Press Night(s)...

Yesterday night's performance was for an audience which included the critics.

How many came and from which publications I'm not sure, but there were certainly some. Apparently, as is often now the case, the press will in fact be attending the show in dribs and drabs throughout the week, so this wasn't one-off event.

Personally, I prefer it when Press scrutiny is spread across a number of nights, since it avoids loading the pressure on a single performance. Other actors prefer to get it out of the way on a single night. Either way, press performances are I guess on a par with the Opening Night in terms of the levels of anxiety they create. So, it was quite a nervy beginning to the show.

That said, we'd already performed five shows before last night, so there was plenty of experience in the tank to offset the nerves no sooner had the play begun. In the event it was a fantastic show, wonderfully received by a very bouyant audience.

I'd feel as though I were tempting fate if I said that I cannot imagine the show receiving anything but favorable reviews, so let's just wait and see. Good or bad, I'll post any reviews on this blog.

Let's hope they are good, if only because it will surely influence the number of people who come to see this wonderful piece of writing and production.


Correspondingly, last night was the last show for a while that will be seen by our director. Matthew returned home to London today to prepare for his next production. Before the show, he wrote us each a card describing his appreciation of the work we have done, which was very gratifying.

It will be strange not to have our director in the audience. Tonight it feels as though suddenly the production has been handed over to us to parent. Of course, a show is a living breathing thing: No doubt things will morph over time, mostly in a good way (as we make a still deeper connection with our characters), but sometimes not. Consequently, the director will return periodically, to consolidate and applaud any moments that have deepened and to tighten or clarify any tiny moments that may have become slightly obscured.