Sometimes I surprise myself.Tonight I had a night in. No sailing or dancing for me.
While relaxing in front of the idiot box I stumbled onto a documentary on the ABC, In the company of actors.
It was a behind-the-scenes look at the creation of the New York production of Andrew Upton's Hedda Gabler starring Cate Blanchett and Hugo Weaving.
Back in 2004 I had the amazing pleasure of seeing the original Sydney Theatre Company production before they took it to New York in 2006.
I love great theatre and the exchange that takes place between stage and audience. Sitting in the front row (I was so, so lucky with the tickets) at times a hand full of feet away from Cate and Hugo was mesmerising. Cate in particular has an intensity that even her best film work does not quite do justice to once you have seen her live.
Little snippets of the actual performance made me smile, laugh and even clap - all while alone in my lounge room. Seeing inside the rehearsals and watching the artists interact, bounce in and out of character while looking for the right tone or movement or position was a delight.
The documentary wrapped at the end of opening night at the Brooklyn Academy of Music. I found myself with a tear in my eye as the cast took their bow to a standing ovation in front of what is considered one of the most educated, if not conservative, theatre audiences in the world.
You know something was good when three years on and the echoes of emotions lived during a live performance come burbling up and kick you in the teeth.
What a rewarding night in.
