04.11.2009

playing in nyc (one)

So yes, late on the Wednesday afternoon, as we were doing the technical rehearsal for the show, (the show was opening the next night, Thursday) a critical piece of the set broke. It was one of the hinges of the mirror. At first I was not deeply concerned because this bit had broken before and had been able to be fixed, but as time went on it seemed clear that it was broken and it was quite seriously broken, and that if it was not fixed then we were in trouble. (The play is set on a dressing table, and during the course of the play we put the mirror of the dressing table in place and then we turn the mirror on its hinges, quite furiously, and then in the last part of the play the mirror needs to be held in place so the audience gets images of us in the mirror.) Sarah phoned the wonderful Eduardo, who had helped us out already with a new string for Rhoda, my puppet, whose leg string had broken, and he came into the theatre to see what he could do. He suggested glueing the piece together, or, failing that, we could weld it on the weekend when his friend could do it for us. So Sarah got the glue and glued the hinge and set it to dry overnight.

The next morning we got into the theatre at about 11am. We had an appointment with the photographer at 12noon, to do a dress rehearsal of the play and for him to take photographs. But the glue had not worked and the set was still broken and we could not proceed. Not only could we not proceed but if it does not get fixed we will not be able to actually do the play on opening night. Panic, worry, upset…not hysteria…but certainly fear. It’s New York! Eduardo came over again to help and he got La Mama’s head technician, Mark, into the theatre to help us. Mark listened, looked, thought, and took the parts away, saying he thinks he’ll be able to do something. The photographer came at 12, there was still no set, so we couldn’t do the dress rehearsal, but he took some photos. THEN at about 1pm, Mark came back, and just like that the mirror was all fixed! And what did he fix it with? Bolts that hold the toilet seat to the toilet! Apparently he had looked at the hinge and had thought…I know this, this is reminding me of something…I have seen this…and then he went to the hardware shop and that’s what they were!

So, at last it was fixed, everything was ready and at 5pm we did a dress rehearsal of the play. We had a little rest, and then, we opened. The opening night performance went well. The audience was very appreciative and very supportive and afterwards we got some very lovely feedback. Puppets are so magical…if it is working they really transport the audience, and that is what seemed to happen…the audience were delighted and amused and then taken by surprise…so much stuff comes out of the dresser. The world of the play is transformed from a delicate, controlled, formal space into a wild, chaotic, messy space. And the audience, every night, is coming on that journey with us. We’ve done four shows now and they’ve all been different, of course, but in each the play works and the audience comes for the ride. It is satisfying and really, really fun.