Flopsy takes the stage

I've been telling everyone that I wouldn't audition for a play this semester, I ended up sort of auditioning while I wasn't aware I was actually doing so, and as a result ended up with a role! The play is called Wind In The Willows. (click the title for more info) Idea behind me approaching the director was to offer to help out backstage and maybe have a silent part as a tree or something. I have way too much to do this semester and no time for plays of any sort. He then thrust a bit of script in my hands and asked me to read Ratty, one of the major characters. That was followed a callback and finally the first rehearsal yesterday evening. I am now cast as Robert the Rabbit and also Rupert (the Human). In total not more than 5 minutes of stage time, however, Robert has the second line at the start of the play, right after Mole (one of the four main character). So there I'll be, two ears, fluffy tail and a dim look in my eyes trying to play a rabbit. By Jove, that'll be a hoot.

Anyway, all this auditioning and rehearsing took place this weekend, which unfortunately was the weekend that Suzanne was here too (the unfortunate bit being that I had to spend lots of hours at the Student Guild and not at home larking about with Suus and the homies) But we had a blast riding up and down Liverpool and the Wirral visiting the best museums that the region has to offer and also eating lots of chocolate fingers bought for 20p a pop which could arguably have been the highlight of the weekend.

Besides the Drama malarkey and my Dutchie visitor (conversations in Dutch again managed to raise a few eyebrows during dinner, I guess it'll always remain strange language to my English flatmate's ears) nothing much happened except the Improv auditions we held last week (some other witty minds joined our 'Sticky Floor' team) and the general start of Uni. I can now honestly say that Irish is a very difficult language, but that it strangely reminds me of Dutch sometimes (how the Dutch will always pronounce RED as RET and ROB as ROP) because final devoicing is common and the throaty 'g' sound isn't a stranger to them either. (To those more phonetically inclined, lots of devoiced d's and g's and I suppose glottalisation + velarisation in places too). My other classes are pretty much allright too, not as cool as last semester, and I'll probably spend more time worrying about the play and my BA thesis that I still have to write than what to read for the next Lit. Tutorial, but interesting nonetheless.

Oh, I did manage to screw up my bank debit card, I now have to wait for a new PIN number to be able to withdraw and pay money again. (I still can't figure out what my old PIN was, I must have jumbled up the numbers) and my Dutch bank thought I'd withdrawn double the amount I had taken out in actual fact and I had to call them to set them straight. Which happily I could do by way of Skype, which very fortunately is now installed and ready on my own laptop after the decision to at long last hook up my own internet connection. I am typing this blog in the luxury of my own flat and semi comfortable desk chair. You never realise how much you need to have internet in your own home until you don't (A little bit like never realising how much you miss Dutch Stamppot until your mum comes over for New Year's and makes it).
(Ratty and Moley)