In acting classes, one of the ‘jobs’ is to find a scene from a play, rehearse it with a fellow actor a number of times in a number of ways and then after approximately six rehearsals present it to the person from whom you are taking the class. The current class is an in-depth look at Noel Coward via his letters, plays and short stories. I am assigned a partner, and a scene from Present Laughter. This is a play for which I wanted to audition in another city. My scene partner is an accomplished actor, which is always a delight, as there is much to learn. We agree to our first rehearsal time and place. On the appointed day, I am about to leave to meet her and receive a text that ‘something’ has come up, can we meet the same time and same place, but the next day. Knowing life can get in the way of best laid plans, of course I agree, and change my plans for the day and the next. The next day comes, I show up, and am surprised that she is not there. I wait. Eventually, 15 minutes late, she arrives. She has a story on why she is late. Late can happen to anyone and so we get on with the rehearsal scene. After 90 minutes of work, we agree to meet again in two days. We set a new place and time. That evening I receive a text that she would like to leave that very evening to go out of town, and well, she is sorry but could we just make another date and time. What am I going to do, refuse her request? She is married, with adult children, and clearly has responsibilities with which I am not saddled. She sets another time to meet to which I agree. It is in a few days. Our appointed day/time arrives. I am sitting, waiting and the appointed hour passes. It passes by 30 minutes. [I have my own self-preservation rule, Drs., actors, anyone but my own children, 30 minutes is the maximum that I will allow anyone to disregard my time. Then I’m gone.] I text her: “Where are you?! I’m confused.” I am about to gather up my belongings and I hear her voice call out, ‘I’m here’. It is 35 minutes past our agreed upon time. I figure these are good lessons for me, in something, so I swallow my discontent and get on with the rehearsal. As we are done rehearing we agree to go ahead and ‘put the scene’ up on the coming Sunday. We will meet at 8:30 am for one last rehearsal before the 10:00 am class. She lives ‘out-of-town and must either drive in or take the train. The appointed day arrives, I text her at 7:30 to reconfirm or early appointment. In response I receive a text photo of a car with a badly banged up fender. She has had a ‘terrible car crash and the police are putting her through the impaired test.’ She is not going to make the rehearsal or the scene class. Now at this point, I wonder if I am caught up in some sort of candid camera episode. This can not be happening with such regularity. I attend the class, and only say that “my scene partner is unable to make it and thus there will be no scene work from me/us. She writes a follow up email that afternoon, which I am loath to answer, asking what went on in class. Waiting a bit, I reply ‘class was great, and would she please set up the next two rehearsals: time and place’. Her response a few hours later, is an answer that does not fit any question. This is followed immediately by an apology that she sent me two texts intended for her son. I don’t respond. She then texts two rehearsals times and places. I agree.
The next rehearsal is the following day. I am sitting, waiting, and receive a text that she took off too late from home and may miss her targeted train. Arrival will be delayed by 30 minutes. There are three more texts as she misses the train, then the next one is cancelled then the following train, which was the original train arrives… I’m beyond confused or believing, asking myself, how does she get through life like this? I am more in wonder than any other reaction, it is so far from where I live and operate. Later discover she lives 78 miles outside of the City. That is a loooong train ride, as she is not on an express service, but one that makes stops along the route. She finally rolls in 20 minutes late. Now a week later, Sunday approaches and we are ready to go up. Add to this particular Sunday my having lost my keys and being locked out two hours prior to this class. Is there something about this combo that has red flags all over it? We are first up. After we present it, the person who is leading the class says he would like it brought in one more time, as he has comments about her interpretation of her role. In scene study, each actor is to do their own work. No one is to direct the other. We are not to comment on what each other should or should not do. Direction is from the person leading the class. It is absolutely the right approach. Therefore, we agree to one more rehearsal, which was today. Are you ready for this? She was 30 minutes late again, and why? She got on the train going in the wrong direction, got caught in the rain. Hell or highwater, we are ‘on’ tomorrow. To be concluded… one way or another.
Conclusion:
This is the beautiful bouquet she gifted me at the end of class as a thank you. A lovely gesture.
