Friday Oct 9 - Opening in Kigali!

Today, word trickles down that Ross has become quite ill, some stomach bacteria attack.  He is resting while our technical crew - Rick, Rebecca & Guillaume - work at "Heaven" to rig lights and build cues.  We know that again we will find ourselves in a new world of space and light, with no rehearsal prior.  It is an adventure for everyone, but most stressful for our technicians.  There is no way of knowing how they are doing over there.  The film crew sneaks in some shooting. We wait and trust in the skill of our creative team. Readying ourselves for the evening & our part in the endeavour. 

We have found a local driver with the help of Laurette - Jean Louis.  He promises to come to the play this evening, after driving our film crew all day.  He ends up bringing the crew to their show call, then staying to see the show while his friends show up separately.  He is flexible with us, and it is mostly appreciated as we run from opportunity to opportunity during these days. 

Song rehearsal at the Milles Collines in Jack's room.
We arrive at "Heaven" at 8:50 pm for our show.  There is a row of SUV's parked outside.
A different crowd than in Butare.
Many ex-pats in the house tonight, among Rwandans.

Ross is lying in the dressing room.  He is very ill.  Struggling to make it to the talkback after the show.
There is great strength in this group of artists.  I have watched a couple members of this company perform through illness in Toronto & the strength they have always amazes me. 

The regular dinner guests are slow to vacate, slower than expected, still our show begins, as expected, before 9:30 pm.  The playing area has shrunk even more due to the size of the audience.  Yesterday, it was adjusted to an oval rather than a square, and this oval is even flatter tonite.  Everyone on the Volcano team is making the best of this at every turn - Rick has found an equipment box for us to step down onto as we enter from the raised platform at the side of the restaurant.  He lights the way for us and lends a hand when we enter/exit.  Guillaume and Rebecca are visible, raised at stage left on the platform from which we enter.
We have not yet seen Rebecca's lights, and can only guide ourselves by the spike marks on the floor and the feel of the lights as they come up.  The chairs are new.  The space is new.  The floor is slippery.  Mental note after mental note - adjust, cope, compensate, keep on track.

The lighting is powerful & exposing.  Carol & Kent sit in the front row - it is good to see them there during the show.   I see Ross once during the show, sitting in a chair beside the booth with Guillaume and Rebecca.  I know he is only there when he is in a solid stomach moment, but it is nice to see him there.  Rebecca is not calling the lights but manually moving sliders and CREATING the lights around us as she watches the show, on sight.  Rick holds out his hand, assisting us up onto the level of our dressing room as we exit offstage after Act 1, and you catch glimpses of him throughout the show, a shadowy bodyguard in a driving cap on the fringes of your eyeline.  Guillaume has a rock-solid show, sound cues bang on.

It is difficult to say how the show changed, yet again, that evening.  But it felt as though it sunk deeper into every person on that stage. 

The applause is warm and the audience comes to their feet.

I hear Ross announce the talkback, and yes, he is a great actor that one.  When we arrive on stage he is together, holding it together perhaps but he is doing it. 

We hear from Rwandans, one of whom says that this play helps him to see that it is possible to find a way towards forgiveness or healing, whereas previously he did not think this was possible.  Now, though he is not sure of the way, he thinks he can find one.  (More comments from the talkback are found on Ross's Blog)

Still I wish that we could hear more from Rwandans, for this project and for the film.
We seek again, reach out again, tomorrow.

The walk home to the Milles Collines from Heaven is uphill but only five minutes.
The film team must be beat - a long day for them.
More interviews with cast tomorrow for them.



Post by Tara