Wed 24.02.09 Bar Hispanico

I’m in Bar Hispanico, across the road from where I’m staying. It’s getting towards midnight. This evening we had the 5th rehearsal of Pelea De Osos. Which means this diary is slightly off the pace. It will catch up. This evening I walked to Fernando’s house in Jacinto Vera. It took an hour, 15 minutes longer than I’d estimated, which meant I was 15 minutes late for the company meeting. [My chivito has arrived. It will keep me company for a while.] No one has yet been late for any rehearsals here, defying stereotypes, and today was no exception. Except for me.

After 15 minutes of chat the company, minus Omar y Fracisco, discussed whether it made a difference if the show starts at 11 or 11.30. It was decided that as it’s already a ‘trans noche’, people coming won’t be too bothered if they emerge from the theatre at 12.30 or 1am. Thereafter we established how little money we had and other sundry items and everyone except V and F left.

The rehearsal went smoothly. We explored JR’s embracing of GC’s imaging technique, each of us spontaneously coming up with the images that came to our mind automatically. (Mine involved a seagull which flew over Ireland and arrived at the London Eye; as well as Chaplin).

[A man who could be Aidan’s double is on the bar telly, dancing with an empty cai pirinha glass on his head. One of many people dancing on the telly. With objects on their heads.]

By 9.15 we’d reached the end of the scene. Meaning we were ahead of schedule. For the first time we stopped a little early. Fernando offered us wine. Valentina said she didn’t want any, then said she would. We stood out in the street, drinking and chatting, as neighbours wandered past, whom F saludoed. These are some of the things we discussed: Whether Parque Rodo is in Pocitos or not; Kate Winslett; acting and ambition in ‘first’ world and ‘third’; the word ‘saltar’; Irish drinking habits; slums; Paraguay; Carneval; reasons for acting. Around 11.15 V & I left to catch the bus.

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It’s quiet now in Bar Hispanico. More mozos than customers under the bright lights. The TV is showing a film which at the moment is about beautiful people living on the US coast, but will shortly be about shark attacks.

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nb – Claudia, the lighting designer, when asking what stage we are at in rehearsals, asked: estas de mesa? To which Ana replied that we were so much further into the mesa, or words to that effect, that we were in danger of becoming the table.

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