As soon as I arrived back in Kettering (after dropping off some holiday gifts), I was throwing clothes everywhere and re-packing my suitcase ready to go back to Crewe for rehearsals. Due to the amount of fun I had been having during my spell of unemployment, I had learned approximately half a page out of the 34 that made up the script. I hadn’t told the boss, as they had already had to cancel a week’s worth of shows because I was on holiday. I wasn’t meant to be doing the whole thing- the girl they had asked had to drop out so I was replacing her. As soon as I arrived I was asked how much of it I had learned, and I was totally honest with her. She didn’t look impressed but I knew I could learn it. They hadn’t told me however, that I would only have 3 days of rehearsal rather than the 4 I was told I was having. Hmmm. But rehearsals went well, and I stuck my head in my script for the two nights I was there and by Friday afternoon I was word-perfect. I told them they had nothing to worry about! The show was about World War 2, and evacuation. I had 5 different characters to play but the show was straightforward enough and I didn’t have to do any research to learn anything for it, so the next few weeks should have been a breeze!
And so on the Sunday, we made our way down to Somerset. I had stayed in the accommodation previously with a different company so I knew what to expect. I was back working with Eden again on this tour and he had plenty to moan about with the house. But we had a roof over our heads and it was warm so I wasn’t complaining. Well, I did a bit... but I only moaned about the weather! From the moment I left Kettering to the moment we left Somerset, it rained. And me being as sensible as I am, was still in holiday mode and had packed for beautiful summer weather. I didn’t even take a jacket! I was pretty miserable due to the weather and early mornings, until I managed to get some internet signal and decided to see where Adam was in the country. It turned out that on the Friday night he would only be an hour away from us! I immediately got on the phone to him and arranged to go and see the show. It was going to be a good end to the week!
We only had one show on the Friday in the morning so I had the afternoon to get excited about the show! I had never seen any outdoor theatre before! He was performing ‘The Taming of The Shrew’. I realised that the rain hadn’t stopped so I went shopping and bought a raincoat! And it was a good job that I did! It rained all the way driving there, throughout most of act one, and then it stopped. It stayed dry throughout the interval and half of act 2, then it started again. And then it got heavier and heavier until the clouds just burst and it was like someone had thrown a bucket of water over a load of ants. The show had to be stopped and Adam grabbed me and we ran inside. I felt so sorry for the actors, they were absolutely soaking and they hadn’t got anywhere proper to dry their clothes for the next day! One of the girls had been kind enough to lend me her waterproof coat at the start but even that was soaked through. Luckily I had taken some spare clothes with me in case of such an occasion but I was drenched! Eden had looked out of the window and decided that he wasn’t going to come and when I arrived home he looked very smug that he had been sitting in the dry all evening. But I didn’t care. I had got to see my man and he was marvellous!
I went home that weekend as I was running the ‘Race for Life’ with 11 others from Starlight, in Northampton. Although I had only been home the previous weekend, it was nice to relax after a week of rain and shows, and we had a good giggle. Some of us ran and some of us walked but we all raised a load of money for charity and had a good afternoon! Before it was time to back to Crewe!
The next week of shows were in the Crewe/Stoke area so we were staying back in the house that we were in when we rehearsed for The GCSE tour. The shows went well that week, the boss came to see it and we met up afterwards for notes(!). I also managed another visit to see Adam, thi time with Eden in tow. It was the same show and there was slightly less rain, but I got to see the end this time and had a jolly good evening! The drive home was less jolly as Eden had bought an audiobook on tape for the van. Normally I’d be up for listening to an audiobook, but this one was all about the plague and had people dying every few minutes. I rapidly developed the ability to turn my ears off and drift away into my own world! It also had the amazing power of sending me to sleep with its dull-ness, so that was a bonus!
