Class

If there was one word I would use to describe the theatre in Heerlen, it would be class. We've played at some wonderfully welcoming theatres in the past. La Rochelle and Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines immediately come to mind. But Heerlen pulled out all the stops and is officially the best theatre ever. Even without the exceptionally well-chosen decor, the Parkstad Limburg Theater really went above and beyond.

The theatre, for one, was gorgeous and really quite spacious. Every time we arrive in a theatre, I'm always a little nervous about the kind of space I'm going to have. On stage and in the wings. Here, I didn't even need to have roll my wheel into place when the time came to do my act. There was so much room I could just set her right where I needed her! And considering the size of the stage, I suspect I'm going to find the next theatre, and certainly the tent, a little cramped come show time.


But of course, its the little things that really define an experience. The theatre provided meals for us throughout the festival, and a special show-themed decor, complete with poster and props, was the centerpiece of the buffet table. Certain dishes were even presented on painter's palettes!



Even the main entrance was specially decorated for our stay! Those are genuine replicas of paintings created during the show.



And on opening night, every person was presented with a sunflower during the curtain call. Boys being boys (i.e. abandoning their flowers in the hall), the girls scooped up some extra flowers for our dressing room.


The theatre technicians were also immeasurable lovely. We're talking taking-over-some-of-my-cues and offering-to-order-heating-pads, lovely. The head technician took pictures one night and put them on CD (with cover image) so that every one in the troupe could have them. We ate together, went out together, and I dare say put on a damn good show together!

But the the real mark of an extra mile is helping someone out when they're no longer your 'responsibility'. As I have no home in Europe, I often linger. In Heerlen, I lingered almost two extra days. A cast-mate checked out of the hotel early so we tacked her unused day to my room, but the following day I had a full afternoon of bumming around to do before my train left. No one wants to be bogged down with a suitcase while hitting up the town, and the theatre was kind enough to hold on to it for me while I went shopping.

And did I mention we also got free t-shirts?

Every other theatre we will ever play in, take note! This is the bar to which you must rise!