My oh my, what a week!
Monday we did the tech for the show which went all day and into the night.
Tuesday we had a dress rehearsal, and the Opening Night.  Even though it was a preview, the house was nearly full and the performance was completely assured.  Actors are rather amazing creatures — they seem to thrive on adrenaline and that frisson of fear.  It was great.
Wednesday was the second preview.  I had assumed that we would have a very small audience, but actually it was nearly as full as the first night, and once again, the performance was great and the audience really responsive.
Thursday was Press Night.  Now this is the first real big deal.  As it turns out, there’s a lot going on in London this week and so members of the press are coming at various times throughout the beginning of the run.  But Wednesday night still had several reviewers, plus our PR professional with her press packs and introductions and industry chit chat.  Press Night is always nerve wracking, and I was certainly nervous, as was the cast and crew.  But all went well, and there were quite a few post-production drinks celebrating that we had successfully gotten through it.
Friday was the performance set aside for our supporters.  A bit of a “gala,”  if you can call drinks in the pub afterwards such a thing.  The house was nearly full.  The performance was fantastic.  It just keeps getting better and better, tighter and tighter.  And then afterwards (despite the beginning of the World Cup and a pub-full of people there to see that), we were all able to join together, pat ourselves on the back for jobs well done, thank our supporters for allowing this wonderful production to come to life.  But best of all, I finally got to meet one of our playwrights, Michael Hart, who came down from Edinburgh to be there for this performance.  All of us bloggers know what it’s like to “spend time” with someone over cyberspace and feel as if you really know them.  Then, when you actually meet in person, it’s a bit like old friends.  I felt that way with Michael — not sure if he felt the same, but…. :-).  But after working for months on bringing his marvelous script to life, to meet him, share a meal, and then watch him as he watched his words come to life on stage was a fantastic experience for me.  He was thrilled with the production (I’m greatly relieved to say).  It really is a great responsibility taking someone else’s words and vision and creating something new with it.  As a writer myself, perhaps I felt this even more acutely.  But it’s been an honour to give both of these plays their world premieres, and a great thrill for me to watch Michael have his first experience of being the playwright at his own play.  I even forced him to stand and take a bow. 
So now it’s Saturday afternoon and I’m writing this for you all to read on Sunday.  I’m totally knackered, but totally happy.  There hasn’t been much sleep this week.  Even when I was able to get into bed at a reasonable hour, my brain was working in overdrive.  But I now know that “The Next Curve: 2 One Act Plays” is truly up and running, and the next two weeks will be filled with wonderful performances and, I trust, happy and moved audiences.  But you don’t have to trust my biased opinion.  The first review is in and it’s a complete RAVE.  Read it here!  And then, if you can, come see it.  Two more weeks full of evening performances and Saturday and Sunday matinees.  I’ll be there for most of them.