King Lear

I had been walking around for days now with an imaginary crown on my head. My enthusiasm, heightened by the idea, of an all-female cast and costumes designed by the textile graduates. I suppose it was slightly foolish to think that I might be offered the part of King Lear but my fellow drama students encouraged me all the way to the audition.

The director handed out the script and we were all given brown paper bags to put on our heads just to get us in the mood. Her innovation was that in this play, everyone would wear a crown. Not with paper bags but with the skill and precision of our text printed on fabric crowns. I was asked to read the part of 'Gloucester' in the middle section of the play, when gradually I felt the brown paper bag slowly glide down over my head. 'I have no way and therefore want no eyes' as I stumbled towards the edge of the stage.

When I was offered the part, I felt a surge of excitement. Who needed crowns and gowns when the words meant so much more?