The amount of prep work for the Fellowship has been vast and largely self-imposed. There are, of course, a number of straightforward tasks that have mostly been completed. Thanks to my large circle of internationally based actor friends, I have found a flat for sublet (not an apartment, thank you very much). This was no small feat given my insufficient knowledge of London neighborhoods, many of which sound like they’re been plucked straight out of an episode of Game of Thrones (no available rooms in Winterfell anymore…). I have booked my flights, and gotten my papers in order. I’m also in the throes of securing grants and funding.
One strange thing I’ve noticed is how much consideration I’ve been giving as to whether or not I can obtain good peanut butter, my favorite shampoo, and Glide dental floss in the UK. I keep writing to European friends, and searching for answers to these important questions on the internet. I suspect these thoughts are part of a larger coping mechanism, and are considerably easier to manage than the anxieties and excitement I’m feeling about the Fellowship itself.
Another coping mechanism of mine is to work like a maniac. So, in an effort to be the best and most prepared actor I can be, I’ve been spending a lot of time doing daily voice work, taking yoga, practicing speaking Moliere in the original French, rehearsing Shakespearean monologues, and attempting to fill gaps in my knowledge of the Shakespearean canon. I also just did a voice workshop with Patsy Rodenburg a few weeks ago (The Winter’s Tale). She’s a phenomenal voice teacher, truly one of the best in the world, and I’m very lucky that I’ve had several opportunities to study with her. She got my voice in excellent fighting form, and then I promptly got a cold and had to fly home to Chicago for a funeral. One step forward, two steps back. Which is kind of like the cha-cha.
Which brings me to to topic of Crest White Strips. Can I buy those in UK, and should I go on a full-tilt teeth bleaching blitz before I go? I figure that if I get lost in the night (which is *very* easy in London), then I can just smile and my glow-in-the-dark teeth will be my guiding beacon home.
Here Be Americans 