Adelaide, we have arrived. If the truth be told, at this stage, I miss Melbourne. Everything was easy there. I was put up, shown round, fed and generally treated like a welcome visitor from abroad. Before I go any further, I want to make abundantly clear how amazing the folks there were and thank them again. I managed to gush the words out all over Facebook the other day (Ewww) so I'll just c/p them here:
If you're easily bored/don't care just
/skip
Alright, seriously, cold light of the next day and here's the thing - all of you were incredibly welcoming to me based only on the fact that I knew two people who knew you. You didn't just introduce yourselves, you actively showed me around and introduced me to someone else. Not only this, but you were open to building your own connections with me and at no point did I feel like I was 'their friend.' This is kinda just what decent people do, I know this, but decent people sadly aren't the norm in life and not appreciating it is the worst way of treating them in return.
I had no kit with me and no idea where anything was, so thank you for the various tiny little favours that all of you did. I look forward to returning them either when/if you come over the UK or when I'm back next year. It's a gorgeous group you all have. I'm very lucky to have similar in my home country so I know it takes more than just luck, it takes effort and work to have good relationships. Whenever I meet another group like this anywhere on the planet it always makes me a little bit happier that there are still good people out there to find.
/end gush
/end skip
Anyway, I'm stain (typo left in for amusement) in a Hostel which I haven't done in a few years and the last time I did that I was with Tricky so at least there was someone to talk to. I remember them being a lot more openly sociable than this. But maybe I'm just old. It's eerily quiet, which is especially odd when you walk into a room with 6 other people sitting in silence staring at each other. Fortunately, I have good social armour against such things so I'm smiling and starting up conversations when I can muster up the effort. Yup, I think I am getting old. Heh.
Still, the guy who runs it is nice enough and there are other options which I'm exploring. Mainly though, it's the dealing with annoying things like food, places to put things like clothes and my show kit and realising after 2 weeks in the country what a TERRIBLE job I did of packing. Seriously, next year this is going to get a major overhaul. I've already started the list.
On the first night I found myself a cheap pizza/beer and wandered around the city. It's nice, a bit more spread out in the centre than Melbourne but just as sensibly laid out. It feels a bit more sensible overall, to be honest but I'm sure that'll change when all the other performer reprobates arrive. We're not quite at Fringe time yet, lots of my work is in the runup.
Yesterday I had to go out and get some hammers and batteries for my show which involved a very long walk out to the West of the City and a cut through a cemetery. Last time I was in one of these we took loads more photos. This was also very impressive but with the lack of people around I wasn't really sure whether it was OK so just a few.
There were some interesting sculptures in the adjoining park too. That bit of land is an Aboriginal Preserve of some kind.
My main contact here is the ever-lovely Tony Roberts whom I know from Covent Garden. He's a very talented man (if you're in Adelaide you MUST see his show) and was essentially the person who convinced me to come here and that my show would be alright for the audiences in Australia. Lots of British Streetperformers have said how hard it is. We went down to Glenelg (which is like their version of Melbourne's St Kilda - the beach town located outside the City) and Tony did a show on what can only be described as the most picturesque pitch I've come across so far in my career. Gorgeous.
I gave it a go after, but it being Thursday made it a bit difficult and I had to can it. Despite that though, the people were encouraging and it was fun to dip my toe in the water. I'll be heading back down there later tonight, as the shows on that pitch are in the evening. Fine by me, I've had all day to sort myself out with a towel and various other things that I didn't pack and open a local bank account so that I can get paid. Kinda handy. My first gig is on Sunday and then it all starts to happen.
Hard to believe that I've got another 5 weeks of this trip left, minimum. I can't believe I'm getting away with this!
Before I go, one more pic. They give away FREE CARDBOARD BOXES in the hardware shop. Free. Just to help the environment a bit and make life easier for people. Imagine that in Tesco or B&Q. Snort.
Anyhoo, more to follow, as ever :)
