Last night was wonderful. I got to the theater early with C, my husband, hairdresser, and PA. I had plenty of time to relax and get oriented. C did my hair and I must say it was beautiful. The best he’s ever done. I had time to get dressed in stages the way I like to. Make-up first. Then walk the stage and stretch a little. Then tattoo covering and on with the dressing gown and nylons. Hang in the green room a little, chat, see where everyone is emotionally. Then costume at the 10 minute call and stand quietly in the backstage hall alone until the places call.
We had a full house and as it was opening night there was wine and cheese for the audience so they were all happy and relaxed going into the show. I didn’t expect the reaction from the audience when the juror roll was being called. There was much laughter and applause and everyone seemed happy to be on the jury except for the one guy that announced that he had been excused from jury duty for one year. This totally threw the man playing the bailiff and we ended up with thirteen jury members. I think its better that way. No way to end up with a hung jury.
The jury as usual took their jobs very seriously. Through the first act. They seemed to loosen up a bit by the second act and by the third they were fully relaxed. Mr. B, a prominent lawyer in
Magda Svenson, the Swedish housekeeper, got the best reaction of the night when she left the stand. Not just applause but hooting. Go K! Personally, she is my favorite segment too. Surprisingly, when I asked my husband who he liked best he said Sigurd Jungquist, which I thought was just awesome but I thought he would prefer one of the more comedic characters. The man who plays Jungquist I think is the strongest actor in the cast followed closely by M, who plays my lawyer.
I of course have to have a complaint. No show is perfect and I like to know where the holes are in order to make them better each night. I think my breakdown at the end of Act II was a little weak. I got caught up in a mix up that happened during Larry Regan’s entrance and I forgot myself just long enough that it was difficult to build the momentum you need for a full blown breakdown. I don’t think it was awful but I did think it was a little less charged than it has been in rehearsal.
The jury had a funny reaction to the instructions from the judge. They started laughing and clapping and getting all excited. It was not at all what I was expecting. I was found not guilty in the end. C thinks that it would be impossible to ever find me guilty. We shall see. I also think it’s impossible though. I mean everyone is obviously lying. When the foreman gave the verdict at the end he decided to pause dramatically. But it was really dramatically. Like forever and ever. And ever. Long enough that I could feel nervous laughter building up in the back of my throat.
I got a very nice compliment from my husband who is not always the most complimentary sort. Usually it’s something along the lines of something like, “yeah, it was good” or “you liked nice.” And that’s after I had to drag it out of him. He said that I was so beautiful and assured. I was a hottie. I must be extremely sexy in this play because that is downright gushy for him. And it came without any prompting at all.
Well, one down twelve to go. Hope tonight goes just as well!
1 comment:
Glad it all went well.
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