Swindon to Leicester- Where's the love?

February 13, 2010

The sun pokes out of the clouds and suddenly the day ignites.

Come on, you can do it!

Come on, you can do it!

I’m usually stuck on the train when this happens. When it does, the passing towns transform into romantic, Shire-like villages, filled with Hobbity types who live in perfect harmony with their land,

Ahh...England!

Ahh...England!

their radio telescopes,

Can you see how big this is? It's at least 6 stories tall.

Can you see how big this is? It's at least 6 stories tall.

and their nuclear power plants.

Relax, it's miles away, besides you're on the train. It's not as though there's a train station next to power plant.

Relax, those nuclear cooling towers are miles away, and you're on a speeding train. You won't get much closer.

Yes, okay, so you get a bit closer but....

Alright, so we get a bit closer but....it's not like we stop there.

Okay, so we stop there.

Okay, so we stop there.

I did the show in Swindon, at the Wyvern Theatre, on Saturday. It’s my second time at the theatre, though it should have been my third. In 2006, I’d been relocated to an alternative performance space as the Wyvern was forced to shut to remove asbestos.

Some theatres look very similar to others. What I love about the Wyvern (aside from being asbestos free) are the neon lights illuminating the auditorium stairs.

It's always the little flourishes you remember. Makes me think of Saturday Night Fever.

It's always the little flourishes you remember. Those glowing stairs make me think of Saturday Night Fever.

I’d rather perform in a theatre that underwent asbestos removal than a theatre next to a nuclear power plant. Otherwise it would be more than just the stairs that’d be glowing.

February 14, 2010

I have to admit that on February 14th, I felt a definite pang for my absent Valentine- even though I’m the one who’s absent.

The show in Leicester at the Curve Theatre was amazing. What a turn out! Who would have thought that so many couples would include Lord of the Rings in their Love Day romancing?

The Curve Theatre is virtually brand new. It still has that new theatre smell. Photos can’t do it justice, yet here a couple:

The 100 foot wall raises up (an entire wall!) into the 360 degree "curving" lobby so that shows can be loaded and unloaded with ease. The marvel of seeing this done is like watching a pizza prep kitchen by lifting the entire building as if it were a cake cover.

An 80 foot wall raises up (an entire wall!) opening into the theatre's 360 degree "curving" lobby. Productions can load-in and unload with greater ease. It's like revealing a pizza prep kitchen by lifting the kitchen walls (as effortlessly as a cake cover). What a great way to see behind the scenes.

What a lobby! I've never felt this way about a lobby.

What a lobby! I've never felt this way about a lobby.

Alright, I'll stop.

Alright, I'll stop.

Not all UK theatres are as grand.

Grand.

Majestic.

The romantic Leicester streets were actually pretty quiet. There were a few couples leaving a movie cinema after a RomCom or two- otherwise it was desolate.

Dead, dead centre of Leicester.

Dead, dead centre of Leicester.

Surely some people were out enjoying a yummy meal at a yummy restuarant.

Table for two by the window please.

Table for two by the window please.

Or maybe they stayed at home.

I hope everyone had a lovely Love Day. It’s nice to know we’ve gotten past that trying event of the year. Finally we can get back to the business of barely tolerating each other.

🙂

Here are two friends from Worthing, I met them back in 2006, and it was great to see them again.

Darren and Leslie. Love is sweet.

Darren and Leslie. Love is sweet.


2 Responses

  1. Lindsay Walker says:

    I was sat in the middle of the front row at Leicester. You rocked! If you come back let me know I’ll make you a cuppa!
    Keep being awesome.
    Linz xx

  2. Sam says:

    And you sung Happy Birthday to me as Golumn! That ruled 😀