sea lions and albatross

Last Bubblewrap shows today. Luke wakes me up singing poached egg songs with a bad German accent on the stairs and he and Christy race off to the theatre while I finish my tea and gather lunch things with Joan. Walk the steep streets where you can see the harbour and climb my little back stairs to the tech box - which used to be the organ when it was a methodist church.

Becks says we've been a joy to work with: "every festival there's a show that makes my life hell and a show that makes my life very easy- this season you guys were the ones that made it easy"
I find Kevin's 50's rock'n'roll music on the i-tunes and play it for preshow. Luke and Christy dancing on stage and grinning before the audience come in. 'hey little girl in the highschool sweater - gee i'd like to know you better' so wrong and so funny.

The morning audience is fairly small - 60ish but friendly and responsive and Kev and Sue in the front row with Kev wearing his postie uniform.

The afternoon audience is supposed to be larger - they said 90 bookings on Thursday then they said 120 in the morning and by the show 160 had booked. Joan says that people were queueing out the door. 'you know how it feels like there is never anyone in Dunedin, well there was so many people and a sense of excitement...' It's packed and a lot of adults which feels a bit like the show is being given respect. Still enough little ones to bring the magic.

Christy and Luke both exhausted as we pack down the show. Sleepy sleepy faces over dinner and tired bodies not wanting to walk anywhere. It makes me think how physically demanding touring a show is.

We drive out along the peninsula in the campervan in the evening light - slightly misty and the damp windy road reflecting the sky, almost the same colour as the water. Watching the harbour and the hills and little beach houses.

Walk down to watch the penguins come in - we find a sea lion and watch a few albatross circle above us (this is the only mainland albatross colony in the world they tell me - and right now there is a lesbian albatross couple living there which makes Christy and I happy) Tourists checking their watches in the dark saying 'they should be here any minute' but apparently the penguins are moulting and there won't be many. We catch sight of one white belly in a dark patch of grass and then follow two little waddling shadows up the road back towards the car.

Christy and Luke desperate to go to sleep. Me in my little room with the lights of Dunedin reflecting in the water out my window.

Tomorrow: Wiped Out which has still never been rehearsed in order...