All the last few days have wound themselves up into Footsbarn, somehow or the other. Covered the parade where they shuffled around in disused public toilets with street kids. Fun though...
Last night was the cocktails and dinner. Long, very long three-hour show of Perchance to Dream. I fell asleep!! Then woke up at the play within a play in Midsummer Night's Dream and stayed wide awake through out. Paddy Hayter claimed to me that they stayed true to Shakespeare but I thought they took great liberties with the text; lapsing into different languages (and what is Shakespeare without the lines, pray?) and adding lines like there was no tomorrow. But it must be said that if Shakespeare was truly meant for the masses and to entertain, then Footsbarn really reflected that. There was mime, music, shadow play, puppets, film screenings and sooo much unflagging energy on the stage that it was incredible. They swept us away with the vigour and confidence of the production.
At the cocktails and dinner that followed, I was advised not to be 'too sweet' in my copy, promised a trip to London to interview Mark Knopfler and mum told Aru she wants to get me married at RS. To which of course Aru promptly said, "Oh we would never allow anything but plays here", to which she was reminded that everyone was in attendance at a dinner right now. Sponsor money can buy the world. Ha.
We are meant to perform the Maya Angelou pieces on Feb 24 at Windsor Manor. (If the WAKF board hasn't eaten it by then)
