I hit it at last night’s rehearsal, but I didn’t quite break through it. A couple of speeches were attempted, with pretty faltering results. I had to give up and grab my script, which was a bit disappointing. But while the rest of the cast rehearsed the court scene (nice and long, a good break for me) I disappeared into the community centre kitchen to thrash through my lines. It worked! I’m now off book for 2 major scenes, which is a relief.
So what is the secret of line learning? Judging by the community centre kitchen, the following things help:
- Pus-coloured paintwork
- Extreme damp, leading to heavy flaking in aforesaid paintwork
- Belfast sink with wooden draining boards
- Wall-mounted water heater
- Discarded Alcoholics Anonymous paperwork
- Fablon
I’d better hit Ebay to put together my own ‘Line Learning Room’ at home. Fablon’s due for a comeback anyway.