DRUNK: Letting It Go

Drew McOnie

I'm currently sat in the auditorium at the beautiful Bridewell theatre watching all the different departments darting around preparing for the imminent technical rehearsal to take place. I am sat in the back corner and I can see everyone. Perhaps the most exciting thing to me is that I am sat in the perfect place to see the excited faces of the dancers as they arrive one at a time and take in the performance space for the first time. It's theirs and they know it.

Yesterday was a very special time for me. I spent most of it up a ladder peeling away the hanging black curtains so that bit by bit the charismatic natural charm of this wonderful building has been exposed.; knowing that what we have all been working so hard to bring together finally has a home.

It's a strange feeling. It doesn't seem like all that long ago that I was sitting in various coffee shops meeting with people trying to explain the idea of how a show where different drinks become people and a broken hearted woman might melt to become water could work. All those ideas were so closely guarded and completely mine and Grant's (Grant Olding, our composer). Now as our piece starts to come into reality, our show is being shared. Creative individuals, all specialists in their field, are already interpreting our ideas and inspirations. This is most obvious in Ryan Laight's fluid and sexy costume and set design, Richard Howell's intoxicating lighting and of course Sebastian Frost's detailed and powerful sound design.

However, this certainly isn't where the creative interpretation ends. Watching how our technical team has built the rig, the backstage area and even the props table has been creative. And of course... the cast. They have never ceased to amaze me with their preparation and willingness to connect to the material. They are a very special bunch of artists and I am genuinely excited to see how they connect with a new audience here in London.

The main notion behind writing this blog was the realization that heading towards opening night can quite simply be compared to the holding of a beautiful bunch of balloons. You put all of your power into carefully choosing the colours of those balloons and you certainly would give your last breath to fill them. Then as you head towards that important press night you have to gain the confidence to let them go, to let them soar, after being so completely in control of every detail until that moment the idea of not being in control of the future destination of those balloons is hard. I can't control how quickly those balloons get popped or how far they might travel.

It's not long now until I have to let go...but in the meantime...I'm certainly going to do all I can to make sure that those balloons have a brilliant journey.

DRUNK premieres at London's Bridewell Theatre from 5 February - 1 March 2014. For tickets and info visit www.themconiecompany.com. For more backstage insight follow the company on Twitter @McOnieCompany