During

Performance

To reflect on the performance, I wanted to try and see it from each of the characters’ perspective. How was their waiting during the performance. What exactly did they or did they not do, and how did it fit into the performance. So for each character, I wrote a short piece from there point of view dring part of the performance.  I wrote the longest one for the character I played, as I can best understand what she was thinking during the performance. The other two, for me, are just speculation from what I think and from what my group mates have told me.

Me, the girl getting ready

Scene 1:

Not in the first scene, so I get to listen to Finn walk in to the restaurant. Walk in to the restaurant, sit, and then nothing. Guess it gives me time to think – do I remember what I’m supposed to say? I should be fine, don’t really have to remember much. Hope it seems natural. Will they remember the cue to leave? Have 2 minutes not passed yet? Oh. No, not even the first minute has passed. Time really can go slow sometimes.

Scene 2:

Okay, she is leaving. I’m ready. Yes, she is knocking. Music on, time to get up.

Hug, yes hug her. Hug seems natural, that’s what Laura would usually do when seeing a friend. Sometimes. But I’m not Laura, am I? Didn’t even bother to give me a name. Just “the girl getting ready”, and I’m supposed to create an entire character from that. Well not I, I am the character. Laura works with that, to create “I”. Whatever the difference may be…

Just chat about my tinder dates, show some dresses. Pour some wine, don’t forget to mention the guy I saw last week. Wow, time goes fast. Have two minutes really passed?

Lipstick, lipstick. She has to go get her lipstick. That was the cue.

Freeze.

Scene 3:

She walks to the other side. It seems so far, her footsteps are so loud. She is taking so long, does she not realize everyone is waiting for her to get to the other scene?

There they go again. I feel awkward and I’m not even in that scene. Going over the cues again, do I remember mine? Do they remember theirs? I hope so, it’s about tim- no, not time yet. How is that possible, I have gone through the entire performance in my head. Do I have the music ready to play?

Finally, there she comes. Have to remember to keep this scene shorter than our last.

And, natural. Just friends in a room. With some audience watching but let’s not think of that.

Luisa, waitress and friend

Scene 4:

Back with the lipstick. Finally I can chill, relax, sit down. Take away the tension for a minute and have a drink. It’s almost like a regular Thursday night, now presented on stage, but still a pretty regular night. As if I took a part of my everyday life and let people look in to it, have them peering into my night. All I have to do is sit, watch and converse about things we rehearsed, but also things we would normally anyways.

Almost forgot this scene had to be shorter, time to leave. Leave the casual room and there, back in the emptiness between the two. Sure, I don’t have to do much there, but it’s the one moment where I feel everyone watching me. Everyone waiting for me to do something, or to go in to the restaurant where things actually happened. They don’t want to watch me put on my apron silently.

Scene 5:

Back in the restaurant. Just need to wait for his cues. Is that the only job a waitress ever has, to stand there and wait to be needed? To keep staring at the customer, hoping they’ll break the silence and speed up time by asking me to bring them something.

I do feel bad for this guy, stood up by his date. It has been pretty long since he has sat down. Even though the clock says we still have a full minute of this scene. That can’t be right.

Finn, the man in the restaurant

And finally, time for the cue. Counting down did not really help speed things up.

Scene 6:

Anyways, now that she’s back to the other side, I can wait without being watched by everyone.

Although, how different is it really?

The difference between having to act that I am waiting and between actually waiting. While I’m acting, I don’t sit as still as when I’m waiting to act. Yet sitting still waiting for the other scene to end seems to pass by so much quicker listening to the others’ conversation.

She’s back already, forgot how short their last scene was.

Scene 7:

This should not take long. Now that I’m more stressed I can tap with my knife. Play around with things on the table. It is a lot more entertaining than just sitting here.

Sit here for less than a minute, then I can get up and leave. Put on my coat, phone in my pocket. Hood on and walk out, pass Laura on the street.

Almost over now, just have to watch her sit down and start the waiting I just went through.