Neither Snow Nor Rain Nor Heat Nor Gloom of Night
Why do people like me perform?
I’m writing this blog on the tube. The reason I’m writing it on the tube rather than a comfy sofa with tea, crumpets, blankets, and probably a cat or two is because it’s snowing quite a bit. On weekends I often stay with my parents, which is normally lovely. However, Mama and Papa Regan live on a hill, which leads onto another hill, both of which are rather steep. Neither of these hills have seen a gritter for many, many years. Thus when snow happens, driving doesn’t. That means I’ve had to rely on public transport. I decided that trying to walk to the station was a bad idea, and opted for getting a bus there. After waiting for half an hour I modified my plans and decided a bus straight to Watford would be better. Half an hour after that one showed up. Kind of. I noticed a rather unusual destination on the front. “Edgeware”. Now, to a sophisticated London elite such as myself this is a subtle sign that the red bus may not be heading where you want it. After talking to the driver no, there was no bus going to Watford today due to the snow. And so, an hour after I had decided it was far more trouble than it was worth, I started the long walk to the tube station. It wasn’t so bad, at least until I hit the freezing cold pavement hard after a lady coming from the opposite way careened into me. With a bit of luck no one in the audience will notice the slightly scuffed suit and shoes, and I’ve always felt a limp adds an air of mystery to a gentleman. But why didn’t I know this? Why hadn’t I just asked google how long I’d have had to wat for a bus? For exactly the same reason that I’m not sure when I’ll actually be able to post this blog.
The reason I’m not exactly sure is because yesterday at a gig someone managed to spill sparkling wine all over my phone. I thought it was okay but from about 4pm all it’s said is that it is searching for a signal, so I think the antenna might be damaged. Make no mistake, this is a somewhat tricky situation to find myself in.
Oh, an eagle eyed reader may well have noticed the earlier key phrase ‘modified my plans’. That is because I had wanted to get back to Stevenage first. Not because I go into some kind of cold turkey eyed if I don’t look at a massive concrete roundabout every few days, but because a good portion of tonight cabaret show - the things I need, props I’ve created, that sort of thing - is there. But now it is clear that, due to weather, I will not be. Which means I am on my way to Watford without an act tonight so, once I arrive at the venue, I have no time to warm my feet and rest. Instead I’ve got to head into the town centre and buy what I need to put on a Christmas Show that I can be proud of. Those of you who know Watford – that jewel in the crown of Hertfordshire – will know that it does not have a magic shop. It’s fair to say that tonight’s show will be a masterclass in magical ingenuity.
As I sit here I can’t help but think of all the trouble I’m going to in order to get to this gig and I’m now asking myself: will the audience? It’s cold and it’s snowy. Can I really expect people to come out simply to watch some magic?
And so to summarise: I’m heading to a gig knowing I’m going to have to flog myself half to death creating a brand new act, whilst facing the very real probability that due to the weather no one is going to show up…
But they *might*.
And that’s why we do it.
Epilogue
I’m now sat on the Overground, heading to pulling out of Willesden Junction, and there seems to be more and more snow. All I can think is “What if d20 is closed..?”
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Reader, it was open.
TFT