First Entry - in two senses

Two weeks ago to the day I ventured into what is to be a 6-month adventure living in the isolated wilds of Tasmania. I only found out yesterday how bloody isolated!! The buses out of here are almost impossible!!

But not to start this, my first entry on a whinging note - I am working in Strahan, Tasmania, with a company called Round Earth Theatre - what, a full-time acting job?? They exist?? Yes, but for folk like me, it requires travelling to the ends of the earth. But it is a beautiful little spot here, and I have been wanting to experience life outside the big smoke again for quite a while... and this certainly is about as close to 'the little smoke' as u get.

Since I've been here I've been meaning to start a diary, a journal record of my experiences, but the problem with paper is u always lose it, and then it just clutters ur room up... so why not join the masses, and try the cyber version, thought I? Of course, I can't promise it won't be addictive, especially as there's not a whole lot else to do in Strahan of an evening...

So this is a page to talk to, for myself largely, but feel free to read all u readers - any opinions in here are mine and mine alone, and if u don't like them, bugger off! A girl's got a right to her own silly thoughts.

This is my longest ongoing employment as an Actor since leaving study two years ago. I was excited at the prospect when offered the job; but of course (as usual) forgot to really take into account what it could mean - largely the difficulty in getting back to see D-boy! My wonderful wonderful boy back in Melbourne, whom I'm missing like crazy! And hoping will come and visit me down here in this little haven soon, sooner, soonest...

And a haven it is. I feel pretty lucky. Not only am I able to practice my craft all day every day, but I get to do it surrounded not by jaded corporate types, or retail junkies (one notable exception perhaps, on the 'jaded' note), but by people on holiday! I almost feel like I'm on holiday too (while working bloody hard).

The job involves working with a group of 6 others (all blokes, at this stage) to take guided tours of Sarah Island, which lies in the Macquarie Harbour (on which Strahan is situated) during the day, and then perform in the show "The Ship That Never Was", in the evenings - which tells the story of the last 10 convicts left on Sarah Island. It's a fun little play - mostly a laugh and good audience entertainment, although with a couple of strong underlying messages - and it was written and has been run by Richard Davy here for the last 10 years non-stop!! So a pretty amazing institution to walk into. Richard is a real character - the unofficial 'custodian of the island' in the town, and he plays that part to the hilt. Despite the cynicism from some quarters at times (mostly from actors who've done the job for quite a while, and who can blame them on one level), I admire the ingenuity of Richard, who's found himself a niche market and set up a totally self-funded theatre business in a country where that seems to be almost unheard of - and managed to make himself a 'celebrity in his own backyard' at the same time. Call me green if you want - but I'm also grateful for the job; both for the training it provides (running the same show for 6 months - even I see that as a challenge!) and for the extended opportunities the funding may provide. I'm hoping to finally do my O/S travel next year (it's been ever delayed, owing to choosing a moneyless career in the theatre!!), starting with the SITI course in NY, should I be lucky enough to get a place...