I think it is fair to say that it is all over though.
The Production Team would want to know that the people that are shortlisted are available and willing to take part. As such, the calls would have been made, or more likley as Adman has said, the recorded deliver letters have been sent by this stage.
You wouldn't hear anything on this forum - it would be part of the contract not to go public on your selection - they want the programme to come as a surprise.
But I just get thrilled everytime I come here to see how many people are excited about theatre - not just watching it, but ensuring that it continues by making new works! That has been my prize!
That's right Swann - when all else fails, the American capacity to stubbornly look at a spade and call it a chocolate-covered donut with a star-spangled flag stuck in the top will see us though!!!!
During my to-and-fro-Vegas trips I made some great friends and met some very welcoming and friendly Americans - including Neil Diamond, Barbara Streisand, Desi Arnez Jnr and Lance Burton - and every single one of them typified the proud optimism of your country!
OK, your foreign policy leaves a bit to be desired - but I've stood in a showroom in LV with my hand on my heart and even I'VE felt like tears as they all sang 'Oh say can you see by the dawn's fading light'. Going back to San Diego with my family for Christmas, I hope,
May Americans long be around to bring a ray of hope to a despairing world. May Great Britain long be around to bring some reaslism to the situation.
And if Swann's right - may I get a letter from Sonia tomorrow!!!
Adman, Dude, that was lovely. In my early thirties I took a personality/career assessment test at the behest of my shrink. After two days of testing, I was sure they would pronounce me the perfect personality type for the job I actually had, trial lawyer. But at the exit interview, the woman doing the testing leaned over to me and said, no, actually, I should be Barbara Streisand with my results.
I think you caught it really well - even our national anthem is about trying to 'see' something that may or may not be there - we look to victory.
My overwhelming fear is that we give our governments the same backing we give our religion - my country right or wrong, that sort of thing. But Tom Delay resigned as Speaker of the House last night, and a federal judge ordered America to publish the shameful pictures of tortured Iraqis.
It was actually a British guy, wasn't it, who made popular the saying, "Always look on the bright side of life."
I have had three fab family holidays to America and cannot wait to go back again next year. I find the average american to be be both polite and very helpfull with two notable exceptions. The service in your Mcdonalds/burger king/wendys is without fail awfull compared to the 'cod american' 'have a nice day' service in these establishments here, and trying to order a tuna and tomato Sub in a Subway - 'without the tomato' - proved impossible because the staff only spoke spanish (this happened both in California and in Florida!).
Our pet phrase when over there is 'only in America' when we are faced with something on a scale and to a standrd we can only aspire to over here. Such as the pirate show in front of the Treasure Island Hotel on 'the strip' (we stayed at the Luxor) or the fantastic 'Universal' theme parks in Orlando or Cape Canaveral or the giant redwoods in Yosemite or.....or.....or....
We were also impressed with the way ordinary homes or cars flew the flag. How shops and retaurants had the flag in their windows or on huge poles in front of the stores. In this country if you fly a flag from your home you are considered a racist or the council will tell you to take it down.
What i do remember though is running out of 'gas' on a four lane highway in LA. Standing there roadside with my wife and nine year old daughter and thinking what the f**k do i do now? When a huge 'rig' pulled across three lanes of traffic and the guy shouted 'What's the matter? can i help?' he gave me a lift not just to the next off ramp but to the nearest gas station. I was back and we were off again within minutes of running out. We all thought 'now that would not have happened in England'.
So i feel the Americans i have met are Ok by me, they just need to get out more.
'All we see and seem is but a dream within a dream' Poe
I think that Americans often take what 'we' say too literally. If you look at this forum, the papers, the local pub, you will find people 'having a go at', Americans.....Germans.....bloody Italians...don't get me started on the French!!
But most of all you will hear them having a go at The Scotish the Welsh the Irish and most cuttingly of all the English!
Irony (or iyrony) is so deeply ingrained in our souls that we forget that our words can have another - more direct - meaning to the one intended.
I think the key to this is not what we say but what you hear.
'All we see and seem is but a dream within a dream' Poe
I may be paraphrasing "Yes Minister"; but in the good old days, the relationship between a good civil servant and his Minister; was akin to that between a good ventrilloquist and his dummy!
the problem is...
