Theatre time!... after a year!

 Theatre time!... after a year was epic! Two to three weeks ago the Limerick City council and other collaborators had Open House tours of buildings (and their architecture) in Limerick. I found this out from my friend Melody (I feel like she is always in the loop). We had both initially decided to go see the Hanging gardens together. But then I found out about a tour of The Gaff, which is a small rehearsal space for theatre. So naturally I decided to go see that instead.

Which meant Melody and I had to go our separate ways. But this was the best decision ever because it reminded me of who I am and what I love. I was nostalgic the whole time I was there. The best thing however was when, a week later I received an email informing me that I had won two tickets to see a show at the Lime Tree. As you can imagine, my excitement was through the roof. That's why I am blogging about it. So here goes theatre time!... after a year.

1. THE PLAY

I won't give a synopsis of the play but if you want to find out more visit https://www.limetreetheatre.ie/show/translations-college-players/. I am sure you can also find critics review online somewhere. However, from an audience perspective I thought the play was brilliant. I thought the actress who played Maura was super talented. She did a monologue after losing her lover that completely broke my heart. Watching the show made me want to be on stage again (which will happen soon enough). And seeing the fun the actors were having just made the show all the more brilliant for me. Obviously there were a few things that did not go perfectly. Such as slowness to respond to cues, slipping in and out of accents and in some instances overacting. But that said, it was only the opening night. Once the actors settle into it, the show will be magnificent.

The play was a bit hard to follow in the beginning because of the deep Irish accents and a lot of Irish words used that I didn't know. So my friend Jessica, who I had gone with, had to explain a few things about Irish theatre to me. From that night I learnt that Irish theatre is a whole art/discipline in of itself. It is very different from English theatre I would say. Realistically, I don't know how it would look for me to perform in Ireland in a way that is relevant and resonant to the Irish crowd. But that is something I look forward to discovering and learning more about.

2. MY EXPERIENCE

I was very present and in the moment through out the show. But my overall mood was very much excited nostalgia. Again, the sheer excitement and fun the actors displayed was infectious. I wanted to join them. And I was really rooting for them. So much so that at the end, I was one of only three people giving the cast and crew a standing ovation. While on the subject of crew, I think the light design team did a brilliant job. They showed time of day and seasons in the most creative way.

Unfortunately, I could not take photos during the show so you will have to take my word for it. The whole experience of being at the theatre made me think of my own career ambitions. I still love theatre and acting a lot. I am currently praying about it and seeking God in this before I commit to going for it -more to come on this.

3. THE ARCHITECTURE 

 As soon as I saw the architecture in that place, I thought of [my friend] Melody. If you don't know who she is, she is featured here http://www.lorraine-moalosi.com/my-week-in-photos/. She absolutely loves architecture. And the architecture and interior of the place was just beautiful. From bright modern colours to unique contemporary structures, the place is a beaut! The beauty of it added a lot of pizzazz to the place and heightened the expectant atmosphere.

4. MY NIGHT

I had no idea how beautiful the Mary Immaculate College campus (where the theatre is) is! Because I was in such a great excited mood, I went exploring without being bothered by the cold night. I was just excited to have been able to see the show. The beauty of Mary I (the name of college shortened) really made me want to explore Limerick a bit more. Limerick does not have the best reputation but I reckon there are a lot of hidden gems that we just don't know about,

Even being at this cross roads, just off of O'Connell Avenue was very electric. The lights meeting the night seemed like the perfect visual poetry. I feel so blessed to live the life that I am living. My heart is full, content and grateful to the Most High God for allowing me to live the life that I do. When Jesus knocks at your door, and you let him in, it's the most beautiful experience. That's because there is no greater love than His. Anyway I will stop there before I go a-preaching!

5. MY OUTFIT

Clothes are my language, swear down! One of the first things that came to my mind when I thought of the theatre was what am I going to wear? Then after making an outfit choice, I thought oh no, who is going to take photos of me at the theatre (how vain!)? But then I figured mirrors would have to do. Although I didn't put more thought on what I was going to wear than I normally do, there are tips I follow. For example, if you want to look classy, go for neutrals. And if you want to look elegant and affluent, choose pieces that reflect that. Such as, elegant coats, hats (berets) and soft jumpers. Both my coat and jumper above are from Warehouse, the beret from H&M and the trousers are Nelly.com.

Writing this blog made me remember my post about the importance of collaborators which you can find here http://www.lorraine-moalosi.com/?p=2370. If you can imagine it, I am writing this with a massive smile on my face. In in all, I had a brilliant night at the theatre and look forward to more trips to the theatre.