No Rest for the Wicked

As I write this, I’m sitting in my caravan. I can hardly move for fatigue. I’m actually surprised by the speed my fingers seem to be typing with because I can’t imagine ever summoning that kind of energy again. And yet… tap tap tap… there they go!

Every part of me is sore. Including stupid things, like my speedy little fingers. Last night we pulled off a near miracle. A good thing too, what with last night’s performance being the premiere in my circus’ home town. As if the dramatic arts weren’t dramatic enough on their own…

The night before last, the night of the dress rehearsal, A was too sick to perform. So we put together some half-assed run where we mimed his presence and handed out his cues. My personal favourite moment would have been when 52 year old P pretended to do A’s strap act, bare-chested and all.

A is a fighter. I’ve seen him continue a show after crashing head first into the floor. And that too was a dress rehearsal. He could have stopped and it wouldn’t have mattered. He performed on a torn bicep for a ridiculous period of time. He is too proud, too stubborn, too good sit out.

Which is why I surely don’t need to tell you how shocked we were when, the morning of the premiere, we were told he would not be doing the show.

We were all so convinced that he would be up and moving come show time that we didn’t have a plan “B”. There was talk of canceling the premiere! Telling 1000 people to stay home. One thousand and one if you count the Dutch photographer who was coming in for one night only to get pictures for the Dutch portion of the tour.

Shit.

Phone calls were made. The beginning of the show was reworked, the group act was adapted. A replacement was found, but he only arrived some time after 16h00. He learned A's act and, as C and I basically sit on stage looking pretty the entire strap act, we coached him as he ran it. By the time we managed to go over everything, we were all late for the preset.

Somehow, we made it through. Under circumstances like that, I don't think there's any other choice. I suppose it's part of the magic of live performance. But I'm good for magic for the next little while. So let's have things get back to normal. Okay? Okay.