Is there a degree in Procrastination?

I probably already have it...

So I'm preparing for this audition for Complete Works... or I'm meant to be anyway. Really I'm sitting in the square of sunshine streaming through the window, daydreaming about Melbourne (in 2 days!!!) and boys. Ok, one boy. And if u don't know which, you haven't been reading my blog, have you!

It's been a while since I've written, but not a huge amount to report - have just spent the last week preparing for CWTC audition (which I am oddly, dreading - and yet feel I have to do, to keep in 'practice' at auditioning. I think there's definitely part of me that's terrified I'm not very good, cos I haven't done an audition for so long... the continual bane of the actor). Am hoping at very least to get a call-back - but that won't happen unless I write this 3 minute piece they want performed, telling the story of a Shakespearean play 'as creatively as possible'. Argh, creativity AND time limits!! Neither of which I've had great practice with recently. Ok, so that's perhaps stretching the truth... but script-writing has never been one of my strong points. And now I've left my notebook, with everything so far, out on the Island (I hope!), so won't have it until tomorrow. So have decided to write this blog, rather than try to remember where I was with my canine creation...

I have had a couple of visitors in the last few days... I had Andrew MacDougall come and stay for 4 days or so, and he certainly kept me entertained. Doing the play with him will be fun, and quite fresh. He really fits the Aussie larrikin stereotype out on the island, with his broad Aussie accent (despite Richard referring to him as a mad Scottsman!) and stockman's hat. I've really got to get me one of those - especially now the weather is starting to (slowly, and patchily) improve. Sunny days on the island, like today, are just gorgeous - lying on the grass out there at lunchtime is almost as close to heaven as I reckon I'll get at the mo (only to be improved by soon having D-boy lying out there with me!).

I've currently got Rob Timms staying, who's quite a lot quieter than Andrew, and enjoying the time away from his noisy boys. I do enjoy the company up here on the hill though - and so does the house, I think, which feels a little empty with just one person in it. Not for long though - pretty permanently to be at least 2, probably 3-4. I've let everyone know I'm happy to have visitors stay - it's fun, especially when I will have less to worry about (once this 'big' audition is out of the way). It feels good to be doing the audition though, as it's the first of many for this kind of work that I wish to undertake. Getting in practice, as they say. I do suspect I probably need to do some audition courses, as it's been a while since I've had someone show me HOW to prepare an audition, and while I'm fairly confident in my process, it'd be great to be able to check in on it all. Probably not going to happen til I get back to Melbourne... eventually... and considering the amount and type of work down here, I wonder when that will happen?

Went and saw the local schoolkids put on a shadow-puppetry show on Wednesday, co-ordinated by a guy who runs the company "Creature Tales" up in Penguin - and he offered me work guiding and performing on the Spirit of Tasmania! Now that might be interesting work... I reckon you could work almost all year round here if you wanted to. Perhaps much less work June - September, but that's at least 9 months of the year you could spend here, performing... and then another 3 to travel or create... not a bad lifestyle! Can't believe I'm thinking about settling here, but part of me certainly is... if not now, then perhaps in the future. It's an option, anyway. Although another option is to look at eventually setting something up similar to what Richard has done, in another tourist area... Tasmania is just so beautiful. I am really falling in love with the place. But still itching to see other beautiful places too... Andrew also gave me the link to a company that does Theatre in Education throughout England and Europe, so will have to follow that one up too...

Meanwhile, back here, am finally really settling into playing Porter, and have run the show with Tom 4 days in a row now, which has been great for getting a raport going. Richard has given me two 'compliments' (or closest to it that you get with him!) in the last week - one for Shires, when playing with him, and also saying that I'm sounding much more natural and relaxed with Porter too. Tom has come along well as well, and got a compliment for his Shires from Richard last night too. So he must be fairly pleased with our work overall at the moment. He's pre-occupied at the moment with pulling out one edge of the garden by the set, so that the council can start building us a box office. It will be good to have something permanent there...

Hmm, better go get onto remembering this script I suppose... and day-dreaming about getting 2 more sleeps (and a 4 hour drive, and 1 hour flight) out of the way!!