Farewell Dolly and back to Lancaster.

 Dolly Parton has died, aged 80.  I feel sad.  As an older person each death reminds one what is coming,  and she had been ill, so perhaps it was to be expected but she is such a big part of my life and will have been a big part in many people's lives. I remember watching 9 - 5 I guess in Leicester Square, one of the few times I got to the cinema with my Dad,  Ghostbusters, I think was another occasion, two very light pieces, but shared with a whole audience really engaged ,laughing uproariously.  And I did actually see her in concert, and almost walked up to a familiar looking gentleman, until I suddenly realised it was not a friend it was Bob Geldorf,  the concert, perhaps in Hammersmith was brilliant.  I know people thought she sparkled at Glastonbury but I was not quite so sure but probably only because I had really seen her sparkle.   

Me in my ensemble costume, I would have liked to have gone the whole hog and painted flowers on my face like I did when I was 15, but apparentlyl that was not required. 

Dolly's tunes are the kind of things I sing to myself.  The songs in Godspell were familiar but not well known to me, but now they are playing over and over through my brain as I have spent the last week with them, back in Lancaster, with Ross playing the smallest part in their production.   And boy have we laughed.  Last year I was too shy to audition, then regretted not having a part, then was relieved not to have a bigger part as I regularly needed to lie down. This year, dance was added to the mix and I have discovered, that sometimes I can only do one of them at a time, but I did audition and I was proud of how much I controlled my nerves and somewhat annoyed not to at least be told I had made a good effort.  Luckily I got to share my small part with friend M,  she did one of the performances with one Jesus, but could not dance as she had injured herself and I did the same part with the other Jesus.  She nailed the tiny bit of dialogue we had on the final show, I never did, which frustrates me, as I think I could and should be better at performing than that, but I am the slowest picking up how to read the music etc.  It was a bit like giving birth, one had forgotten the pain,  I kept having to go and lie down and now my body is really complaining, but I have sung and danced every day, done two 45 minute dress rehearsals and two performances, so I am really proud of myself. I am never going to sparkle like Dolly,  but I have had a lot of fun and really enjoyed being with the team again.  People sometimes are very kind to an old girl, in fact I did not really feel so old last week, but today having an eye test which confirms my sight is going even more I am back to being old for real, but at least I am not dead, yet.