Brief Update

Quick update from the front. Sorry Gallu. I tried.

(To those who received an email much like this, sorry, lame, I know.)

I am here, safe and sound. The flight was without incident, there were empty seats so I was able to sprawl over two seats, which was great. Transfer at Heathrow was a pain in my butt, but that's the way it always is. Lots of long narrow unmarked hallways trying to get to the right terminal and gate, all filled with long serpentine lines of people from many far away places. One line, I swear, consisted of an entire small village from Africa. Anyway, it was a really long line and I was glad I didn't have to get to the end of it.

Highschool friend Ray (see earlier entries) picked me up at the airport and the equestrian met us there, so it was an easy trip back to Dun Lougherie where we are staying (a small beach town about 15 minutes outside of Dublin) despite my increasing exhaustion at that point. It just isn't a long enough flight to really get good sleep, and by the time I landed it was like, 6am my time. In the airport in London I picked up an Irish Times and was very proud to see a review of the show (positive) and praise for the eq's performance. Plus a little picture. I sat munching my jelly babies and licorice all-sorts and smiled.

I love British candy.

We had a bite to eat and a pint, then bid Ray farewell and I went back to crash. The B&B we are staying at here is great--they gave us the "chalet" which is this tiny little cottage in back of the main house. We keep saying that one morning we will come out to breakfast and will have grown hair on our feet--well on our way to full hobbit transformation. Let's hope not. Anyway, it's close quarters but cozy and very well kept.

The weather has been phenomenal. Today is actually the first day that looks at all like Ireland should (grey) after several superbly sunny days.

After a long nap I met the Keegan folk after the show, we hung out at the bar next door (which is actually a very chi-chi tapas place--not at all a traditional pub and last night got to feeling a bit too much like Adam's Morgan for my tastes) but they have a great outdoor patio with a view of the sea so--save the drunk girls in small clothing--it works as a post show hang out.

Anyway, I'm jumping all over the place. Let's see.

Yesterday we spent the morning roaming Dun Lougherie and seeing James Joyce stuff then the guys had rehearsal and I went into Dublin. Went to Trinity College, saw the book of Kells, roamed the campus, then walked around Grafton Street, Saint Stevens Park and the Temple Bar area, then walked back to the train via the canal. It's a great city, vital and brewing (no pun intended) with life.

Ray met me back in Dun Lougherie and was my date to see the show. It was great--Skids did a fabulous job, I was completely engaged and taken in by the play--really, committed, honest work all around. The crowd was great, quiet at first as they warmed to the American idioms (like "fuck you, fuck you, fuck, fuck, cunt, cunt, you cunt" or something along those lines. Love Mamet. But then they got into it and were, literally, on the edge of their seats.

Afterwards we hung out at the tapas place, then Ray took the eq and me into Dublin to a few big pubs, filled with some Irish people and a shitload of Brits, and finally we headed home somewhere into the wee hours.

Ooof.

Taking lots of great pictures. Digital cameras are fun.

I'm back in Dublin now as the crew rehearses for Kevin's put in tonight. In a very hot internet cafe before raoming the city a bit more and heading to the Abbey for the last night of THE BIG HOUSE tongight. I wasn't going to do any moe theater, but then I walked by and it was the last night of the show and figured, "Ahhh, it's the Abbey, I should" We'll see how that goes.