The Beginning

I’m not sure where to begin if I’m honest.

I’ve just spent the last few minutes looking at the above line wondering how to continue then suddenly realised as I type that I have in fact begun. Life can be like that sometimes. You ponder and worry what the next step to take is and sure enough, by the time you’ve plucked your head out of the clouds you’re walking. Sometimes you don’t know where, but.. isn’t that sometimes the best way? You’re on your way to work on the bus or tube, you feel miserable. Why? Because you know what awaits you. The same building, the same dreary office furniture, the girl you like who is enraptured by the new guy.. That’s why I enjoy what I do.

Theatre.

I’m sure many posts will be of course littered with thoughts and opinions on theatre and a kaleidoscope of other somehow related disciplines, locales and people. It is of course the latter that can leave the most long lasting impression on someone, so maybe I should have put that first, it did however allow me into this train of thought. People can have such a huge impact, in a positive or negative light, that it can seem a risk stepping out of your door and opening yourself to the experiences they can offer. But then, what would have happened to Middle Earth if Bilbo hadn’t taken that first step he almost didn’t make?

I digress. The point I think I was trying to make was that if you don’t give people the scope to not only enter your life but also stay around a little then you deprive yourself. Life can be hard enough, but to choose to battle it out alone when you have potential allies at every turn just seems madness. I’m quite impressed by myself that this is a theatre blog but I have now only mentioned it twice. Maybe it’s a lesson that no ‘one’ thing should be all encompassing and to give passions and interests room to breathe you in fact nourish them rather than provide an over suffocating blanket, similar to an overzealous parent on that first day at school.

I’m Chris btw. I’ve let you into my mind so I thought it only polite to introduce myself. I won’t bombard you with an avalanche of experiences, events and mindless data just yet. I’ll try to slowly let it seep out through the cracks of my conscious so I don’t overwhelm you too suddenly. I’ve been involved in theatre for four years and have worked with probably 200+ people in that time, across a multitude of venues across the UK. I guess that’s why I like theatre so much, it isn’t the same building or the same furniture or people.

The pretty girl smiling at me in the front row one night could just as easily be a discerning critic the next. Different venues offer a range of alternatives experiences on so many levels from meeting staff who weren’t working the night before to the change of promo material and propaganda. I’m sure future posts will explore this angle in more detail but I’ll leave you with a thought. Venues change with the seasons. Make sure you bring your umbrella.

Chris