Poems my Father would quote ..1

My Father was a great one for quoting little snippets of poems, often leaving me wondering about its origins and why he knew it. I can only guess that this was popular in the 30's and 40's when he was at school. Written in 1899 and published as Antigonish in 1922. Enjoy.

Antigonish

Yesterday, upon the stair,

I met a man who wasn't there.

He wasn't there again today,

I wish, I wish he'd go away...

When I came home last night at three,

The man was waiting there for me

But when I looked around the hall,

I couldn't see him there at all!

Go away, go away, don't you come back any more!

Go away, go away, and please don't slam the door...

Last night I saw upon the stair,

A little man who wasn't there,

He wasn't there again today

Oh, how I wish he'd go away...

William Hughes Mearns (1875–1965)

@kalgrl

#blogjune

Shorts

I like Shorts... By this I mean 'well crafted short versions of performance art, writing, films etc.'

Recently we hosted the Flicker Fest, a wonderful set of the best short films of last year. 

Best of international, Flickerkids, etc.

I am reading a set of short stories by Ron Elliott, entitled 'Now Showing' - so good.

And directing a short play, finding props helping actors and juggling roles. It's only for a 'short time', but intense and busy.

The only thing I don't like short is my energy, its not lasting. I'm also short on sleep. So after this spurt of activity I'll be on a short break, getting healthy. This flu is a nasty one. My recommend - avoid.

Short post ... :D

@kalgrl

*waves*

#blogjune

Whats happening, meme

Following Kate and Con...

So what’s happening?

I’m reading – not a very good book, giving it the flick today and going through the a-z on the Kobo backwards. I usually always start at the front and I am 'mixing it up'. Forgot about 1/2 the things I have loaded over the past couple of years, and I badly need to weed (deselect). The kindle is gathering dust while I am on a 'read the pile you have, kick'.

I’m watching – Masterchef, Elementary, Outlander... 

Over ms18s shoulder ...'Orange is the new black' and last eps of 'How I met your mother'

I’m cooking – not much, lemon curd and pickling olives

I’m drinking – Tea, orange pekoe, hot

I’m thinking – about work

I’m taking – telfast

I’m missing – my Son (living in Perth) and my Father 

I’m enjoying – producing a play

I’m planning – holiday (or at least JB is, I'm just saying yes:)

I’m listening – rediscovering "the essential Michael Jackson" on my UEBoom (Bluetooth speaker... Mother's Day gift)

Happy #Blogjune
@kalgrl

oh and we have library ants

Lost amongst the props

Searching in the theatre props for bits and pieces. Loving that we had a dedicated prop manager for the past couple of years and everything is labelled. 

Finding out what we don't have is easy.

Loving that the box above the 'pistols...' Is labelled 'poodles'... *opens box*

We do have a lot of pompoms... Says something about amateur acting I believe 😉

*plays with props*

Happy Friday

@kalgrl

#blogjune

One persons boring book is another's...

Seated at tea break struggling to read a book on the kobo and it's hard going. I was at page 74 and the story was moving at snails pace. 5 mins in, I was grateful to be interrupted twice, once by tourists from Mandurah looking for entertainment (I'm still not sure why they thought I was a tour guide, with the answers to what's on where? Pointed them to the museum. 'Be polite'.) and once by a student who was desperate to print again but couldn't figure out how 'not to pay' twice. Sad tale of woe and things awry, he proffered paper and everything. 

Gave up the book and tea was cold. The book wasn't getting anywhere fast, excruciating detail and not much story yet. However if you can get past the first 50 odd pages of 'the girl with the dragon tattoo' you can read anything. (Don't worry, after that it races along...)

Still it got me thinking about how one style, type, genre would appeal to someone and her neighbour could hate it. How one sort of museum could be ones cup of tea, and simply boring to another. The Mandurah tourists had already been round the rock museum fast, whereas I can spend ages studying the shapes and colours.

What makes something appealing, and how much of our own story do we use to set a perspective. 

I have read something and compared notes with others and found they simply 'read a different story', or so it seemed.

Setting the scene is a bit of a thing for me at the moment as I work through building a ww1 trench onstage and work out how to make fake rifles and uniforms. Will I set a scene that will suspend disbelief for the audience and transport them to that trench to share the story of the men within? 

That remains to be seen. (Lol, sorry) My perspective may appeal to some and not to others, as with this book.

I think I'll give it the flick, even if it is set in Venice, (next dream holiday) there's 100 odd more on the Kobo, life and tea breaks are too short to... 

...but wait, the main character just visited a library that still has a card catalogue, how quaint... And complete bs... Maybe she will... *turns page*

#blogjune

@kalgrl

Makers and Fakers - on directing and casting for an amateur play production

1. 
   
2. 

   An actor is a person portraying a character -someone who interprets or fakes being someone else.
   "Actors are an illusion, amateur male actors doubly so" TB (2015)
   (to borrow from the lunchtime joke... and puns away) 
   Casting for an amateur production is hard and as any one will tell you doubly hard if you want men!  Amateur theatre has a lot of female support and it's not so hard to cast a play with women. (This is a whole other area of scary as too many can lead to friend loss... but that is for another post.) 
   So I decided to make some art and direct a play with only male characters ... What was I thinking... It's a good play, it's topical  and two intense well written acts that should go over well with audiences. 
   Casting is the problem .. small town (30,000) and two active theatre groups.
   Auditions brought me three and I was grateful. I worked the problem, gained one ... Lost him to work commitments, got another and all seemed ok. 
   First rehearsal - text message  from the new actor - he had to pull out as too committed, back to three. 
   At rehearsal one said, "oh this is on in July?" I might be overseas... I will check and let you know tomorrow. 
   [update - he texted his inability this morning]
   Aaaarrrggghhh
   

   1. (In my defense of being slightly annoyed at this, the performance dates were in BOLD RED on the audition sheet - oh well, maybe his part was too small, as the Actress said to the Bishop)
   This leaves two. I have to say that the two left have the major roles and are, right from the start, reliably getting into the characters already. There are guns, man love and drama, its hard to beat.
   #newtask re-audition for the smaller roles, maybe double up a couple and cross my fingers.
3. *wanders off* to *beg and plead* 
4. #blogjune
5. blog for 2nd and 3rd 
6. @kalgrl
7. 
   

Blogs away...

It's #blogjune day one 2015.

A poem to start the winter blogging...

Early rise on public holiday

Mood snarly at the start

Day happens

Work happens

Students in suits looking sharp

Reference requests, last minute prep

Groups gathering

Presentations are set

Then...

Midday hush

Town still quiet (still in bed I bet...)

Saw a photocopier lolling in the sun

Found my smile 

Read some #blogjune

Nice 'day one'

@kalgrl

*waves*

#blogjune

#blogeverydayforjune