Drama and the DVR

Ever since I've known of their existence, I've been a devoted customer of the DVR. I never owned a TiVo, because we've always had Cox for internet and cable. (And not always by choice.)

Because rehearsals and shows are typically in the evenings, it's difficult to get into any given television series. Unless we are interested beforehand, we don't record the pilot episode and thus, we don't get reeled in like the rest of our 'normal' peers.

I'm in the midst of rehearsals for 'Noises Off', which opens in two weeks at Phoenix Theatre. For those that don't know much about the show, it's a British farce that follows an acting company for several months on their tour of 'Nothing On'. (A heavily prop-laden sex farce.) It is most definitely a comedy and has a cast of hard-hitting comedic geniuses... and me. I play the Assistant Stage Manager, and since the show revolves around the acting company, my role isn't a particularly demanding one. Rehearsals are a blast! I belly-laugh at least once every 30 minutes or so... as much for what is being said and done behind-the-scenes as is in the show.

Because it's a comedy (and a farce) it requires a bit more 'working energy' than most shows. (This isn't a real term, it's just something I made up.) But by 'working energy', I mean that you have to rehearse some things at 'show speed' in order for them to work. Physical comedy especially requires this kind of consideration or the timing is more likely to lag or get pushed when the variables of actor adrenaline and audience energy come into play.

And so, our rehearsals have a rhythm to them in which there are hyperbursts of activity followed by periods of talking things through and notating or working out changes in blocking or travel patterns. It can be akin to circuit training at the gym. Taking into consideration that the set is two stories with three sets of stairs... and one can appreciate the physical requirements of the cast. And we rehearse for about seven hours a day, six days a week.

As a result, I'm usually still pretty pumped when I get home from rehearsal. It takes a while for me to wind down, but I've got it down to a fairly standard routine.

Cue the DVR.

I have my shows. From So You Think You Can Dance to Hell's Kitchen to Top Chef to Project Runway... My routine has been to come home, strip off my smelly rehearsal clothes, perhaps pour a glass of wine... and watch my show (whichever it may be that day of the week.)

I was particularly looking forward to my post-rehearsal wind-down today because it is Wednesday. And Wednesday means performance night on SYTYCD. Woot.

Except for one thing...

My DVR had gotten backed up and ran out of space. One hour into my two-hour show.

Seriously, universe? Seriously, DVR?

It's the freakin' FINALE!! We're down to THREE!

After acting out a very intricate and angry pantomime (including the strangulation of my remote control), I realized that instead of winding down, I had indeed worked myself into a frenzy.
So much for getting to bed at a decent time tonight.

I'm left to watch Confessions of Animal Hoarders... which is only succeeding in working me up more. I think it might be time to resort to the wine. :)