I went to Paris to visit, who else, Dani, who had just sat a set of exams and thus had been locked away from the world studying for far too long and needed to let hair down. We reconvened at the house of a friend of hers and drank. It was a small party at first- myself, Dani, Matt and Katherine, whom I hadn't met before- but the numbers swelled gradually, to include Rose and Cordelia, whom I had met at Dani's birthday in October and a whole host of new people. Like the social butterfly I want to be, I wandered around the room and tried to blend seamlessly into as many different conversations as possible, but like the repressed theatre kid that I am, I ended up in the kitchen singing Phantom of the Opera, Les Miserables and Company, which I've never even seen and yet somehow know the words to.
For the party, I found an incredibly cheap cider that actually tasted quite nice and, better yet, came in a deceptively swanky bottle, so I looked damn posh to the people I'd never met which is always important. There was also some award winning wine andm courtesy of Katherine, a new way to get crunk and imbibe my daily dose of vitamin C in mixing vodka and grapefruit juice, which is apparently called a Greyhound, for reasons that I think don't exist.
The next day, after sleeping about four hours, I left my hostel and went to visit Dani, who was, shall we say, 'indisposed'. Then, Dani got to join a very exclusive club of Women With Whom I Have Shared A Bed and became the fourth person in a row whom I have slept beside without punching. Score. After scoring a few more hours' kip, I bid Dani adieu and made my way to the airport.
I landed at Edinburgh around half four but, because of delays and general incompetence on behalf of the airline, I didn't get into the city until six. I went to meet Jari at the theatre where he was performing that night (gosh, my friends are fancy) and while there I ran into Emily, who was also acting that night (gosh, I'm such a theatre hag). She was well and although we didn't spend six and a half hours together like last time, she managed to get in a few good digs at my expense. Jari arrived (late- so not that fancy after all) and gave me a key so that I could go home, change and, most importantly for my sanity and that of those around me, shower.
I barely had time to do all this before I had to head to the theatre, where a script I'd written was being performed (SO. DAMN. FANCY.). Waiting for me there was none other than ol' Esmo, and we chatted for a little bit- as always with Esmond, there were a million and one things going on and I didn't have time to solve all of them, but I managed to get through the majority, I feel. Then, he left, and the play began.
This script, titled Diviner Than Thou, was directed by Vlada, who helmed Boomerang/Nautilus last year, which makes her the person other than me to have directed most of my scripts at two. I absolutely adored what she did- the timing and acting was perfect, and the aesthetic- the accents, costumes and lighting- was exactly what I'd imagined. It was a sheer delight to watch the scenario I'd been picturing in my head for so long take form before my eyes. Diviner Than Thou was directed by Vlada and starred Ben Schofield, Grace MacDougall, Scott Redmond, Erin Reed, Finlay McAfee*, Nuri Syed Corser, Liam Rees and Joe Christie in a very memorable cameo doing basically this:
After Candlewasters, I met with Rik and Johanna for a drink, and Rik lamented that, although he turns thirty soon, he doesn't have a mortgage. This got me to thinking about the trappings of adulthood and when I will accomplish them: Rik is palpably more adult, organised and worthwhile than I am, but, even at seven years more advanced than I am in our life cycles, he hasn't climbed to the lofty heights of home ownership and I trembled at thinking when I might even begin to mount that ladder.
The next day, I lost an hour of my life. Oh, and also the clocks went back. So, I got up late and went to buy new shoes and trousers for my interview (oh yeah, I had an interview, that's why I was there in the first place- probably should've mentioned that, huh?). After that, I met with Daniel, whom I had missed the last time I came to Edinburgh, and for a while we traded barbs and Daniel admitted he was afraid of me- you know, normal friend stuff.
After Daniel ran away screaming with his tail between his legs, I met Luci for a celebratory drink, for she has Accomplished Something since I last saw her, and that's always worth marking. I also introduced her to the concept of Tony Abbott- a Captain Planet supervillain escaped to our world through a magic portal and who, once you've heard his name, is always standing in your peripheral vision.
After that, I took a bus to Leith to see Johanna again, as she very kindly let me store some of my stuff at her place so that I don't have to take all of it back with me in April. She made me a cup of tea and we talked for a while about babies and stuff (there was a lot of Grown Up talk- and I don't mean the exciting, sexy kind- this trip) and then I caught the bus back and went to bed, ready for my interview in the morning.
I don't really want to write about my interview- and was indeed instucted not to by those interviewing me- so I'll just skip forward to flying back. The plane was delayed, which was annoying, but I meant James Woe in the airport, which was not, and indeed I will hopefully be seeing him this weekend in Paris, so that should be fun.
Overall, it was a very tiring weekend but worth it and I hope to be back in Edinburgh soon. It still contains my favourite people and I can occasionally get a show put on and, really, that's all I want from life.
*Another superlative: Finlay now ties with Jari as the performer who has acted in most of my scripts.
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