Line learning - I am feeling my age!

I think I have now learned all my lines for Midsummer Night's Dream.

Compared to some others, I have got off lightly with this one, but they have been a bugger to learn. Shakespeare is, despite his venerable reputation, a so and so for putting lots of meaningless if descriptive padding into his prose and the phraseology is, of course, somewhat alien to our 21st century ears and you have to get it spot on.

I think I have now cracked it, though. (Now I've said that, I'll make a complete arse of it at rehearsal tonight). I have been reading the script before I go to sleep every night, on the train every morning and evening and have bored The Hubby rigid asking him to go through the lines with me. He must now know the part of Titania as well as I do, and most of Oberon.

It is perfectly true that line learning gets harder as you get older, and if you get out of the habit because you don't do a show for a while it's even more difficult. We all have our own techniques; mine is not only to read and read and read, but also to write them out longhand at least five or six times. That really drums them in, and I only do that if I have a lot to learn or they are tricky - both of which apply in this case. Typing them doesn't have the same effect, it has to be the old fashioned way using pen and paper. You end up with callouses on your fingers because none of us are accustomed to doing so much handwriting these days, but it works.

I probably shouldn't say this as it's tempting fate, but I have never yet, in all the 35 years I have been performing, taken a prompt during a performance. I have taken several during rehearsals and there is always one rehearsal about a week or so before opening night which is a nightmare when I forget everything, but by first night the lines are there rock solid. Same with song words, which I have no trouble learning. And provided they are simple, I can remember dance steps, which is much harder.

This is the last of the 'dream parts' for me for a while, although I will be tempted to take part in 'Calendar Girls' next year and the part of Mrs Danvers in the autumn production of 'Rebecca' next year is also a pretty good one, but I am determined to get this absolutely right. Titania is the sort of part every one who wants to set themselves up as a serious actress ought to aspire to, and I have done very well lately with Muriel Wicksteed in Alan Bennett's 'Habeas Corpus' in 2010 and Lady Bracknell in 'Importance of Being Earnest' 2011. Both of those have impeccable records for line learning, and I am determined this one will too.

If you are coming to see it, you are in for a treat. It's a great cast and a beautiful piece. Enjoy! And if you hear me take a prompt, I'll buy you a drink afterwards!