Race Against the Clock

It was the last weekend in Lyon before we broke for Christmas and yet another multiple month break. There were only three shows to get through and, of course, something had to come along and complicate the home stretch.

As we had had a four day break between shows, pretty much everyone took off. I'm sure that most of you have already guessed what happened next.

It was just after 5pm and I was about to go for a stroll through the park to clear my head. As I was heading off site, the head stage tech stops me and says "I just got a phone call from A. There's a problem with his train and he might not make it back in time for the show. It might work out, but just in case, we're having a meeting in 15 minutes. Don't go anywhere and spread the word."

Great.

Apparently there were massive wind storms across the country and many of the train tracks were covered in  branches and fallen trees. Trains were either delayed or stuck sitting in the middle of nowhere. Many possibilities were proposed, even having him take a cab from whatever the next stop was, even if it would cost over 200 euro. But it was decided that at that hour, on the weekend before Christmas, near a city like Lyon, the traffic would be horrendous and there was no way he would even get to the tent on time.

As such, it was decided that we would come up with an A-free version of the show and hope that he at least made it back in time for his act, which is in the second half of the show. We'd also delay the start of the show in order to gain a little more wiggle room.

So we went through the show and tried to figure out how to adapt already complicated transitions so that we could skip the bits with A. Stressed and tired, we came up with a plan and hoped for the best.

Fast forward to the wings just before the show. We warmed up, we waited, we paced. Finally, ten minutes before the official start time we got the call that A had arrived in downtown Lyon. As good as the news was, it didn't change the fact that it took a little over half an hour to get from Lyon to where we were performing. But it looked like we were going to make it.

We continued to wait when suddenly, A bursts into the tent still clutching his back pack. He wasn't warmed up and hadn't eaten since 8 o'clock that morning (it was now almost 9pm) but he not about to cause any further delay. He's extremely stubborn and there really isn't any arguing with him. So, stressed and agitated, he changed into his costume and we all got into place.

The show went off just fine, though I don't think anyone really relaxed until it was over. After my act I ran to the kitchen and grabbed some bread for A so that he would at least have a little something in his belly to get him through the show.

What should have been a three hour journey ended up lasting over twelve hours. And people wonder why I prefer to stay on site on weekends.