In the tent/theatre

Today we got to move into the theatre as a cast. The backstage guys moved in a few days ago and began installing everything and building the on-stage constructions, so we stayed out of their way. Today though, we are in there too.

I would be blogging this live but the only connection available is provided by GoMobile, who charge an exorbitant 3 Euros an hour for the use of their hotspots (I pay that much for a week of internet access at home). Yeah, right. So I will be writing at the MFCC but uploading at home, thank-you very much.

We got to Ta' Qali early today, because we were scheduled to perform a dance number as part of the programme of events for the Christmas Village. The weather was relatively nice – a little chilly, but no rain and no wind to speak of. Our challenge was dancing on a very small stage with lots of microphone wires trailing across it, but we managed OK. I messed up one of my spins because I was distracted trying to find a space on the stage that wasn't full of other chorus members, and then trying to make sure I wasn't masking the people dancing upstage of me, but my partner was great and he adapted his move to cover my mistake. Then a little later I stumbled because I was right at the back and had to circle around my partner – and circled right into piles of cables! But as I staggered forward I recovered my balance and it didn't matter because the stage was so crowded I don't think that anyone could really see me all the way back there.

After the performance (which was fun) we handed out some promotional material and then went off to a restaurant in Mosta. It's a sports-bar type of place, with a massive projection playing football matches. I imagine that we will be seeing more of it since it's so close. The chicken wings look really good, think I'll try those next time.

Anyway, now we're in the tent/theatre. The stage is BIG! The massive, massive scenery is on it but the stage isn't crowded at all! Right now the cast is getting used to the stage, people are being called up in groups to get used to various features and functions but it's not our turn yet. So we are sitting around, talking, doing puzzles, not surfing the internet, and freezing because the heating isn't on tonight. The experienced performers are saying that's it's still warmer than the Manoel, which is a consolation. There will be heating during performances, so we are looking forward to that.

Excuse me, I'm being called to the stage...

OK, I'm back again. The director took us though a few scenes briefly, to check that the blocking still worked on such a big stage. He is satisfied, so we are free again. I've taken the opportunity to go put leggings on under my trousers, and footsies on over my socks, and now I'm actually feeling quite toasty. One does what one must to keep comfy.