Final week at RFH

I'm currently in Dressing Room 15 at The Royal Festival Hall. KlangHaus is about to do it's 33rd show of a run of 41. I am relaxed in here. I iron all the show shirts and do my vocal warm-ups. When we are all in here it's pretty snug, though we calmly fit around each other. Often Mark asleep on the floor or recording/writing songs. Jeron on the sofa. Sal pop's in and out. Jon pop's in and out, he prefers being outside. Lingford will pop in and out. I am often stationed at the ironing board or in the massive bathroom doing some singing or putting my hair up. That's our routine we choose to anchor ourselves. This show has been a wonderful success so far, affecting people on a deep emotional level. This is due to many reasons but Sal and I laugh about how our sexuality as women plays no part...flat shoes and flat chests. I wear a shirt buttoned up to the collar. There is something honest and different about this show. Being in the show actually makes me none the wiser of it's effect. All I know is that it feels pretty damn good to be in. My voice is just about holding up. I got too over emotional on Friday night and over-sang. Then had there shows on the Saturday. The first show I realised I'd lost my vocal power, not really the notes, just the strength. I 'Rod Stewarted' through the next three shows. I remained calm and went with it. I still remain calm, I'm curious as to it's state today, so warming up fully and gently and gargling salt water...weirdly I love gargling with salt water. Then finally I tell myself a story about how my voice will be fine, stoopid, but it works!

15 shows in at The Royal Festival Hall

This is a place in my life that is hyper real and yet unreal. I'm performing daily in the RFH, which feels like an enormous brilliant dream. Trying to maintain energy, be real, be here now. Not only are we at the RFH doing music and singing and mucking around all evening. We get to touch our audience, get close-up. Let them feel the air between us. Once installed we have a lovely time. The build is pretty painful, especially if we are stressed. So a strategy is needed, we will be working on this in the next week. We walk miles to, from and during the show. We behave with grace to all we meet. We attempt our most skillful ways of communication. This is heaven, the world and its politics are mayhem around us. We make our own world in KlangHaus: On Air and allow ourselves, us and the audience to escape for 50 minutes.

Day 3 RFH

On the first day we had to be inducted and sign lots of forms. We were in offices near our workspace in the ceiling, with a view over Waterloo. I had a moment of realisation that this is actually happening and a massive flush of pride...' We are here now'. Rosie is being complimented on her astute risk assessment. This is real. Then to work. What has been great is that over the last two days if one of us has floundered, another has scooped them up and either helped, or distracted them from themselves. We are a strong team, the skills between us are diverse. We are gonna make this show the best yet.

We're about to leave for London

On the eve of leaving. Very tired now but a good day. Collecting artwork, dimmer racks, perspex, ordered sharks tooth gauze,BNC convertors, watched Dan's new video for Jon Hopkins, a drone flight over Stiffkey marshes, so beautiful. Had artwork chopped, we were assisted by all manner of Norwich folk. Sorted a cash-flow plan, paid people we had to. Remembered at 7pm that I hadn't chased up the insurance people... Karen our event manager sent the unhelpful folks a stinging email at 11.30pm...nice! We've done our best and that's all we can do. Sleep well all and let the adventure unravel.