Frustrated & Funny Focus Fracas

Well, firstly I know I’ve been slack in updating LA & Vegas but they are to come. Tango has arrived in Alicante, Spain & I have just been on the reverse end of a situation I’ve been involved in numerous times before.

Alicante is the first time since I joined Tango where English is not the main language and isn’t even used as a 3rd or 4th option. I sauntered in (not too cocky mind you) knowing that I had very basic Spanish under my belt but enough that I should be able to get by. Which I did… until you need to start doing technical things!! Having worked on many Melbourne International Festival of the Arts, I thought I’d perfected the ‘art’ of communicating theatre using a series of hand signals and grunts – which I had. What I hadn’t learnt, but have now, is that when you are the guy who can’t understand a thing that’s being said, you assume that your last hand waving & three grunts will be carried out shortly - despite the fact that the guy who ‘understood’ now seems to be heading out to have a ciggie with three other crew, laughing and giggling constantly - can only exacerbate massive feelings of frustration….!

A slight feeling of paranoia also creeps in – “Are they laughing at me..?”, “Am I coming across as a complete twit to them..?”, “Why is this so hard..?” etc. Helping this along is a sense of pure anger brewing out of the frustration of the thought “I’m usually way beyond this point by now” churning over & over in your head. Granted, we had all day to set it up from scratch & we have all day tomorrow before we actually do a show BUT as Tango is definitely a part of my current psyche, I should be well & truly ready for tomorrow night, but I’m not!! Did I also mention that I haven’t had a ciggie, not even the smallest puff, in 7 weeks…? (that story will be told over future postings!) That definitely hasn’t helped with today’s situation, with one particular 20min Marcel Marceau charade involving me being 8m up in an EWP (Elevated Work Platform) bringing on the desire to smoke the strongest yet!!

All in all, I now have an even greater respect for techs who have toured to countries where they are so far on the back foot the moment they walk on stage. I now understand the frustration & curt sentences uttered & the sheer joy & emotion shown on the faces of foreign touring techs as the most simple things go unheard & the most technical of details & requests passes effortlessly.

As I’ve always said about theatre in general, you learn something new each show you work on – be it a different work practice or a way not to do something. Today was no exception.