15 July 2010 Roedean
This week the weather gods have decided to remind us that we live in the BRITISH isles, not the French Riviera, and they hired the special duo of Wind and Rain to deliver the message to us. It was so windy last night that for once I didn’t fall asleep to the sound of the gulls scrabbling around on the roof. The only thing I could hear was the relentless knocking of windows and doors against the backdrop of whushing sea.
The soundtrack was the same in the daytime, minus the rain, thankfully, as Sam and I made a trek out to Roedean– just east of Brighton–for the dress rehearsal of “The Big Show” her ballet school is doing at the end of the term. We alighted from the bus on the edge of a golf course and then walked up to the school on the hill. I imagine it’s always windy up there, but today it was a gale force tail wind that shoved us up that hill. We had little choice in the matter and I was thankful that it wasn’t a head wind, otherwise I’m not sure we could have made it. “The show must go on” be damned. But the wind kicked us up there, and just when we thought we didn’t have to climb anymore, there was another hill that led up to the theatre.
Sam and a gaggle of 30 other girls completed their run-through of their portion of the show, and then we headed back out into the wind. Now it was the head wind’s turn and it wasn’t as kind. Where are you going? Are you sure you want to go down here? Down this hill? Are you sure? Wouldn’t you rather go back up? Stay, stay at Roedean. C’mon.
We pushed our way down. Slowly. Eventually the Head Wind got tired of bullying us and let us pass. We nearly sprinted when we saw our bus stop in the distance. Or I nearly sprinted, pulling Sam along like a reluctant kite. Can’t miss the bus, can’t miss the bus, there won’t be another along for another hour! Can’t miss the..
We caught the bus. It whisked us away from Roedean and the windy hill, and during the ride I pumped Sam for information about the rehearsal and the show.
This is all I got:
“They took us to a dark, spooky place.”
“Oh? Was it backstage?”
“No, we just go dancing out of it.”
“OK, so it was backstage.”
“No! It’s just a dark, spooky place.”
“Was it interesting?”
“No.”
“Did you enjoy the rehearsal?”
Pause. “I LOVED the theatre seats. They were so comfortable.”
While I know very little about this show I’m going to see my daughter in tomorrow night, at least I know I’ll have a comfortable seat. If I can make it up that hill again.