Week Twenty: Back in the Rehearsal Room

Back in the rehearsal room but now a bit like sixth-form students who occupy the school's communal spaces very differently from the younger kids. I'm not saying we're all swanning about taking liberties with our feet up on desks and generally ignoring the teachers when they try to get us to vacate the assembly hall & go do something productive, but you remember the feeling when exams were over and there was that rather blissful period between that and the end of term when you were generally left to take it a little bit easier before moving on? No? Just me then...
Anyway, this time, we're in the rehearsal room rather cheekily doing Pilates classes. Owing to popular demand it's twice a week and an impressive amount of effort is being expended by all who attend. Regular updates then follow from folk feeling the ache the next day, all a sign that it's working.  Expect all here to possess awesome abs by October! This desire to be in better shape unites all here, both those on-stage on off.  Likewise there is a running group that is also getting together, meeting up to run several miles at 7.30 in the morning no less. Most unlike the generally perceived image of the typical British actor, always portrayed as being less fit than their American cousins! Then there are the keen bicyclers, kayakers, windsurfers and all the 'usual' walkers, striking out whenever the skies clear enough for it to be an enjoyable outing.
I suppose all this activity is somewhat offset by the many tempting varieties of ale, cheese, meat & cake on offer...
The fact that August is relatively quiet on the work front also means that many family visits are planned and each actor spends a fair bit of time canvassing their colleagues for good things to do with Mum & Dad, little sis or grandmas in tow. I reckon top vote must be riding on the launches around Derwent Water; possible and enjoyable in any weather. Unless there has been  a 'heavy dew', rendering all the little wooden jetties unreachable. Friends are also emerging from the Penrith bus, having survived the train from London, to enjoy a little light theatre followed by in-depth analysis in the pub. Sometimes you really need to hear what an old show-biz chum thinks of a show. To then be able to show them round this fantastic part of the world is a great treat. Introducing them to the gang is also an essential undertaking, especially a very special bunch like this lot.
The term 'Heavy Dew' was first heard last  week just South of Rydal Water in a very soggy field with a few hundred other fools. Quite a few of us in the cast are enjoying the tremendous number of dogs that are abound in these parts; so much so that several of us took ourselves to an international sheep-dog trial. I tell you, you haven't lived til you've seen a display of  plain & carved shepherd's crooks! Seriously, the show was a delightful display of human kind, never mind the dogs on show. To add to all this excitement, who performed the best sheep-herding performance we saw? A shepherdess no less and all done in pouring rain. She managed to fetch, drive, gather and pen four reluctant sheep with the aid of trusty Meg.  One-nil to the ladies.
Splendid sheep-related facts that we gleaned: don't try driving sheep through boggy or wet places; sheep that haven't been herded by dogs before are pretty useless; if you wish to applaud, please wait until the shepherd has finished.
 Anyone who remembers watching One Man & His Dog would be fooled into thinking that sheep generally have some idea of what's needed of them. Many shepherds here were quite grumpy that the fell-sheep used were not fluent in Sheep Dog, resulting in quite a few stand-offs between hound and sheep and hardly a single successful penning. And that was in the experienced class! Crossing over to the novices and many contestants abandoned their attempts as they watched the dog disappear in the general direction of the sheep only to fail to reappear at all. Cue cries of, 'Fenton!!' Perhaps not. Most dogs had good solid names like Jess, Dot and Ted.  I was greatly cheered to even see a Rover in the line up! You definitely do shepherding like you do acting- mostly for the love (allegedly!). The first prize for the experienced shepherd class? Forty quid. Barely covers the petrol driving there!
Back on to the subject of acting, everyone in the cast is also looking forward to the many writing projects that the theatre has picked from various sources for workshopping in September. These projects will include next year's premiere, to follow on the success of Roma & the Flanelettes.. a different author and secret title still to be officially unveiled so no more to be said about that here!
Right. It's another case of heavy dew out there. Time for a trip on our night off to the bright lights of Penrith and a bite to eat before a silly film. Then back to start another week and try not to think about how fast time is flying. Have I mentioned that I don't really want this to end??