premièring an opera with a baby

January brought snow and a new opera about Locked In Syndrome. Flicker opened at Sadlers Wells Lilian Baylis Studio after a super short 3 day rehearsal (we had planned a semi-staged concert performance but as ever we made something much more finished). It was a huge success with audience and funders so finger’s crossed for the future – which we hope will be a UK tour in 2015. It was a frantic week though,  but much less of a drain than a full rehearsal process – although Noah at 8 months has just started feeling the pangs of separation anxiety so packing him off to several different baby-sitters throughout the week became increasingly stressful. Oh for the days when I could hand him over to all and sundry.

This week to compensate I’ve reverted to bringing him along to all my meetings and interviews – just like the old days when he was a tiny little thging. It’s worked surprisingly well so far – I breastfed through a job interview for a Young People’s Project at the Young Vic and much to my surprise got the job! And then I took him along to a meeting about directing a production of Medea for Actors of Dionysus. Somewhat inappropriate material to discuss in front of your son but he totally charmed Tamsin – the Artistic Director of AOD – who has her own 15 month old.

Then finally we caught up with the Wellcome Trust who have just awarded us another grant to develop a new circus/dance theatre piece about arsenic poisoning in Bangladesh – and again Noah was on good form although he did wander off at one point (he’s on the verge of walking unaided and can travel quite far with an ungainly sort of lame legged bum shuffle) but at least we’ve had no repeats of the infamous Arts Council meeting poo-mageddon incident!

touring with a baby

Turns out touring with a small baby is quite fun – though I’m sure less fun if you’re not also on tour with your husband. But Noah had a lovely time in Stratford – where he made an unplanned appearance in the post-show workshop and much to the horror of one of the cast I proceeded to breastfeed throughout – which amazingly, given the audience was comprised entirely of 17 and 18 year olds, didn’t raise a titter. If my brain were less sleep deprived I’d try and make a witty pun about titters and tits…please invent one yourselves. Thanks.

Manchester was also fun – Noah was recognised in the Royal Exchange green room before we were – his presence on Metta Theatre social media being such that someone from marketing came over and said – ‘I recognise that baby, is that Noah?’ Who knew babies could also be such useful marketing tools? I suppose putting him in a Metta branded babygro has helped…

Bury St Edmunds was freezing cold so we managed to fit in a very frosty but very beautiful walk around the Abbey ruins (with Noah wrapped up tightly in the sling of course). And then finally Exeter, where we managed to fit in a few site visits for playgrounds for the Monkey & Crocodile tour which will tour there in the summer. Then true to form, on the last night of Arab Nights Noah was out partying with us til the small hours, in the Bike Shed Theatre bar and of course flirting with all the women (especially the random hen party. Bit weird.)

And then Christmas and New Year.  A genuine rest from work. Mostly. Though of course with a baby one can’t just slob out in front of the telly any more. Alas.  But we did manage a few lie-ins.

And now – onwards with Flicker – which opens (and closes) on the 24th. Already half full which bodes well. And reaming and scheming of more shows  so watch this space.