Hiding in plain sight

As a father I like to pretend that I am the one with the wisdom to be dispensed to daughters in particular and to youngsters in general.

However I have just read a profound post about "Acting" from Kat on her blog listed in the column to the right (Alice's Adventures in Blogland) or http://bloglandadventures.blogspot.com/. In it she describes her thoughts and feeling and experiences about the possibility of entering the acting profession.

It was her comments in the final paragraph that caught me particularly. She describes herself as being "shy and awkward". This is an appearance that I have tried to cover up in myself since for ever. Only my chum, David Penrose, realises, because he is the same, that I am an introvert moving around in an extrovert world. I am an ugly, ungainly sort of chap, who finds it difficult to communicate with others directly, which is probably why I like emails and blogs. I enjoy acting because it is an assumption of another character whose life, decisions and speech are curtailed by the playing time on the stage. I don't have to think what to say or how to react, I just have to remember the lines and the emotions rehearsed many times before the performance.

I love Kat's honesty and directness. Sometimes this can be quite disconcerting at close quarters but as my Gran would say, "You can't make a pearl without a bit of grit." I think my Gran would approve of Kat almost as much as I do. I know my mother would have adored her and understood her.

Today I am in a bit of a panic as I am trying to organise myself for location filming in London tomorrow morning at 7.00 a.m. There ain't no trains to London and there ain't no Tube till 0630. My nephew in law, Nil, has come up trumps but it means staying up in London overnight and then returning home Sunday night.

I am looking forward to the filming as I think I will find the whole process fascinating but will also have a good book as well. However I think it will be interesting rather than glamorous and if the fitting session at Elstree was anything to go by will find myself surrounded by beautiful, young Russian girls, slim, and clad in gorgeous 1940's evening wear. This may sound great but it will probably be like being in an open boat on the sea surrounded by ocean with not a drop of water to drink. There is a useful analogy in there if you are willing to work for it. Anyway, must go now, want to write a review of "Brassed Off" for my sister blog, "Bench Hamlet 2008".

Will update you on adventures in filmland on Monday.