Brand New Ancients

Today has been a good day. One of those days that just roll smoothly. It involved an early start (early mornings & I have a difficult relationship at best) and a long train journey, but all parts of the transport jigsaw clicked together perfectly. There were two big meetings that were being approached with twinges of trepidation but went better than I'd dared hope.  The journey home got off to an earlier than anticipated start & again the journey was smooth & sweetened by good conversation. As effortless as a Manchester to London followed by a cross London commute home could ever be.

So when I stepped out of my home to go & meet a friend for pre-theatre food followed by Brand New Ancients at the BAC I was feeling confident of a good evening. It was just that kind of blessed day. My confidence was so high I risked the bus over the train. They never normally turn up moments after I reach the bus stop (my friends can vouch for my relatively common bus related rages) but today the normal rules did not apply.

Dropped a dozen steps from the restaurant. Food was lovely & my friend was buoyed with her own good news. Life is good.

We headed to the BAC for pre show twitter tix drinks. The atmosphere was electric. It was opening night. Expectations were high and it was a full house.

As a spot of background Brand New Ancients is a brand new piece of theatre written and performed by Kate Tempest. The score was composed by Nell Catchpole in collaboration with Kwake Bass, Jo Gibson, Natasha Zielazinski & Raven Bush.  It went through several scratch sessions but tonight was the premiere of the finished piece.

I didn't really know what to expect but frankly I like that sense of discovery when I go to see any performance art. What I didn't expect was to find myself standing and clapping like a crazy woman, tears in my eyes because I'd just experienced something so genuine and true. Kate Tempest can find love & humanity in the most unexpected & unforgiven people. Her storytelling is powerful & evocative. You feel that she loves her characters no matter how flawed, or twisted by their circumstances. It is impossible not to respond to that. Add to that the disarming way she peppers the piece with her own thoughts and the performance feels very fresh & alive.

I now have an amazing feeling of clarity. I was considering going straight to bed the minute I got home but I didn't want to squander this feeling.  My breath was taken. I still feel a bit out of puff.  When I said that today was a good day I lied, it was bloody amazing!

Brand New Ancients is on at the Battersea Arts Centre until 22nd September.  Nab tickets while you can because if this doesn't sell out on word of mouth alone, the world is even madder than I thought.

A London Lunchbreak

Apologies for my long absence. It has been a busy few months as I ultimately decided to take the leap and move back to London. While I love Australia, and Sydney will always feel like a second home, the lure of family & friends was just too strong. My attempts at being a rootless citizen of the world only helped me realise just how rooted I really am.

So now I am back in London. I arrived late November and started working almost straight away (I'm not happy unless I'm busy & never let me pretend otherwise). It has been quite an emotional adjustment but I'm still very much at peace with the decision that I made to return. I'm happy here.

In order to ensure I remain happy I have fully embraced the cultural richness that London offers. It feels really good to behave like a tourist in my own city. I recommend it to everyone. I'm going to lots of plays, concerts, films, dinners with friends and I'm taking very long walks through the streets of London to make sure that all that London-ness seeps in and warms my bones.

There are some hangovers (good ones) from Sydney. Given my propensity to walk, I've become addicted to London's bridges. Waterloo, as always, remains my favourite for the "London moment" views (proximity to Waterloo station doesn't hurt either). I think this is because I need to see the water. I saw Sydney Harbour everyday, the water soothes me. I suspect that a proper trip to the sea will be required soon though, the Thames can only do so much.

The other habit is my lunchtime walks. Instead of strolling by the harbour in a summer dress though I'm now wrapped up warm and strolling through Regent's Park (right next to my office). It has to be one of my favourite London parks. You walk through certain parts & feel like you've stepped back in time. Exactly what you need to re-set the old brain cells in the middle of a hard day's work.

Speaking of which I'd better tie up a few bits & bobs before I can enjoy an indulgent weekend packed full of London goodness.