supplies SPA with its staging and decorative needs, who seemed to think everything was manageable, and would be supplying staging, carpet, screens and stage lighting two days before the performance.
And then, while the others went off to do a second photoshoot – I had assumed the photographer knew what he was doing for the previous effort, when clearly he didn’t – I sidled off home, nose running, throat like sandpaper, feeling very sorry for myself.
I hope you’re feeling better, Chris.