As I had toured with the same company at the same time last year, I was recognising schools and being recognised myself by teachers and even a few students. That’s when you know you’ve been in a job for too long! I was really enjoying the show, it was relatively easy to do and went quite quickly. I was just getting into the routine of it all when... we had a week off! Which was actually quite nice! I didn’t realise how tired the show had made me. I had one more late night to contend with, in Birmingham. I went to see the second of Adam’s shows, ‘Cranford’. It was promising to be a lovely day, but as soon as I found Adam, and sat in the van with him, the rains came and didn’t stop. It rained all the way through the entire performance and although this time I was more prepared for the weather, I was still soaked! I didn’t let it get to me as I was staying the night in the same Travelodge as them, and I made my way to get warm to wait for Adam’s arrival. Despite having a sat-nav, I drove past it twice as it was appallingly signposted, but I got in and sat myself down with a glass of wine and waited. And waited.... and waited a bit more. I knew that it took them a while to take down their set but it was nearing midnight and there was no sign. I then received a text message saying that they were lost. I phoned him back and tried to give him directions but it was still almost another 4o minutes before he arrived. By that time I’d had even more wine and my plans for a romantic evening were well and truly scuppered!
It was lovely spending what little time we had together, but we had to go our separate ways; he to Wales and me to home for Lydia’s UK wedding reception, huzzah! It was another chance to put on my bridesmaid outfit, and this time the shoes stayed on for the whole night! Impressive!
I don’t remember much about my week off, I must have slept quite a lot, but before I knew it, I was back on the road and heading to Yorkshire. And what a place it was. Forget the house in Norfolk from the last tour, this house was amazing! I’m not going to describe it because words won’t do it justice but I loved it. I could imagine myself living there forever! We worked out our travel times for the week and Eden decided (not discussed and suggested, but decided) that we would be better off staying at his house for 2 nights that week to cut some travel time. I was gutted. I loved that house!! I also remembered that he said he had just got a new housemate, so I was preparing myself for sleeping on the lounge floor like Adam had to. I was not impressed. I got my own back though... As he hadn’t asked if it was ok with me to stay at his, and just thrust it upon me, I did nothing to help in the house. I didn’t offer to help with cooking or washing up, nothing. That may seem like a tiny thing, but in my head it was pure victory! Yesssssss!
It turned out that their new housemate wasn’t going to be there for the two days I was, so I ended up (unknown to her) sleeping in her bed, sharing it with bin bags full of her belongings! That made it slightly better that I actually had a bed but I was still really annoyed with him. I was so happy to get back to the pretty Yorkshire house, and I spent the next two nights there alone as Eden went home for the weekend to work. I was home alone in the middle of nowhere and it was bliss! It was so peaceful and the bed was so comfortable and I was so tired that I didn’t wake up on the Saturday until 1.30pm. Heaven! It was nice to be on my own but strangely I felt lonely. I had no friends around that I could visit, and Adam was in Ireland so it would have cost both of us a fortune to call. But after a melancholy Facebook status update from myself, I received an unexpected call from him! He was back in Northern Ireland, cheap calls! He phoned to see if I was ok, and we had a lovely chat and catch-up and I felt much better!
Sunday rolled around and we had another epic journey. I drove from the beautiful house over to Leeds to pick up Eden. I had to sit in his house for 3 hours while he was making a costume for the next weekend, and then we made our way right up to Cumbria, to Barrow-in-Furness. It was the final week and we were to spend it in a Bed and Breakfast. I didn’t mind it, I was there last year and had a very enjoyable stay, the place even had wifi! But of course some people are never happy, but I just smiled, thought of the money and how I’d soon be home! I visited many of the same schools as last year (again), and met up with a previous touring friend for afternoon drinks on my time off and thankfully the week went by beautifully. We spent our final night in a different B&B in Whitehaven which had beautiful views of the sea and en-suite bathrooms in every room. I was very content! With only one show on the last day in the afternoon, we took a quick trip into Whitehaven but didn’t find much of interest. The last show was in an infant school and was the same last school as the previous year. I remembered it being a complete letdown last year, and this year was no different. The kids were so young they didn’t know what was going on, they were talking and moving around the hall and just annoyed me! I have never packed away a set so quickly as I did that day!
I still had a 6 hour journey ahead of me but I had downloaded a Torchwood audio book to keep me entertained for some of it. I dropped Eden off at Manchester airport and began my long descent to home. I had money in my pocket, another credit on my CV, and a few nice memories to keep me going. Another tour, done.
Nxxx
No comments:
Post a Comment