The Brightening Air at the Old Vic last night and the whole cast were sublime. Special mention has to go to Ella Maria Carmen who plays Billie. Hilarious, exquisite timing, eloquence and meaning. She lifted everyone to her level. And Chris O’Dowd? The name that pulls us all in, he was divine. There I’ve said it. I have been in love with him since the IT Crowd and I can’t see that devotion stopping any time soon. Conor McPherson put the words in his mouth; brilliant, exacting storytelling that moved the set about with centrepiece table that they shifted as they fought - it was creative collaboration in action, the designers and lighting in sync with the energy pulsing from thrown, taught, hidden and overspilling emotion. The language of ownership, sorrow and loss, possession and mistake. It was great.
Eleanor
27th April
The fog is lifting. I am feeling better. The last three weeks have been a turmoil of factors meeting like the currents off the Cape of Good Hope, a terrible clash; I’ve been unable to see what’s what. Relationship, work, family, the heavens, the world - let’s throw them all in there and see if you can stand up. The answer was no. Frequently I went to bed. It’s impossible to write that last line without noting what a privilege it is to be able to do that, that on occasion I could relinquish efforts and retreat. I am massively fucking privileged. End of.
Just saw Chris O'Dowd in the first episode of the new series of Black Mirror. He was excellent and the episode was chilling.
Did I ever tell you my favorite birthday party idea is to get everyone together for an evening to get happily sloshed (wine, microdosing, and otherwise) assign parts, and table-read a play together? Everyone hams it up, forgets themselves, and just feels so 'alive'. It's marvelous fun. Chris O'Dowd has been my hero ever since IT Crowd. But oh, I am so glad you had a good time. Huzzah!