COPING

As I've mentioned before, we have the heinous 'double-show-weekend' schedule here in Singapore. That's Friday night, two on Saturday and two on Sunday...5 shows in 50 hours. This means that the end of your work week is also the toughest and most draining part of the week. It's easy to be jealous of the Broadway and London casts who do a double-show Wednesday, a double-show Saturday, and then ONLY a matinee on Sundays, which means that their day off starts by 6 p.m. on a Sunday night. Luxury !

Because of this hard-labour sentence, my body usually starts to complain by the last day of the week. Following is a transcript of the conversation that takes place every Sunday morning...

ME: Time to get up.
BODY: Fuck you.
ME: Come on. Last day of the work week.
BODY: I hate you.
ME: No you don't you're just tired.
BODY: Damn right I'm tired. And I am NOT interested in doing two shows today.
ME: Do we have to go through this EVERY Sunday morning?
BODY: I can't get up. I think something is broken
ME: What's broken?
BODY: I don't know. Something. I'll think of something. Hell, I'll break something.
ME: Come on. After that first cup of coffee you'll feel better.... Hello? Are you listening to me?
BODY: Make me.
ME: *sigh* You know it's inevitable. The longer we argue, the less time there is to start moving and warming up the voice.
BODY: Hmpf !
ME: Ok, how about this, tomorrow it will be all about you. A massage, some time relaxing by the pool....? Come on, we can do this.
BODY: All right all ready ! But I won't like it.
ME: I know. Let's just get the coffee started, ok?
BODY: Fine ! ..... i still hate you.

Fortunately, when working with talented, creative people, there is always something entertaining to be found at the theatre that can lift the spirits and help get BODY and I through the day...

Someone found this picture of the real-life Timon & Pumbaa. It too is now posted on the dressing room door.



And this is Bob The Penguin. (I think his name is Bob?) He gets dressed as various characters from the show and passed around backstage for everyone's enjoyment. On the weekend,Veronique created a Scar costume for him and brought him to my dressing room.

His little leather chaps are a bit too long since he doesn't have any legs

But his mask goes up and down just like mine

And finally, more questionable translation ...

And on an unrelated note, I was watching an episode of Glee while lying in bed one night. It was the episode where Kurt & Blaine have their first (gay) kiss. The actual kiss, however, was unceremoniously chopped out by the Singaporean censors so, as far as I could tell, Blaine leaned in to Kurt and whispered something in his ear that left them both smiling. Toto, we're not in Kansas anymore and the Wicked Witch is in charge.