The End

Well my attempt at getting back to regular blogging didn't work and I know why. It's because this show just sweeps you up and carries you along without you realising it. Time passed by in a whirlwind of shows, each one rewarding in its own way. Before you know it another week has gone and all those things that were on the to do list have still not been ticked off.

Today is the very end of this Bogus Woman journey and what a journey it has been.

If you had told me when we first discussed doing the tour again in August last year that is would have been this successful I would never have believed it! 

I knew it was an amazing play and I knew how powerful it was but I don't think anyone could have predicted quite how timely it would be.

The amount of refugees in the world right now is so huge and ever growing and I hope this play has opened up some eyes and humanised this crisis. These are people, individuals who all have a story. Something has to be done to help them. Locking people up because they are seeking shelter and safety is not the answer. 

I don't know how I will get through his last play today. Even thinking about it makes me want to cry.

I have loved every single second of this process (well almost!!) and I feel like a huge chunk of my life will be missing.

Of course none of this would have been possible without the amazing producer Sophie Curtis (Curtis Productions) who I am lucky enough to call my friend. Her dedication to this project has been absolute. No corner cut and no detail missed. She has been utterly outstanding in her first outing as a producer and I hope that one day in the future she will produce again (Bogus tour 2 anyone?!!).

Also my lovely director lady Zoë Waterman! People often ask me "how do you do it" one of the answers is with a good director... 

No matter how skilled I am, there is absolutely no way in hell I would have be able to have done this myself. With Zoë's vision and skill she has managed to get a performance from me which far outweighs anything I have ever done before. We have such a special relationship that only comes from working on a piece like this! In some ways we are so very different but in other ways we are hilariously the same. In rehearsals my favourite parts would be where our brains would need a little break so we would talk about anything and everything. I know so much more about Zoë than any other director I've worked with! She is super special and I have no doubt the she will be going on to great things in the future. I'm just honoured that The Bogus Woman 2008 was her first proffessional production. What a way to kick off a career eh?!

Here a pic of Sophie me and Zoë being especially proffessional after opening night! 

Then there is the lovely Kate my stage manager extraordinaire. I say stage manager but whilst on tour she is also the technical manager, sound and lighting controller, van driver, general sorting out of any problemer, actor calmer, note taker etc. She basically has to do everything! Being on the road with just one person for so long could have been a horrific experience but luckily me and Kate get on like a house on fire. With just the right mix of seriousness and silliness and two Welsh Ben's between us we have had an amazing time touring up and down the country. She's taught me about light and sound and I've taught her... Not very much. It's been perfect! 

Bingo night in Jersey!! 

And then of course there is Theatre by the Lake. Where would we be without  them?! It is only because of the play being programmed in the 2008 Summer season that any of this has happened and for that I am forever grateful.

Then there is the support the have given us by co producing the tour with Curtis Productions. Because of this we have had the lovely Matt (TBTL's head of production) as our production manager/sound designer as well as Maura "fuzz" Guthrie doing her bit sound wise! There's also the help from the TBTL press and marketing team which has helped make this the success it has been.

We also managed to get the original designer (Sophia Lovell Smith) and lighting designer (Jo Dawson) which made for a pretty tight team! 

I am sure I've missed of lots of people who have been part of this journey and I'm sorry!! There are just so many people who have helped in different ways. 

When I am on stage people only see me. They don't see all the people behind me and it's them that truly need the praise...

So from me to them - thank you all for giving me the best experience of my life. I am so pleased to have been given this chance and I will never ever forget it!! 

I love you all.

Now I had better go because I need to get ready for one last show! 

Xx