I’m at home. I have a morning off. I have no transport as my car is needed for Irene the Production Coordinator to get about.  My home looks like the Tazmanian Devil slept over. I haven’t managed to even make coffee yet. I’m emailing the team about various things and will at some point just go to the theatre. 

This is the time of production when its hard to have a conversation with family or friends, as you are genuinely only thinking of the production no matter how erudite and charming they may be. You have only two things on your mind. WIll it happen and will it work? Its a bizarre game. Why on earth we put ourselves through this much hassle and stress for such an inexact sicience is hard to explain. It is something so ephemeral, is that why? Once its over you need to do it again, like an addiction?

I’ve had my Eddie Rocket’s moment already this time. This is the lowest point in the game for me when I genuinely want to give it all up and get a job in Eddie Rockets. Its not a cry for help or a metaphor. Its when I would really rather nothing better than a bit of gentle banter over a hot stove with other people who will be in the job for a short time before they move on to something else. Nobody really cares. That’s the attraction. Its impossible not to really care in theatre. Ir maybe it is? How to do that eludes me. Any tips gratefully appreciated. 

So with my Eddie Rockets moment behind me I’m eager for the last push, the production week. The time when all the different departments get to shine.  All the elements come together (ideally) to create the magic whole.

I’m going to hop on a train in an hour or so (leaving the Tazmnian Devil to continue to wreck the house) and see Jack the composer to go through final queues and to see the set go in. I wrestled a chandalier onto a truck at 11 O’Clock last night after our final runthrough and notes session. Tom the writer has just picked up another set piece – the ladder, which he says looks great and crucially is extremely strong so the actors can hang off it! I may help later by holding up a wall. Or I may get in the way. Either way there’s nothing for me here at home. Its all in Project now.