See no evil...

One of the perks of unexpectedly being home in Cork for a few months is that I was able to join the chorus of a production of Orpheus in the Everyman Palace.

My friend John (in the centre) is a very talented composer and director. He reorchestrated Gluck's Orpheo ed Eurydice for six instruments with the part of Orpheus being sung by a tenor and the part of Eurydice being danced by a contemporary dancer and voiced by a soloist playing soprano saxophone. The Cork Operatic Society produced the show, together with the Everyman, and provided the singers and dancers for the chorus, including the gorgeous Jen (on the left), who is on the committee.

I started dancing at the age of three and performed in several shows a year up until my early 20s. During rehearsals for this show, I was shocked when I stopped to think and realised that this was my first full show in ten years!

It was stressful at times to fit in all the hours of rehearsal around work and practicing for my driving test (which I passed on 16 September!), but it was worth every bit of pressure to get up on the stage again and perform under the lights.

Unfortunately, our Eurydice sustained a back injury after the opening night. She had no understudy, so a new dancer, Mihaela Griveva, came in at 3pm on the Tuesday and learned the blocking of the show in a few short hours. We rehearsed the overture with her for the first time at 7.50pm and curtain-up was at 8!

She improvised the whole show and did a phenomenal job. The chorus watched from the wings as she performed the second half with sensitivity, passion, and moving beauty. Many of us were moved to tears. I will never forget the special energy of that night.

We had Thursday off so, on Wednesday night, John invited us all to his place for slow-roasted pork sandwiches and a few glasses of wine. It was lovely to relax after a few days of heightened tension. Even better, my darling friend Gill (on the right) came home from France for a surprise visit to see the show. It was so wonderful to see her!