My life in Art........
I was 15, playing various things in the schools production of "Oh What A Lovely War" , a wierd choice, but thanks to a lefty arty drama teacher a very anti war and "right on" production.
Anyway, a girl called Rachel was playing opposite me in a couple of scenes, and airliebird was soon head over heels in love. (Looking back, she had a voice like a 50 a day smoking docker and was very haughty, but I was smitten), Anyhoo,come performance night we were all walking towards the stage from the clssroom we had spent the interval in, someone had pushed open a pair of double doors. I was walking behind Rachel and she was talking to her mate and hadn't noticed the doors swinging shut towards her head. Me, being valiant (and in fact dressed as a British Army Captain complete with handlebar moustache) leaps forward to protect the object of my desire. She turns, see the doors, flinches backwards and headbutts me straight in the mouth. My top two front teeth go straight through my bottom lip and blood is all over my uniform.
The teacher says "Oh dear, thats unfortunate, but use the pain, use the difficulty, its an injury you got in battle, USE it!"

SO, I go on stage, look at Rachel and say "shorry nurshe, theshe men have been gashhhed, they are blind." and covered her in blood and saliva. The end of a blossoming relationship, but the beginning of a life long obsession with the stage. The Audience gave me a standing ovation, as they has seen me in the first half talk normally and then come out after the interval and give a veritable John Hurt-like performance.
My Drama teacher was in tears. She told me that she saw the blood and i BECAME that captain for her. I was in fucking tears too as I ended up in casualty. I needed stitches and still have two lumps in my lower lip. I suffered for my art!
(airliebird Has now found Twiglets in Sydney!!!!!!! yay!, Sun 4 Dec 2005, 6:05, Reply)