For Tom, Bec and me, it's the day we must leave Elsinor and travel home -  the cast and Jamie will stay until Friday, then fly to Berlin before all meeting again in Dresdren for the Platform 11+ Annual Encounter in 7 days time.

Happily it's not a case of us slinking off into the sunset because we get to see Elsinor's production of Giuditta's Platform 11+ play - Man on a Horse at 11am

It was a late night for us but not hunched over computers like Monday but an evening with Illaria in Naviglia, the beautiful and vibrant canal district of Milan and then a walk back to our hotel in the drizzle through the silent and empty streets of Milan in the early hours of the morning.  Best way to see a city by far -  passing the brilliantly, if slightly overblown illuminated castle I remember how WHAT LIGHT director Katie Posner and I were here in the bitter cold back in November when we came to Milan for development work with Giuditta on WHAT LIGHT.  And now seven months on....it's done, performed in York and Milan and now packed en route to Dresden.

Evening talks with Illaria about our collaboration in Dresden on the Platform 11+ schools project continue at 10am and then soon we are joined by the rest of the company for the performance of MAN ON A HORSE.  Guidtta tells us they were still working on it until 1.30am this morning, but she looks pretty stunning for woman who hasn't slept for more than few hours in the last three nights.  I must ask her who does her embalming.

The young cast and their teacher have already swept through the foyer where we are meeting in a burst of bright colours and noise and are now ready back stage.  The audience - slighty smaller than WHAT LIGHT'S arena crowd yesterday now storm the theatre and Giuditta leaves for the desk, muttering dark predictions of the punishments she will inflict on Stefano and Andrea if they mess up her script.

The WHAT LIGHT companty follows the audience in and MAN ON THE HORSE begins.  I have read and seen scenes from the play before, memorably at the Platform 11+ Annual Encounter last year in Pamela, Portugal, but this is the first time I've seen the full Elsinor production.  It's a beautiful, moving and powerful piece of theatre which integrates professional actors -  Stefano and Andrea - with a large cast of school children - ensemble and four principles - together with their teacher who plays a comic cleaning lady.  A great theatrical manifestation of the Platform 11+ ethos and objectives.

Set in a school yard it is narrated by the statue of a forgotten Italian hero who has watched the teachers and pupils for the last fifty years from his plinth in the yard.  The central narrative concerns a weary teacher -  Stefano - who was once a pupil at the school himself and his discovery of a secret game played by the pupils which redefines the relationship between himself and the children and explores ideas of what is education and tears down the barriers between those who teach and those who learn.  It's beautifully done by all the cast - the young people turn in excellent authentic performances and their teacher is fantastic as the eccentric cleaning lady.   It's a quiet thoughful piece, shot through with moments of striking theatricality -  the representation of a make-believe battle as part of the game using hundreds of weighted coloured streamers launched from the wings by the cast is lovely and very moving.

Afterwards more rapturous applause and then another excellent feedback session.  Illaria whispers tranlations to us, but really we don't need it as wonderfully the theme of the play becomes reality in the auditorium.  The whole event is being filmed and Giuditta is facilitating it with a microphone today and a constant stream of teachers and pupils keep taking the stage to voice their thoughts on how much the play has impressed them and how they agree with the themes of breaking down the barriers within education,all greated by wild applause and cheers from the rest of the audience.  The Elsinor techician creeps up behinds us and declares it "A revolution!"  and it does feel like that -   a sort of joyous, empowered people's revolution supported by both the teachers and the pupils.  Incredibly inspiring.

And then...it's time for us to leave.  Final checks and instructions to Jamie and the cast for their journeys to Berlin and Dresden, goodbyes and plans to be in touch with Illaria, Stefano and Guditta about next week in Germany.   They seem very happy with WHAT LIGHT's time in Milan and we certainly are.

Tom, Bec and I make our way to the Central Station to catch our airport bus via lunch at the Duomo and at last some space to reflect on the last frantic three days.  We're exhausted but feel pleased with the job done.  And delighted with the extremely warm welcome and close and supportive working relationship with our Italian colleagues.  It feels like we've been been together and creating theatre for years - for me it was especially meaningful to see so many people Katie and I met back in November coming to see our performances and the sense that we have been adopted as part of the Milanese theatre community.  For instance Kendall, an American actress living and working in Milan and one of Elsinor's rep company made a long and special journey to see the show and remembered all we had spoken about back in November and was very eager to see how our plans and dreams had been transformed into theatrical reality - very disappointed that Katie wasn't with us to continue their conversations. 

WHAT LIGHT in Milan -  a successful adventure.   Both for the production and for the creative relationship between Elsinor and Pilot.

Next stop Dresden.

Very soon.   

Back in the theatre by 8.30am for the second performance of WHAT LIGHT at 10am -  general consensus is it was a waste of time going to bed and we should have stayed up and created another three shows before dawn, which seems to be the Italian way.

 

The new subtitles are tested and work fine.  Which is a relief.

