Articles by Gina

The world is round is round is round is round…. progress report…

One week in, one week to go… as always, I am wondering why the hell (theater hell) I agreed to do this … but I know, really I do… trying to make something out of nothing but potential… there are many down sides, as always, but plenty of ups… and if not this, then what? navel gazing? existential angst? mourning? there’s enough of that even when busy, so shut the f**k up and get on with it… enjoy your good fortune… and the company – what a lovely bunch…

the mill is a construction site, not yet fit for audience – the only entrance to the upstairs, which is the most beautiful big open performance space, is a very rickety fire escape – so we rehearse and eat upstairs, but will perform outside in front – in the thick of the construction. John Conklin is slowly turning it blue, with the aid of garbage bags, tarps, tape and paint (shoestring budget); Oana’s costumes for the girls and I are wild, and a symphony of blues; Brian is working with floodlights, flashlights, strip lights, all things portable and weatherproof (the rain and storms are starting – oh my…). I am upstairs in the windows with all the instruments (most of them toy size) plus looping pedal, school bell, a bucket of water, an old beaten-up piano in the far corner, and “The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas” – the inside of Gertrude’s head…

there is a lake nearby for swimming, and every day we gather for a wonderful communal meal in the middle of the work day – we have feasted wonderously well… we even had a fire pit at the end of the first day of tech, before our day off, at which I consumed large quantities of bourbon and eventually broke out the bari uke, only for rain to stop play…

meanwhile, I’ve gone ahead and let go of my home of the past 18 years, and taken the studio in westbeth…at least I agreed to it, on the last day before leaving for upstate – too late to do any of the paperwork, that will have to wait until I get back… I may live to regret it, but I feel it’s important to make the changes count… trust your instincts, girl… there’s a dance in the old dame yet – toujours gai, kid…

pesha is out of cairo and back in the UK – sighs of relief all ’round…

Tomorrow it’s back to New York. Really? …

The week on the Isle of Skye was sheer delight: perfect weather, great hikes, great company, outdoor dining and wining, music making of all sorts, sleeping in front of a giant picture window looking north out to sea, the beach only feet away… heaven… My favourite? Probably my solo hike to Rubha Hunish, the northern point of Skye, where you literally walk to the end of the world (after climbing down a 300′ cliff, just to make sure you merit it…) Skinning dipping in the Fairy Pools in Glen Brittle was a close 2nd – the best creek dipping I’ve ever had, I think… And feasting outside every evening at the great stone table on the edge of the beach – with sun and no midges – scotland in july?? is it possible?? yes, once in a blue moon…

It was, of course, merely postponing the inevitable, but for a whole week I barely thought of life’s complications – De Queen of Denial, that’s me, now that mum’s gone… and of course I’ve paid for it this past week in cotherstone, dealing with overdue bills, back taxes, lawyers etc etc… Sam has reappeared, which is wonderful, but a truly mixed blessing – I’m sooo happy to see him (and vice versa) but since I can’t take him back just yet, I was kinda hoping he’d found another home… what to do, what to do? let’s see where we’re at mid-september – I’ll come back and get him if necessary…

sweet aunt liz has been in hospital for the past 5 weeks – not doing so good… but she’s finally back in Barnard Castle at least, so she won’t be so far away – she’s been in Durham all this time – mum’s old haunt… who knows if she’ll ever come home… time, the grim reaper…

and what’s waiting for me back in nyc? again, who knows? one foot in front of the other, take it as it comes, cherish the joy, make light of the sorrow… I wrote a new tune at the Boathouse in Skye… big city, here I come – well, briefly, before heading upstate to work on Gertrude Stein with Colombari…