Fringe Dispatch Clavis Argentum #3 : Philosophy
We just worked through Act 2. I am way too tired. My poor beleaguered director thought I was angry when he walked in, when I was just exhausted. I can rock a mean RBF. I’ve been overextending, as you do, acting in music video Monday night, and then went to the presser and party and pinball league Tuesday and now, Wednesday, always after work, I have come to rehearsal. I am not in the mood to malinger. Really, I want to go home and watch Masterchef Australia. But also really, I want to maximize the few rehearsals that we have left and so I am ready to get ‘er done.
This is what rock star music video make up looks like. When you have no sense of style and constitutionally can only make up yourself to excess.
As I scarf down my mason jar full of chickpea curry, because yes, I put all of my single serving meals in an easy to carry jar so as to avoid the inevitable onset of pizzaterianism that accompanies evening rehearsals, I get into position to work on a scene where I am completely silent for a full five minutes. I am actually loving it. It’s great to be able to act with your body, to be viscerally present. I don’t need a soliloquy to be happy, just a clear intention to project and some clear blocking to hit, and this is exactly what I am given. Just another way to get out of my life for a few hours.
I biked home from the dungeon, and the ride on the Lachine canal is just perfect this time of year. There is no real bite in the air, and there are thankfully, no bugs to swallow as I speed through the Peel basin, up and under bridges from Old Montreal to St. Henri. The ride is only about 15-20 minutes, but they are great minutes, soaking up these early summer evenings as the twilight falls.
Twilight on the way home. Nothing pithy here, just a hey, my camera took a not too crap picture, Huzzah!
At the presser, a friend of mine told me that I was living my best life. On nights like this, as tired as I am, I tend to agree with her. Lawyer by day, actor by night. I feel that I have split my life in two. The great part of this, is that I am effectively living two entire lives, that I am doubling my time on Earth in a way. The bummer is that I am wiped out, and something will inevitably suffer if I hit a certain level at either. So, to dabble or to specialize? I think all artists have this conversation with themselves from time to time. I think that its ok to just live the life that you are given and to do what you need to do to be happy. I wouldn’t be happy with just one life and so I live two. I’ll do it until it doesn’t make me happy any longer, I guess.
Angela Potvin has been Fringing for 14 years now, and that makes her feel old. She’s performing in the Clavis Argentum at Theatre St. Catherine, also known as the show with the Latin name playing at TSC. Box office will know what you are talking about. Tickets $12. Info HERE.
