School is heavily underway here at the University of Sussex and I am finding the only times I am willing to write online are those times I'm trying to avoid writing an essay. This week's essay is for the History of Spain since 1808 and a presentation on Schizophrenia for Abnormal and Clinical Psychology.
But there have been some glorious events happening in the past two weeks that I would like to share.
Two weeks ago I auditioned for a play called "Marat/Sade" or as it is fully known: "Marat/Sade: The Persecution and Assassination of Marat as Performed by the Inmates of the Asylum of Charenton under the Direction of the Marquis de Sade" by Peter Weiss. Many people came to audition and for both the general audition and the call-backs I was in the first group. That determination paid off because I was cast as one of the nurses. I think I was put off at first because of the lack of lines (and not to mention how odd I would sound against all the British accents) but I will be in character on stage the entire 50 minutes. So I'll have plenty of time to garner a little attention, though I doubt I'll win any supporting actor Oscars.
Anyway, the reason why it was such an honor to get a role and not turn it down (as I was considering) is because this play will be performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. It is a month-long theatre fest in August (in Edinburgh, Scotland) featuring multiple actors all exhibiting their works and coming to watch yours. There are awards given to all the "bests" of the fest and there are celebrity sightings, since many of them at some point performed in the Fringe Festival.
But, the damper on the good news means having enough money to get back to this side of the world in August and provide for myself for three weeks. We'll perform the show for two weeks straight and we will all bunch up in someone's house (cast bonding) in either England before the show or in Edinburgh. We as a cast need to raise £5000 to secure our venue, travel, set and costumes, and all the other things we'll need for performance. I'll need to ask about all the specifics because I would love to know what exactly we're trying to fund, but we are each expected to raise a minimum of £100, using our own devices. As the only American, I am at a disadvantage since £100 roughly equals $200. I'll probably need to focus on trying to raise the funds on this side of the world where it's cheaper. Unfortunately, I only know students here!
I am not too worried about the money, definitely not because I necessarily have it, but I believe a big part of doing theatre is the understanding that sacrifices must be made (paying ones dues). A big part of doing anything you love basically requires putting other things aside. In this case, I will have to sacrifice my Spring Break travel plans. My goal of "dominating" the world will have to wait because this opportunity means a lot to me, and my acting resume. I'll still go to France and possibly Germany, but as far as all the other places: Amsterdam, Rome, Prague, they may have to continue saving a seat for me.
Maybe I can get a month-long job in July when I come back home. Long shot... and I don't know what I'll do about my living arrangements for LSU next semester. I'll need to see someone about a horse... I mean a house.
In other good news related areas, I submitted a proposal to direct a show at LSU for the next academic year. Before I left for England, I was asked to consider directing a show. I unfortunately had to turn it down, but I have found a play in England that I want to direct and I'm hoping the offer will still hold firm. The play is by a British author we studied in a theatre course last term named Sarah Kane. She is likened to Sylvia Plath as a playwright because both were visionaries that committed suicide before their works could be seen as prolific.
Sarah Kane wrote a play called "Cleansed" about seven people in a university which strangely becomes more like an asylum. There's strong language, nudity, masturbation, sex, rape, homosexuality, mutilation, and incest: a "fun for the whole family" type of play. I know it doesn't seem like something I'd suggest on the surface, but the story is about a quote Kane once heard comparing being in love to being in Dachau, considering the torture (sometimes) endured when you love someone endlessly.
I could keep writing, but I've already written a dissertation as my proposal to the heads of LSU Theatre, and I'll let you know if it is selected as one of about four student performed shows. It was chosen as one to be considered- a start, but it'll have to go through a few rounds before I'll know if I can direct it. It will be tough because of cast size, imagery (mutilation and giant sunflowers growing from the stage are somewhat difficult to do in a play) and the sexual content (which I will likely water down).
I have never been so excited about a show and the opportunity will be invaluable to my acting student experience. These are great times to be a theatre major and one can only hope that all will continue to go well.
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