 

The foyer is suddenly filled with children as the school parties begin to arrive.  They're loud, active and boisterous - the boys obsessed with slapping each other on the back of the neck for reasons mysterious to anyone over the age of 16.    It's odd because the teachers seem stricter than in the UK -  much severe telling off and constant separating of unruly elements - but the children seem wilder, although it's all very good natured and in high spirits. 

 

There are 200 of them from the four different schools Elsinor works with and they sweep through the auditorium like a multi-coloured tsunami with the teachers perched precariously on the crest.   Lots of swapping seats,  shouted comments to each other and laughter.  Giuditta makes a brief on-stage introduction, outlining the plot and telling them to behave themselves or they'll be chucked out -  they laugh their heads off at this. 

 

Lights down, a roar from the audience and the show begins.  The energy from the children makes for a good opening and the cast rise to it.  It's probably the best performance I've seen -  well paced, focused and full of energy -  although it's difficult to compare with the very different set up of the Studio in York.   The audience are very vocal at the funny moments,  once again enjoy the rude jokes hugely and find the celebrity puppet show hilarious;  in the quieter moments they are silent and attentive.   The replacement of the Cheryl Cole reference with Monica Belucci goes down very well with the local crowd.

 

The performance ends and the applause is enormous and extended and full of cheers.   They really are a dream young audience and the Arts Council should invest in a pipeline from Milan to the Uk and pump them in daily.   The cast takes several bows Italiano style and then Giuditta, Stefano, Illaria, Tom and I get on stage for the talk back session -  soon joined by the cast.   When Giuditta introduces Tom and me, we each get rapturous applause and cheers  -  it's been ages since I got a Bieber reception and am tempted to do a few moves, but Giuditta gets in first.  I'll have to talk to her about that.

 

It's a great talk back -  lots of questions both from the children and the teachers - very positive, but also very serious minded and thoughtful from the teachers.  Giuditta translates each question for us and then back in Italian for the audience - one of the really endearing things is as Giuditta translates I nod and smile as she explains the question and the children take this as a sign - quite rightly - that the teacher or child who asked the question has made a good point and understood the objective of the play and so they give them each a round of applause and a cheer before I answer. 

 

We answer questions for about 30 minutes and then Giuditta and Stefano bring it to a close although we could have carried on for longer.   Another huge burst of applause ad cheering and the audience make a slow and noisy exit as the Dizzy Rascal track plays them out.  And then....

 

We are on stage immediately striking the set as Elsinor must now begin work straight away on the performance they will do tomorrow morning - it's Giuditta's first Platform 11+ play,  Man on a Horse.   They haven't performed it since October and so there's a lot to do since it involves Stefano and Andrea from Elsinor, fifty school children and their teacher, who all perform.  We're out of their way within a hour and a half -  Jamie and Illaria drive off to Lake Como to return the vintage chairs to their owner and Tom, Bec and I stay behind to finish packing up and make the necessary arrangements to transfer the set to Dresden.

 

Very strange but also exhilarating to find ourselves opened and closed all within 15 hours, but after two very good shows and the fantastic experience of this morning's audience together with the adrenalin rush of making it all happen in just a few days since we landed at the airport, it feels like a big and happy achievement. 

 

A little sleep now.

 

 

 

 

The two hours before WHAT LIGHT opens are eventful.

 

The prepared Italian/English subtitles don't work in the space and despite lots of trial and error, no easy solution can be found.   We must work with what we have for tonight's predicted small audience, but Giuditta is concerned about the 200 strong school audience tomorrow morning.  We will have to work on new subtitles after the show closes tonight.

 

Tidying the space up, sorting front of house needs, checking on actors, actors warm up on stage - last minute rush to input the final school class photo and Illaria rushes out to get a La Republica for the newspaper Grandpa Dan uses on stage, then trashes it artistically. 

 

All very, actors in position, hubbub of audience in the foyer, minutes to go.   Rossana comes in to tell us there will be a delay - half the audience haven't arrived and in Milan you wait for your audience, especially in summer when they re finishing their aperitifs in the bars.    Another ten minutes.

 

The audience finally arrive - small, but unexpectedly young for the most part, thirty plus teenagers.   They spend some time playing musical chairs in the auditorium.  Tom waiting poised to work the subtitles, Bec on the desk with some key cues, Jamie ready to....start the show.

 

Lights down, opening music track begins, the Grandpas appear out of the tents clutching Beyonce and Justin Bieber's severed heads....we're off.

 

A very good show, energised, focused and controlled.  Laughter and appreciative noises from the audience - they obviously like the physicality, the visual comedy, the rude jokes.  On either side of the stage, the subtitles scroll down powered by Tom's finger.

 

Afterwards, our Italian hosts are warm and congratulatory and our Italian colleagues as pleased as us.   Talking to the audience afterwards,they seem very positive - at least that's how it translates.

 

A very quick meal of pasta in the local bar, then the cast leave for the hotel, it's 11pm and an early start tomorrow.

