Monday, August 25, 2008

a rubber chicken, gregorian chant, and mr. fizzywig

The last performance of '1913' went really well: we tried out some new things in the play including me getting shot with a rubber chicken, and a gothic style ending with Maria Tarnowska being sainted by Alice as preacher. It was exciting to try something new and daring after minimal rehearsal in front of a live audience - it gave me a rush. Three weeks of performances was an invaluable experience, but I must say that I am really happy to go back to directing in the fall. 

We fly back to Zürich tomorrow, and then it will be a hectic day of running around, seeing people, and saying goodbyes. I don't like those - they are the worst - especially when it's unclear when the next time you will encounter each other again will be. But we will make it happen, our group was too strong to let the fire die. There is something special here.

On the other side, I am so freakin' excited to go home. I can't wait to see my Towey, my love. My father, of course, and my mom (although she was just in scotland last week - which was absolutely great - we rented a car and drove on the other side of the road among other things).

I am getting very excited to start school again, but I can't believe I begin on sept. 2nd already. Life is moving past me fast... it's getting blurry. But I still remember, and the pictures are clear in my mind. Life is getting better everyday... with new experience comes new strength. I am such a cornball, but I really have grown this summer in so many ways. I don't feel like the child I felt like when I graduated from college - so unsure and undefined and helpless. I am starting to take shape, and am becoming interested again (in what? in everything!). I finally feel whole again, and strong enough to be by myself. Independent. Phenomenal woman. 








Monday, August 18, 2008

And all of a sudden it's Christmas again...

Went and saw 'An Evening of Steve Reich' at the Festival Theater last night. It was live performances of Reich music, with choreographed minimalist dance by Anna Theresea de Keersmaeker. It was pretty unbelievable - trans-inducing, even. Alice, Eliane and I felt very inspired. The precision and skill that is needed to play that music is... well have a look for yourself:



Oh, no! Where did the groove go??

Have been smoking a lot of cigarettes lately - Parisiens - and I don't feel too guilty about it; at the moment it's an okay thing to be doing, and for some reason Swiss ciragrettes taste better than all others. One more week of performing, the shows have been going well. Some days are better than others, but generally audience reponse is very positive and we have received some great reviews.

invaluable experiences:
a summer in scotland
chillin' with swiss cows
meeting new people
hiking up the salsibury crags
eating fish and chips in Leith
christmas in august
blond beer for dinner
international theater

My mom comes to Scotland on Wednesday - then we are back to Zürich next week. It's been one of the best summers of my life. 

Saturday, August 2, 2008

1913 or Nude Descending a Staircase



from left to right: Nicholas Naumoff (Alice fiedler), Count Paul Kamorovsky (Eliane Iten), Maria Tarnowska (geraldine Dulex), Donat Prilukoff (Sarah Bellin)