“Travelling light” along the snowy streets of Sofia
9th of February 2012. Sofia. Big snow. White streets. Minutes after midnight. NT Live has just finished. So it is already 10th then. Still 9th in London. Snow has just started there. Different cities, time zones, venues. One experience which connects us through Time – the power of theatre art.
Am I right? Was it only theatre tonight? Sitting in a cinema hall and seeing the actors’ faces in those close ups. True, emotional, adept acting. And real – both on stage and on screen. Theatre stayed alive. Through the TV, the cinema, the video booms. Now the digital came on board. And theatre is not just breathing. It is Live. Making us feel, connect, believe, laugh or cry through Space and Time. Together or alone, in a hall somewhere in this global world. And feeling part of it. Part of the emotional experience. I am sitting in the hall. An actress in a cinema in Sofia applauding the actors on the stage in London. They can not hear the applauses in the 700 cinemas in this small world. But I’m sure they can feel they reached the people there. Not just because of technology. Two arts combining their talents. Two communication channels sending the message. So it can be heard, felt, experienced here and now. And can take us to the future. Through Time, through our memories and believes.
One hour after midnight. I’m “travelling light” in Sofia because I feel like flying. I’m with my project manager’s hat on, happy that the negotiations I started for NT Live two years ago developed in such successful project. I’m walking in the snow with my actor’s hat on, inspired that I am one of the thousands of actors in this world sharing the NT Live acting experience. I’m coming back home with my audience hat on feeling part of all the people who appreciate the power of theatre, the power of film, the power of digital, the power of art. And I’m not cold in this cold snowy night.