The light at the end of the tunnel....

IT'S OVER! This week is over! And the theatre we were in today was far easier than the hellish school from yesterday. In fact we ended up with a slew of people to help us load in, so we got everything into the theatre in like 20 minutes. After that, things started going downhill. Not anywhere near as bad as yesterday, but again, we're in an auditorium in a government building with next to no wing space or anywhere to store the empty carts and boxes, so there's a lot of leaping over lights to get to what passes for wings. BUT no-one had to wrestle anything up a flight of stairs, so I'm not looking a gift theatre in the balcony....or something. The only thing that's really marring these load-ins is Levitt's attitude toward Ted. It's getting ridiculous. She snaps at him whenever he tries to do anything. He went to pick up some rope hanging from one of the scrims to get it out of the way before we raised the proscenium, and she yelled at him to stop, then came over, took it from him and moved it over. Exactly what he was doing. I really hope this doesn't get any worse, because the whole thing with her snapping at him is getting uncomfortable. It's getting to the point where I've started making jokes about it to try to keep some levity in the situation, since he's feeling like he's ot allowed to bring anything up or help anyone do anything for fear of being yelled at. And I really don't know why she has such antipathy toward him. It's sad, really, since in every other way, this group is getting along gangbusters. Though tonight she seemed okay around him when we all went out for dinner at the coolest English pub in Portsmouth. (In fairness, it may be the ONLY English pub in Portsmouth for all I know, but that fact does not reduce its coolness.) Of course, she WAS drinking, so maybe that's the thing--she only gets a sense of humor that appreciates him when she's smashed. Time to start trading out her water for vodka....

As for the show, while the load in and set up went smoothly the show again was met with a quiet crowd. Of course, it was one school in a large theatre, so you get the small audience disease--solo laughaphobia--but I am a little concerned. It's just odd that we're not getting more vocal reactions. Though I do hear kids during the show, so I know they're paying attention. It'll probably get better once we hit the larger venues. And to be honest, it's only been like the at one or two places. Other than that, we've gotten really good reactions from the kids. I'm sure I'm just paranoid due to the fact I'm still not 100% comfortable with Tell-Tale. That one feels more artificial to me than any of the other ones I do, but I do get good reactions and the people I work for certainly liked it. Once I'm not rushing around doing three people's jobs before we start and finishing my makeup and getting into costume as the curtain speech is finishing I'm sure I'll relax a little more.

Portsmouth, NH closes at 9. I am not shitting you, gentle readers. Well, okay, maybe a little. But not as much as you think. Finding a place to eat around here when you roll into the hotel at 8:00 p.m. is nigh on impossible. I looked up places to eat and all of them were closed by 8:30. Until I happened upon the Coat of Arms, the aforementioned (and afore-raved-about) English Pub. They served dinner all the way until 10:00! So we all rushed out of here to get some food, since we hadn't eaten since lunch, and lunch had been some sorry ham sandwiches and bags of Cheetos. The Pub, on the other hand, had sausage rolls and Scotch Eggs. I was in heaven. There's not much better on this planet than a Scotch egg. For those of you unfamiliar with this delicacy, it is a hard-boiled egg, wrapped in sausage, then fried. It is served with hot English mustard. And when I say hot English mustard, i don't mean, "Oh, someone added something akin to spice to some French's Yellow Mustard," I mean this stuff clears your sinuses. It's incredible, and everyone should try it, because there are very few things on this earth better than a Scotch egg that don't include cheese. Much alcohol was imbibed (Well, by most of the others. All I had was one small....well, not so small Irish coffee.) and much laughter ensued. I can't wait to see how easy it's going to be to spend three more days here. Yep we're staying put until Tuesday, due to the holiday weekend. Whee! Luckily, my position as wrongest person in the group is still safe, for while everyone has a twisted sense of humor and likes to color the language blue, I'm still the one willing to go that extra mile to say something no self-respecting person would say. I made Schneider laugh like crazy at load-out today when Levitt said she was feeling grumpy, and she didn't know why. She was just in a bad mood, like something in her gut just made her crabby, and I said, "What, it's been 28 days already?" He couldn't believe I had said that to her. I couldn't believe it was that shocking. But then that's just me--call it my Twilight-esque vampire super power--inappropriateness. All I have to do now is learn how to sparkle in the sunlight and I can have a movie made about me. And have more middle school groupies. What a future....

Happy Valentine's Day, by the by, to all of you. Except you single people reading this. You are not allowed to have a Happy Valentine's Day because, as you know, your lives are worthless due to the fact you are not in a relationship. Or at least not in one worthy of flowers and candy. Try harder--men, buy some body spray that makes you smell like a rutting wildebeest and pretend to give a shit about things like feelings. Women, for the love of god, dress like the latest rehab darling and get comfortable doing body shots with your best girlfriend. There, no go forth and find true love. Or at least someone willing to have sex with you every February 14th. Bless you all. (Just in case you missed it--and I understand how you could--Valentine's Day blurs people's perceptions) that was sarcasm. Good night all.