Perrine

Thomas the Swiss-German Movement teacher is back! He’s the best. The nicest guy and a great teacher. So today we were straight back into handstands and flick-flacks (front flips). He is the son of a woman who is on the committee of people who make Basel/Larval Masks too. So I might just purchase some through him. That’s what Rodrigo did last year. And although they’re a bit expensive, I can’t see myself getting many other opportunities to get some. And I’d love to have some for work in the future. I don’t really have the budget for them, but I’m planning to do street theatre a lot over the break - potentially in London for the Olympics and Edinburgh for the Fringe Festival - so I think it’s a worthy investment.

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It was back to the slow rhythm in class today which has been frustrating me lately. We can’t get complacent and lazy with such a small class. We’re wasting an opportunity! Anyway...we did the Bouzin scene again today. Bouzin is strange. He’s a low-level lawyer, but he dreams to be a song writer. Ben had a good go at it - performing his usual totally crazy character. Which was fun, but not right for the role. “You have to find another way to be crazy.”

Philippe said that Akron has the face of this character. Bizarre. So Akron gave it a go, and Philippe guided him through it, so that we as a class could see the mechanics of it. I played the waiter whilst Akron played Bouzin. Philippe led him to be odd: slow weird entrance, talking loudly with a strange laugh now and then, big eyes, long pauses, from left from person to person - left right left. “You have to have the pleasure to pretend to be crazy.” This is the kind of guy who forgets his umbrella, and when he returns the audience bursts into laughter all over again. Philippe said the actor playing Bouzin in a production would have to slightly change his performance every night - to change his game - in order to keep his fellow actors on their toes. I still didn’t give it a go. Mostly out of fear, but also because I can’t see myself being good at this role. And I don’t know if I look strange enough. But I might as well try. I can always change my appearance!

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The show tonight was better! Philippe announced that his idea to do the show for the week was an idiotic one (sometimes teachers can have bad ideas as well) and that he doesn’t want us focussing more on the Cabaret than the workshops. And he decided that most of the first year performances on Friday’s Cabaret were rubbish, so he cut them all! So tonight we did the Cabaret one last time - this time with just Ben and I hosting, and only second year performances. Philippe did an open class on Basel Mask with the first years for half an hour before. Hosting was much better. We had lots of fun and played well. My number was better too. Ben being a host was cracking me up offstage, so I was on the verge of laughing as I performed my song. Which I think made it funnier. I played more serious. More ‘professional’. And when the audience started to laugh when Steph and Lee passed behind me (twice this time), I cracked a tiny bit myself! Although I don’t think anyone noticed. So I was happy with how the show went. And happy that I don’t have any more late nights! 

Another very cool thing. A woman at Gare D’Austerlitz heard me complaining to Thomas about my french homework, and she offered to help me on the train. And I eventually took up her offer! She was really nice, and it turns out she’s an artist - a sculptor - from Étampes. She said many artists live in Étampes. Her name is Perrine, and he website is www.angly.fr. I invited her to the Cabaret, and she came! A new friend! Lovely lady too. :)