Confessions of a Struggling Actor

Thank God I have taken this week off.  I'm in work just now to catch up on a couple of things (and to write this) but will be home in time for tea and Champions League.  And I don't need to be on location until 11 tomorrow morning.  Thank you Lord!

The Richard III audition on Thursday seemed to go quite well.  They asked me to read pretty much every role going and I think I made a decent stab at it.  I called them just now as the film's schedule has changed and there were meant to be recalls this weekend.  As it turns out, they're still casting, so I might not be needed in any case.  I hope this means that I'm in with a chance - they certainly didn't tell me to sod off!!

The film is going well.  The crew all seem very professional (final year students at Uni of Westminster) and the atmosphere is one of hard work but good fun.  The cast are all nice (not that there's much of us) and I think this may be the best short I've done this year.  i'm thinking of giving myself some time off doing these, regardless of whether I do the Shakespeare or not.  I've had no time to sort my home life out and it's getting frustrating.  I should have enough from the past 6 months or so to make a showreel - or at least a decent start at one.  I'd just like a week of not going out and chilling for a bit.  Not that that will happen, like...

Barbados was brilliant but too short.  I was upgraded to a seat by the emergency exit at gatwick and I thought things were going to be bliss.  In the end there were at least 5 school cricket teams on the asme flight and my seat was right next to the hostesses' bays, so a constant stream of kids were hanging around my seat.  I ignored them by watching Walk the Line and The Constant Gardener - both of which were excellent.  I got around 3 hours sleep and was raring to go.

After arriving and dropping my stuff in the hotel and having a quick shower, I was taking to Dinner by Rae, one of the organisers.  She wasn't holding out much hope for the event as regards turnout and organisation.  I desperately wanted to go out boozing, but she had stuff to do that night, so I went back to my room and got some well needed sleep.

Her fears were right enough, but all in all the day went well.  Records were broken, funds raised for charity and a decent amount of PR.  I was worried that it would be too hot, but the heat wasn't oppresive at all.  Once the last interviews was finished, I went back for a power nap, ready to take on the nightlife with the guy who organised it.  In the end, he took me for a Chinese and we had a good chat before he sloped off to bed to get some well earned rest.  Devoid of rum in my blood I felt like making a night of it, but there was no-one to go out with and the hotel bar closed early.  Went to bed early again, thinking it would help any feelings of jet lag once back in London.

Next morning I awoke, had a chilled beer on my balcony and looked to the skies.  It was overcast, with not a hint of sun.  Undeterred, I hired a beach towel and went for a lie on the beach right outside my room.  the sun started to come out (as did the bikinis) and I lay there thinking that life didn't get much better, but my alarm went off and, after a quick dip in the beautiful Caribbean waters, I went back in after only one hour.  Packed, checked out and dropped at the airport, where I thought I'd get some lunch and finally RUM!!  the airport is being renovated for the Cricket World Cup next year and as a consequence, options were minimal.  No rum, but a Banks beer (possibly my favourite lager now) and a microwaved burger was all I could get.  I satisfied myself with a bottle of overproof (63%) rum in duty free, thinking of Mark's petits paunches and summer drinking.  Flight home gave me the joy of watching Good Night and Good Luck, but there was no luck where sleep was concerned.  Even listening to the spirituals of Bob Marley didn't help me realx and I arrived back frazzled and more than a little spaced.

I lugged my case (now lighter by 5 framed certificates, thankfully) back up to Crouch End with the full intention of going into work and then leaving early.  I awoke some hours later, sitting on the edge of my bed, half dressed and holding the towel that, in the morning, I was about to use after my shower.  I groggily made it into the office for four hours, but was pretty useless while there.  I started to wake up around 9pm, so called in on a friend and got something to knock me out.  First smoke in a while, but it did the job and I don't have much lying around, but MUST BE DISCIPLINED and say no if he offers to pick up for me.

Filming every day til Sunday, so not in the office (boost!) and trying to keep next week calm for relaxing, exercise and bank balance.  Tomorrow is a bar scene, so will try not to tuck into the free booze too much afterwards.  Final game of the season for the Rob Roys on Sunday and saying goodbye to Pete, who helped get the team going, as he heads off for a new life in Oz.  Sad, but life moves on apace...