Penultima in a Concrete Jungle - Milton Keynes

Week 27 of 28. The penultimate week. A strange time of reflection, nostalgia and worrying about the next job. Common topics of conversation; Favourite town? Favourite venue? Best audiences? Best activity? Best digs? What's next?? All as a way of preparing for the end. Milton Keynes was another commuting week for most - so again fractured, but again perhaps needed.

MK (as it's also known) is quite different to a lot of places we've visited - the reason being that it is a "new town". Born in the 1960s, it is structured in a grid-like format - our walk from the station being 30 minutes in a dead straight line. The first time I did this was very strange. I don't think I've experienced anything quite like it. Yes many towns have very long roads that run through many different places but this was honestly as if it had been drawn with a ruler. I emerged from my train (who knew there was a direct train from Balham to Milton Keynes??) ready to embrace my stroll into town, but considering the route couldn't be more straight-forward, I found myself checking the entire way because it felt as if I'd gone round in a circle - so much of the town is so similar. 

I wonder if this is because it was built so recently. Yes it has obviously developed gradually over the years but as it's been such a short space of time, there isn't much room for Old merging with New. London, where I have spent most of my time, provides a change of mood/look/sound at the turn of a corner. Unlike Milton Keynes it is full of History, spoiling us with ever changing landscape and an omnipresent merging of Past and Present. MK was born 40 years ago, I guess it needs a chance to build up a past.

This is what fascinates me about touring; new places, new people - encroaching on an unfamiliar town, just for a short time, but enough to get a feel for what transpires there and how its people live. Do they Love it? Hate it? Feel indifferent? Did they grow up there? Did they move there? Why? What History is there for them? It is perhaps obvious that a town is influenced by its people and vice versa. But as an outsider, that relationship seems to be what leaves the biggest impression.

The theatre, although also being a recent build, somehow feels different - as if it very much has a History. Being kitted out with many modern features such as Air-Con and Water Machines(!) it wouldn't seem that way but whilst also considering that is has up to 1400 capacity - one of our biggest venues of the tour - it is intimate, warm, lived in and full of character. It has a dark blue auditorium split into 3 levels and whilst we had to of course adapt to fill the space, it wasn't hollow or so vast you couldn’t feel the audience there. What I have discovered by visiting such a variety of venues is that intimacy is fundamental to the appreciation of the play. You want the audience with you for every smile, every tear, every grimace - only when they can see or at least sense that, does it become the shared experience it should be.

Our first night was pretty much full - a welcome start to the week. Despite a few minor volume issues, it was a good show and we all felt our penultimate week had begun as it should. 

As the week progressed though, the show became longer and we hit our longest running time to date. This is fairly common at this stage of a tour but nevertheless not a great thing. The next shows were spent trying to work out how. Were we pausing more? Did the larger space affect the length of entrances and exits? Is it something to do with being near the end? It could have been any number of things but thankfully by the end of the week, we had it back down to more manageable and regular times.



FUN

Due to commuting, social activities this week were rather limited, but Miss Sarah Jayne Dunn organised for a group of us to get HD'd and LVL'd!

HD Brows - High Definition Eye Brows

LVL - Permed and Tinted Eye Lashes

Having been pampered and permed, we emerged bright and refreshed - completing the week very much in High Definition. If you're ever nearby, check out the wonderful DermaSpa - it really is worth a visit.  http://www.nilam-patel.com

She's crying blue tears! She must be a Crocolion!

As usual, we sampled the various local eateries with a welcome discount at Zizzi's and my first taste of an Oreo Milkshake at TGI's. Mc Donalds though, is the only place you are guaranteed parking...short stay anyway. Not to worry - serving up in minutes, you'll be in and out in half an hour ;-)

All in all an interesting time in Milton Keynes. Beautiful Theatre, Eyelashes and Air-Con in abundance. This week was bound to be strange and throw up a whole array of different emotions - a feeling of limbo, in preparation for the final week on tour.

Next and finally, we go to Brighton. A beautiful town by the sea and for many of us, one with fond connections and memories - an apt place to finish. It will be a week of surprises and celebrations and on Thursday, we will be joined on stage by a very special guest...if you don't know already, take a look at this :-)

http://www.theargus.co.uk/leisure/stage/10575309.Birdsong_author_Sebastian_Faulks_on_translating_the_epic_war_story_for_the_stage/