Gulrot!

Since the past week has been incredibly busy and hectic, I will be breaking this update down!
Get it? Up-date down?
I would laugh at my stupidity, but, I'm really tired. Exhaustedly so.
So, this particular update is about the professional aspect of things going on.
The show-- "Teskejkerringa" in case I haven't mentioned it before-- opened on Sunday, two days ago. The week leading up to the "World Premiere"--indeed, it is the first performance ever to be produced-- was filled with last minute changes, tweaks to the set, blocking, additions, cuts, and over-all wrenching of the production for it to be as tight as possible for Sunday.
The Saturday rehearsal, went terrible. Of course, it's natural for the final dress for things to go awry. In Norway they call it the "GB". I don't know what that stands for, but so they say it.
So, there was lost of "tui, tui, tui", which is what Norwegians say instead of "break a leg" or "good luck". And apparently, you say, "tui, tui" back. You do NOT say "takk". Again, I'm not sure why. I don't really want to bother them by asking them to explain the history of it in English. I still feel awkward about everyone speaking English... I feel like an intruder in a way, even thought they enjoy speaking English.
Speaking of which, the director of the show, Stein Winger (who is apparently a world famous Opera/theatre director) was trying to teach us the word for carrot one day. "Gulrot". Basically, it means "yellow root", if Norwegian is anything like English with the compound word system (which I have found is generally the case). For some reason, "gulrot" turns out to be an incredibly difficult word to say... especially for Seth.
It's the minor fluctuation of the Norwegian "o", the dilenation from the English "o" that is still, to me, problematic, and enigmatic. Regardless, Stein had great pleasure in shouting "GULROT!" at Seth and me whenever he passed us by.
The night that everything went wrong in rehearsal, Saturday, Pavel came back stage and asked, "Okay, who's fault was it?" Stein, happening to be walking by exclaimed, "Gulrot!" and continued on his way. We all laughed, but then I lamely admitted that I had forgotten to plug the lights in. Ooops.
On Sunday, the lights still didn't work, but this time, it was just the Universe up to the usual monkey business.
On Friday-- sorry this is so out of order, my mind is wandering a bit-- Pavel took Seth and me out for a drink (actually two [Norwegian beer is actually very good {apparently they import water and German brewers to attain the effect}]) at Kafferiet (one of the restuarants in Narvik we often dined at... and a very nice place, too.) We talked about grad school, design as a profession, and other things. He is very encouraging of grad school, directly after undergrad, and while he doesn't know much about USA grad schools, he highly recommends the University in Berlin and Prague (DAMU). He is most closely connected to DAMU, having studied and worked there, so naturally he knows more about it and can speak most on it's behalf. It would be interesting going to grad school in Europe, and I have often thought of it. If I had to pick a place to go, I would pick either a school in London, or Prague... Prague is definitely cheaper, and according to Pavel, more experience oriented, rather than research oriented... which, for a grad school, I feel is most important. Although, he did say that DAMU was very hard and demanded a lot of their students. Not just with expectations of results and products, but also mentally.
I like a good challenge.
Anyway, apparently, although it seems so odd to me, Pavel is famous. As is Stein. They don't seem famous. But they are. It's strange.
But I figure, while I know that if I go to DAMU, I won't be like Pavel, he himself credits all his learning, education, and thinking to DAMU, but most of all to Stein.
While it sounds rather, um, I forget the word... I really look up to Pavel, professionally and personally. He is a great teacher and a good friend. And I would take his recommendation, just it being his recommendation alone. Although I am very interested in Europe... I feel at home here, somehow. Plus, if that wasn't enough, Prague is very inexpensive, as is tuition. So, you get an equal, if not better education, for less debt.
Anyway,
Saturday, after the rehearsal Pavel arranged for Seth and me to meet Stein to talk to him.
Two of the most impressionable things he told us were these:
"You must be vulnerable."
and
"I just want the people on stage to wear clothes. Is that so hard? I mean, once you put them in period dress, or a fancy costume, it becomes about looking at the clothes, and it distances the audience from the characters. You must reach the audience." (in response to a question about Costume Design, from the director's perspective).

In any case, I have to finish this later, it is late... and I must have more sleep than I have been getting.
And so, I sign off.
Good night.

Hannah