 

And we....return to the dark theatre and spend the next hours pounding away on five computers redoing the subtitles.

 

At 1.30am, we seem to be nearly finished. If it works.

 

Outside the cloisters of the fifteenth century church adjoining the theatre are cool and silent and full of ancient prayers.   Stepping out for a moment into the night, it's not so hard to believe that Leonardo worked here, though Napoleon has left little trace except the ghost of the natural swimming pool he filled in for his troops to march on.

 

In the chapel, the lights are burning.

 

It feels less alone. 

 

1.38am.  Finished!

Monday afternoon and things here at the Teatro Sala Fontana in Milan are busy and productive but time flies quicker than we can.    The show time of 20.30 which felt a long way away this morning rushes towards us.

 

The lighting in York cannot be replicated here, so Jamie and Rossano are reworking on the hoof.   Illaria and Bec have gone shopping in the car for a bucket and soil.   Tom and I are working on stage with the cast on restaging moments of the York show to fit the new venue.   

 

The chairs arrive -  a wonderful repulsive armchair in plaid and a strangely alluring 70s Italian recliner apparently made of several giant bald caterpillers stitched together.   Ilaria sets about making them even more disgusting - the woman is hugely gifted.

 

Two hours later and we have teched the show.  Not plain sailing, but we get there.  The auditorium is cavernous and no cans to help with communicating -  Tom ends up on the desk, me down at stage level, sharing it  between us.  Eye on the text, the staging, the space, the performances, the lighting, the sound.  Bec inbetween with Illaria, front of house, tweets and company responsibilities.

 

The planned dress has to be aborted - time and the venue have overcome us.  But the longish tech allowed plenty of time on stage for the actors and plenty of time to work through moments and new challenges.

 

No problem.  All are focused and ready for the performance in a few hours.  Actors break.   We carry on.  Giuditta and Stefano have just arrived - time to discuss and sort out final tasks and questions.  

 

Nearly time to see how WHAT LIGHT translates in Italy.

 

Impossible to grasp that just over 24 hours ago we arrived in Milan.  Feels like WHAT LIGHT has been here for weeks.   In a good way.

 

 

Flashes of What Light in Milan.....getting brighter by the hour.      

 

 

And so off to Milan with our production of WHAT LIGHT...

 

Milan is damp and humid on a Sunday afternoon, but Stefano,  Elinsor's Artistic Director, is smiling when he meets Tom, Bec and I at the the airport.   All the set bags containing tents, metal pole and severed heads are loaded into his little car and he and Tom drive off to the theatre leaving us to make our way by bus.

 

Checked in at the hotel and waiting for the cast and stage manager Jamie to arrive from the airport, all feels calm and sorted.  Five minutes later we are embroiled in a bedroom farce with the man on reception, his basic English and our poor Italian - some people have one bed, some people have double beds, some people have no rooms, some people have two rooms.  It takes thirty minutes before everyone has a least somewhere to sleep tonight and we are getting later and later for dinner at Stefano's place.  

 

My finest moment of international negotiation revolves around the line  "Four men, two beds?"  given emphasis and meaning with four fingers held aloft, a deeply troubled facial expression and a magisterial shake of the head.  I do not think we shall see such horrors again on European soil.

 

The "easy" metro journey turns out to be not so easy, mainly due to the fact the Milan's new fashio district - all towering glass walls and giant cranes - is springng up around us and bearings are easily lost.   Especailly in the rain.  But we make it eventually and are met at our destination metro stop by Ilaria, the Elisinor designer, last seen in the Studio in York managing her super band of celebrity puppet heads.

 

Stefano's place is elegant and tasty.   As are the individual cheese soufles he serves us.  A warm welcome to Milan, delighted palates and good conversation with Stefano and Rafaella, an actress,writer and director who collaborates frequently with Elsinor.

 

Hotel via a much easier metro journey - cracked it, Milan is now ours.   Italian variety show on the tiny TV - medly of Mary Poppins tunes, dubbed episode of Skins, many old Wham videos on many channels.  Sleep in rooms filled with disturbing oil paintings.

 

Morning comes and a ten minute walk to the theatre.  Rossano, our technical support arrives, Ilaria appears and it begins.   The stage is wide and deep, the auditorium large - very different to the Studio in York where What Light was created.  As we unpack the set, erect tents, greet the slighly disgruntled celebrity heads -  Kylie obviously didn't like being put in a suitcase -  the world of WHAT LIGHT reappears.   Strangely different - but we're soon used to it as we move through some necessary re-staging for the new space.   Line run with actors - very impressive.  About to embark on light plot -  Giuditta, my co-writer will arrive soon - then tech run, then dress run, then at 8.30pm for real with an Italian audience.

 

The theatres in Italy never open on Mondays -  we hope to kick start a cultural revolution tonight.

 

A full day, everyone busy, but so far all smooth and all happy.  

 

Apart from the squashed cockroach on stage who will never perform again.