On conversations with others and myself, and a theatrical disappointment.

I had a fascinating conversation with a guy called Ian inone of my seminar groups yesterday. I can't remember how it started, but I think we started talking about whether our seminar leader's particular specialisation of violence in Renaissance Literature, was a healthy one. Ian pointed out that it was actually quite a nice let out for tendancies we all have. The conclusion of the argument was that my particular enjoyment of firing rubber arrows (using the bow Alec got me for my birthday) at my housemates, or plonking them on the head with saucepans, and that sort of thing, works in a similar sort of way.

I have been talking to myself for a large proportion of the past couple of days. You see, I'm supposed to be reading Shakespeare, but Shakespeare wasn't designed to be read. So, I compromise by reading it out loud to myself, using different voices for the different parts. Its quite fun actually, although I think I may have confused Lucy and James who were in the living room next door last time I was taking part in this excercise.

LHD, James and myself went to the theatre last night. It was the Exeter Uni Theatre Company's production of Hay Fever by Noel Coward, which is a brilliant play. The set was fantastic, and all in all it was exceptionally good craic. That is, until we got to just after the beginning of the first act, when suddenly the whole stage plunged into darkness. Some ingenius adlibbing was attempted ('Clara! Clara! The lights have gone out!') before the curtain came down, and we were told to wait for ten minutes. The show then continued for a few lines, before once again the stage plunged into darkness, emergency lighting came on, and Richard (absolutely in character) looked up uncertainly as the curtain came down. It was a brilliant salvage attempt by the actors, but unfortunately the play had to be cancelled at that point, since the power cut appeared not just to be within the theatre but through quite a lot of the uni campus. So, we went to Henry's for a drink and then came home. It was all a bit dissapointing, but it must have been far more dissapointing for the actors.

Anyway, time now to continue talking to myself in various voices. I am particularly pleased with the voice I have given Falstaff...