Rehearsals today

After talking it over with the cast, James decided that it would be best for rehearsals to be done in chronological order, as the play itself does alot of jumping around. This was actually a brilliant idea, because then there would be a sense of development among the characters. This meant though that today we rehearsed the last scene of the play, which, as those who have read it would know, is the most explicit scene in the show.

I spent alot of the morning (as I didn't need to go to the ten o'clock practice) walking and thinking about this moment and its significance. I thought about the brokeness that comes after it. I thought about how horrifying and wrong Peck's actions are and about how tragic his own life has been. I thought about the beauty of Lil' Bit's forgiveness and about the immense courage that she displays in the telling of her story. A friend from the SCIO program which I revisited today, asked me how I was dealing with such a character, "he is still one of God's children" was what came out of my mouth. That's what I took into rehearsal with me. It went well. It was definately a heavy scene to block and create together, but all of us handled it with such sensitivity and courage ourselves that I can't but smile at the honor it is to be bearing the burden of such an account. It gave me great encouragement for the rest of rehearsals to come.

If you havn't read the script, I highly recommend it. It is availiable at Mulnomah County I know for sure. If not, you may have to order it. Paula Vogel is a quality playwright. Once again it is called _How I learned to Drive_.

Sincerely,
Tyler

After 14 quid for a cable ... I bring photos

by alex (the over excited American in the photo)
Finally! Tyler is in the first day of rehearsal presently. I have to go in this evening to join them. Our rehearsal schedule is functioning like a daily doubles for drama Nordic. We are starting at 9am, until 1 pm, and then 2 pm until 4:30. All of our evenings are free and we couldn't ask for more. I have loads of photos to put on here, so we am problably going to do it in two phases. I am being fleeced right not by an internet cafe here at the train station. We are not actually settled in our lodging yet. The cast member, Aaron, that we plan on staying with is in the process of packing....Yes, strange. But it lease is up when we all head up for the festival. Alright... PHOTOS! The first one is of me at the air port. We had several delays in getting here ... Plane problems ... Some security delays in London due to recent events.

After and epic bus ride with waaaaay too many bags, we landed in Bristol... Still in Britain. We were trying to get to Shirenewton in Wales, where James lives with his family. The bus driver made it sound like another few hours to the shire, so we crashed at a guest house there, later to find that we were within driving distance for James and his family.

I want to say that I did alright packing. I might have brought a little much, but Tyler... He over packed. He admits it, and the second day we were out on the air and on the land... we re packed and shipped an entire bag of crap home. We kept on feeling like we were forgetting something on the way out of Bristol on ... wow... I have no idea what day it was... anyway, we weren't because it was out of our life forever, in air mail on it ways back to Ty's folks.
We eventually arrived in Chepstew and then out James' and then straight to the pub. He is a blurry photo of James and Tyler at a nasty franchise pub, but that doesn't matter... We had finally arrived and were having a great great great time with a really excited James.
Next day we went to the local roman baths, and saw a legion reenactment. The whole time I was thinking how much my mother would dig it. It was this really strange Celtic / Roman mish-mosh... it may have just been the accents, but it was really eclectic and really cool.
I am running out of time, but I really wanted to get this photo of Tinturn abby on here. It was so beautiful and idyllic. It is full of birds and grass and really quiet. Just gorgeous. Really, for us thus far (other than arriving in Oxford) the highlight of the trip. My battery is low, but one of us will return very soon to write more and put up photos of the castle and maybe some of our new friends in the cast. They are very talented, but I will let Tyler write you all more about that.

Tonight, Jordan and Andrea are commons through Oxford. We are very exceed to show them around and go out to all of the beautiful colleges here ... at twilight nonetheless.

cheers friends!

alex

From Oxford

It is just about 6pm and Alex and I just arrived here in Oxford an hour or so ago. It is good to be back. In some ways it is like I never left; in other ways, it feels a little empty. It is wicked hot here, this place is not built for the heat, so every building is stuffy and humid.

I left the USB cord to my camera at home so Alex and I have been holding off posting about our stay in South Wales (which was beautiful) until we can find a cord to upload the pictures we've taken. James family were such wonderful people.

Rehersals start tomorrow at 10:00am with some theatre excercises (if you are not in drama, you might now understand the love hate relationship I have with these times). We have another rehersal then at 2pm and are done at 430 or thereabouts. I am anxious to meet my cast. I hear we are going to make great theatre. I have been brushing up on my Southurn Gentilman, I think it is really coming along. I hope it sounds alright for the readthrough tonight.

My back is aching and so is my stomach, so I must go. I have to be back in time for the readthrough.

Cheers,
Tyler

P.S. here is a cut-and-paste link to a Map of my beautiful city: http://web.comlab.ox.ac.uk/oxinfo/maps/oxf100.jpg