Lights Out

I have a confession to make.

I have a secret desire for show time drama.

I have heard tales of shows having to be canceled due to the power failures or console malfunctions. I have heard tales of the troupe tending to the tent all night, pyjama clad, in order to prevent it from collapsing in the wind. I have heard tales of artists being pulled out mid-show due to unexpected injuries, and the subsequent scramblings to cover for them. I have heard tales of musicians having to play from backstage because they had put their back out and weren't mobile enough to be onstage, or who had to be propped up because they had been hit so hard they were in a daze.

Those last two were actually the same person...

But so far, these have only been stories. True, there have been some mini-dramas on this tour. Someone fell ill and we had to replace them or something like that. But there was always ample time to do so and it was more an inconvenience that a proper drama.

I'm certainly not crossing my fingers for someone to get hurt. But there's just something so invigorating about having to overcome a crisis mid-show, the troupe coming together and pulling off a miracle!

So when the lights suddenly went out on the last night, right before the start of the show, I admit I hoped for a crisis. If only just a little one.

It was very strange to be backstage. The theatre we were performing in had a video link to what was going on in front of the curtain. We were able to see how badly the lights were malfunctioning. Whispers of  "someone should make an announcement..." were soon replaced by complete and total silence. And not just by the artists backstage. The audience had gone silent too, thinking the show was about to start. When the lights kept flashing on and off it was quickly understood that something wasn't right.

Audience and artists held their collective breath... would P be able to find a solution? Apparently the console has failed...

Unlike the sound console mishap in Geneva, there was a second lighting console to rely on. P was able to transfer all the lighting cues to the backup console and though late, the show was able to go on.

We were lucky, of course. The console could have failed during the show. That would have been truly disastrous...