Monday, April 10, 2006

Apology A Year Later

It was a pretty normal Sunday on the streets of Kuala Lumpur. Saturday night's partygoers were still in bed that morning. Some were probably just getting ready to hit the sack after a night of tripping which left their faces pale, eyes red and sunken. Families went out for brunch at the local dim sum shop, where some little tot would be wailing because he wants char siew pau, and it's sold out. A gwailo with an overgrown beard and rumpled t-shirt sips his latte at the cafe with a cigarette hanging from his mouth, while his Asian girlfriend stirs her Tropical Passion Tea Latte nonchalantly.

It was Sunday, seventeenth of April, two-O-O-five.

We gathered on that stage which we were to take on later that afternoon. We eyed the empty seats before us and hoped that it will be filled when the curtains go up at 3pm. The technicians were rigging the lights. Our sound crew huddled in the dark control room getting ready.

We wasted no time and soon took to rehearsals. It was show day, but only our first time on that stage, with a few hours left before the guests started pouring in. We attempted to go through the entire rundown, a compilation of monologues and shorts.

I remember we were rehearsing Traffic. Our lighting crew still had problems with the yellow, red and green. Someone fucked up. I yelled some profanities and things were silent for a few moments before we gave each other more encouragement to give it another go. Me? Profanities? I swear, it was merely them jitters acting up. Heck, it was a few hours before the curtains went up! Who wouldn't be nervous?

It was the hour before 3pm and the actors were all gathered backstage. Remember that sunken sofa? Most of us just relaxed and mucked around. Some were still had their scripts in their hand and doing some last minute mutterings. I was chain smoking in the corner. We took plenty of pictures and we smiled a lot.

What came after that was nothing but pure excitement and truckloads of fun, and I'm sure each and everyone of us have our own version of it. So I'll leave it at that.

However, in the midst of all the happy smiling faces after we wrapped up our second and final performance, I may have forgotten something.

It's one year on, and I don't think I've said it yet: Light man, Andrew, I'm sorry for yelling at you the other day. Thank you for being patient with me, and all of us, and for not yelling back at me (OK, maybe you were cursing me under your breath?) Heh ; ) Anways, I'm sorry.

To everyone involved in Rojak- as corny as ever - break a leg yo!

Posted by Doreen at 10:35 pm