Interview day. Shudder, twitch, shudder. Even 12 hours of sleep couldn't prepare me and I set off two hours early because I was sure I would get lost. Miraculously, I didn't. I got on the right bus from the Tube station and got off right in front of the BAC. I was an hour early so I sat on a comfy couch and read Sense and Sensibility until Luke arrived. He was still a few minutes late so I was told to go and wait for him in the cafe. The BAC has their own cafe where besides coffee and tea they serve food as well. I just continued to read.
Luke arrived and asked me if I had my CV...I didn't because no one told me to bring it and he already had it from Arcadia. I thought great, what a first impression to make, no CV at my interview. Luckily, he didn't seem to mind so much. He asked me a series of questions about what I had done before, what my favorite show was, why I was in the theater, etc. It was all pretty informal and nice; he seems like a nice guy. I must have said the right things because he took me on a tour of the building.
Dear god, the BAC is effing huge. He kept leading me down passageways, up and down stairs, through doors, with no discernible direction. He didn't even show me the whole place because that would have taken about two hours he said. There is no one theater space, in fact, every room is considered a space. Then there is the Grand Hall which has the biggest organ I have ever seen. Phantom eat your heart out. He says they do all kinds of things in there from shows to weddings to Caribbean funerals which are like weddings to banquets and conferences. It's all very alternative and different, not like anything I have really ever worked with before. Except that he wants me to work with the BAC's youth program, which is very familiar territory. At least, that might be what I am doing. He said he doesn't know exactly when I will be working because he hasn't decided where to use me yet. Oh and I can wear whatever clothes I don't mind getting a bit dirty a.k.a. I don't need any formal work clothes or shoes. Good thing Mom and I went to Goodwill and didn't spend that much money. I am of course thrilled at this development as we all know I am most comfortable in jeans and Chucks anyway.
To make sure the universe didn't turn inside out from me flouting God's law, I got lost on the way home. I got on the wrong bus and when I realized it, it was too late to do anything but take a kind of roundabout way back, thus ensuring it took me a lot longer to get home then to get there. The bus system is not so second nature to me as the Tube but I have it figured out for next time. No worries. I was able to get to Leicester Square to get a half-price tkts ticket for Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre, more on that to come.
I chilled out, took a nap, and ate a dinner of a turkey sandwich and Walkers potato crisps. My whole scrimp-on-food plan to save money is working but my stomach is NOT happy with me. Right before writing this I was so hungry that I was forced to snack on dry Frosted Flakes (Frosties in the UK). I haven't eaten lunch since I got here and all other meals have been pretty small as well. I am so splurging this weekend on some yummy, fatty, calorie filled meat pie or something at a pub.
While everyone else set off for Wicked (shudder, twitch, shudder, twitch), I went to see Blood Brothers. I also was able to find this with minimal time spent lost, in fact I had to hang out at a nearby book shop because I got there with too much time to spare. I forgot some very important things about London theatre: you have to pay for the programs and binoculars are available for rent for 1.5 pounds. I had an odd assortment of coinage on me so I was unable to purchase either.
The show though was AH-MAZE-ING. The lead actress was just about one of the most talented women I have ever come across. Most of the actors had to spend the first act being 7 years old which they did well with. The only real down side was the accents made it hard to understand sometimes and the sound was highly electronically altered, which was effective sometimes and distracting at others. Overall, it was really moving though and I did NOT cry at the end. I gave a standing ovation, which I never give lightly, as did the rest of the theater. The cast had to come back for four encores before we all left.
Amusing story time now. There was this loud Southern woman two rows ahead of me with two underdressed Biff and Boff sons who were listening to their IPods when they walked in and had pants too far down their asses. She, remember loudly and Southern, asked the Brits in the row in front of me how to get back to Gloucester Road station. They were not from London so they didn't know, but this lady just kept talking anyway so finally I got up and showed her the best route to take. She, Biff, and Boff had walked from a station far away when there was one right up the street. I told her this and she just seemed stunned. I drew on her Tube map how she was to get back to Gloucester and gave directions to the nearby Tube station as well. She was very grateful and the Brits in front of me seemed stunned that an American was able to help where they were not. I was just glad the lady would shut up and I didn't have to look at Biff and Boff's indifferent stares anymore.
It was a highly stressful day but my evening at Blood Brothers was thoroughly enjoyable. I am already starting to stress about a topic for my academic project (you know, just the 5,000 word paper I have to write) and if I am going to be able to do well at my internship. It's been harder than I though being here but I just have to wait to settle in, find my footing, and hopefully all will be well soon.
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