"The Life Of Anybody Is Much Better Than Any Style."

Ben offered a scene to read from a one-act Feydeau called Gibier de Potence (Jail Bird). The scene is between Taupinier and Lemercier, who are hiding in the same room, and have both been led to believe (by a woman called Pépita) that the other is a murderous criminal! I read it alongside Ben, and then we improvised it. Philippe got us to do it whilst arm wrestling.

 It was great! We were both yelling ridiculous claims at each other. "I killed five people at the age of seven!" "Oh yeah? Well I murdered my uncle when I was three!" We were really physical, and started being silly and cheating. We got up and were moving around the table, and Ben took off my moustache and I stuck it on his forehead. Philippe said it could be great to do this scene and at the end of it we've completely swapped clothes. It's ridiculous. It doesn't mean anything. But it's fun. 

We also tried it with a deck of cards as if playing a game of poker. It wasn't as good like this, although it still worked. I didn't feel as free - a bit stuck with throwing out insults. Philippe played some scottish bagpipes over us which made it something strange. But it was fine. Philippe said it was more Burlesque than Vaudeville. More like the Marx Bros. 

And we'll learn this scene now! Which I'm excited about! 

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Mike suggested a scene from Jail Bird to read and improvise which he did with Ben and Steph. A scene in which Pépita and Taupinier suspect (wrongly) that Taupinier is a dangerous criminal. They're stuck in a room with him, and they try to verify that he is in fact the criminal they think he is very subtly. i.e. By measuring him from behind without him knowing, and trying to make him yawn so they can see whether he has a missing tooth or not.

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Mia suggested a scene from A Flea In Her Ear in which Poche - the drunken porter, who looks exactly like Chandebise - is mistaken for Chandebise by his wife and his wife's lover. They improvised well. "It's possible." But Philippe criticised Duncan again for being stiff like a model.

Philippe interviewed Duncan, teasing him about his history with Spanish women, trying to find the real charming likeable Duncan. Not the stiff nervous one. Eventually we saw the real Duncan - cheeky and fun. "We want to see you like this. Nice. Charming. Open...You have to stay like this."

"I think you take a style...You take refuge behind this style...And the life of anybody is much better than any style."

"You have to discover how you are loved."

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Heading to Budapest tomorrow! Amanda and I snatched up some 7€ flights (!!!) a few weeks ago and are going to stay for three nights, staying with the brother of a friend from first year, Hanna. Can't wait!