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In the hot seat: playing it cool at the theatre In the hot seat: playing it cool at the theatre
(2 months later)
I asked a keen theatregoing friend if she wanted to accompany me to see a play last week on the London fringe theatre. There was a pause before she enquired: "Will it be air-conditioned?" When I said sadly not, she said she'd pass. There was only so much suffering she was prepared to undergo for art. I don't entirely blame her. Over the last week, some fringe theatres have been so sticky that when you stand up to leave, the seat tries to come with you.I asked a keen theatregoing friend if she wanted to accompany me to see a play last week on the London fringe theatre. There was a pause before she enquired: "Will it be air-conditioned?" When I said sadly not, she said she'd pass. There was only so much suffering she was prepared to undergo for art. I don't entirely blame her. Over the last week, some fringe theatres have been so sticky that when you stand up to leave, the seat tries to come with you.
Of course the fantastic weather is good news for the Open Air theatre in London's Regent's Park, the promenade show in Lancaster's Williamson Park and Chester's Grosvenor Park summer season, although in Britain it's rare that playgoers are obliged to factor in the possibility of heat stroke and sunburn. The Finborough's Ice Dragon (the theatre's air-conditioning system has its own Twitter account, believe it or not) is certainly having the last roar. At last Wednesday's matinee of Too Clever by Half at Manchester's Royal Exchange things got so chilly I wished I'd brought a cardigan, but I certainly wasn't complaining as the temperature soared outside.Of course the fantastic weather is good news for the Open Air theatre in London's Regent's Park, the promenade show in Lancaster's Williamson Park and Chester's Grosvenor Park summer season, although in Britain it's rare that playgoers are obliged to factor in the possibility of heat stroke and sunburn. The Finborough's Ice Dragon (the theatre's air-conditioning system has its own Twitter account, believe it or not) is certainly having the last roar. At last Wednesday's matinee of Too Clever by Half at Manchester's Royal Exchange things got so chilly I wished I'd brought a cardigan, but I certainly wasn't complaining as the temperature soared outside.
Of course if the show's good enough, you don't notice the heat. The London Welsh Centre may currently be hotter than hell, but I wouldn't have swapped David Greig's The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart for a cool shower. But the experience, which left me on a psychological high but physically wilted, has made me determined to be a little more prepared when facing the heat on the fringe. I've always been completely shameless which it comes to dressing for outdoor theatre in a colder climate (the strange looking woman who turns up at the Globe with a hot water bottle and several extra layers of clothing, including a balaclava, is me), so I've realised that I need to think harder about how to survive when the temperature rises too. Particularly with Edinburgh on the horizon, where even in cool weather some venues make Death Valley seem frigid.Of course if the show's good enough, you don't notice the heat. The London Welsh Centre may currently be hotter than hell, but I wouldn't have swapped David Greig's The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart for a cool shower. But the experience, which left me on a psychological high but physically wilted, has made me determined to be a little more prepared when facing the heat on the fringe. I've always been completely shameless which it comes to dressing for outdoor theatre in a colder climate (the strange looking woman who turns up at the Globe with a hot water bottle and several extra layers of clothing, including a balaclava, is me), so I've realised that I need to think harder about how to survive when the temperature rises too. Particularly with Edinburgh on the horizon, where even in cool weather some venues make Death Valley seem frigid.
So what is the best way to keep cool in the theatre? The normal hot weather advice for everyday life and travelling stands good for the theatre too, but my personal tips are to take an extra water bottle that you've been keeping in the freezer with you, and better still wrap it in a tea towel so there's a chance it will still be semi-frozen in the theatre. Take face wipes which have been in the fridge with you too: they retain their coolness for a surprisingly long time. Failing all else, you can always drop an ice cube from your interval drink down your back. As for fanning: if you must, do it discreetly so it doesn't distract others, and preferably share with a partner, so you can take it in turns to make the effort and get the benefit.So what is the best way to keep cool in the theatre? The normal hot weather advice for everyday life and travelling stands good for the theatre too, but my personal tips are to take an extra water bottle that you've been keeping in the freezer with you, and better still wrap it in a tea towel so there's a chance it will still be semi-frozen in the theatre. Take face wipes which have been in the fridge with you too: they retain their coolness for a surprisingly long time. Failing all else, you can always drop an ice cube from your interval drink down your back. As for fanning: if you must, do it discreetly so it doesn't distract others, and preferably share with a partner, so you can take it in turns to make the effort and get the benefit.
Tell us how you are keeping cool, and about your hottest – and coldest – theatre adventures.Tell us how you are keeping cool, and about your hottest – and coldest – theatre adventures.
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