First off, bebo is shit! It wouldn't let me put my photos in this post. Check out my myspace for a proper look at this blog.

http://www.myspace.com/mikerev34

I'm back. Well, back from hospital anyway. With a brand spanking new cast, a hospital appointment in four weeks and a whole new batch of pain killers! Awesome! So how's the leg? Its ok i suppose. X-ray looks good, (still like a metalwork project) and I'm well on the way to being mended.

I arrived at the hospital at twenty past nine for my half nine appointment. 9:35 rolled around, I was handed a card and told to go for an x-ray. I had my foot x-rayed through the cast, staggered back to the secretary handed her the x-ray and was told to wait..... So I went to sit down. Or I tried at least. All the seats were taken. So I stood for over an hour. On one leg, trying to balance with crutches, as I watched people with sore fingers, sore arms or even just waiting with people with sore fingers or arms sitting. Resting their lazy selves as i struggled to stay upright on my one good leg. I would have offered me a seat.! As soon as one became available, someone with two good legs pounced before i could even organise myself to take a step. After an hour of this, I decided to have a word with the secretary. What I thought would be a quiet word. Just a polite question. We had an argument. People who had their x-rays after m e were taken in ahead of me, with much lesser injuries. The secretary told me to sit down and wait.

Finally my name was called. I hopped into a small room where a man was sitting. Not my doctor. Not even part of my doctor's team. Just some guy with a Kerry accent and a bad attitude. I couldn't remember exactly how long it had been since I had the accident and he was not happy about that. And he made no attempt to hide his disdain of the fact. And when I suggested he check the chart he was holding in his hand he laughed and gave out to me. Another argument. Another asshole too lazy to do his job. Fortunately I didn't see him again.

So I set off down the hall to have the cast taken off. Another waiting room. My fourth of the day! So i sat, waited and heard my name being called again. And knowing my luck, another disgruntled employee of our fine health service. Luckilhy she was called away, and was replaced by another. This guy was nice! Finally! And unlike the previous wagon, he didn't object to photographs! (I'd been documenting my visit) So off came the cast, he even let me keep it! The priest and woman offender will now serve as an ornament, a reminder of the accident, and the amazing people who signed it!

Then came the staples.... Out that is. A lovely nurse. She was into tattoos, she even had one! She peeled off the bandages, revealing beautiful purple bruises and tow wounds. One about three inches long, the other six. "Will this hurt?" I asked. "Possibly.... Eh, probably not" came the reply. There's a medical yes for you! She compared it to a nettle sting or a briar scratch. She chatted the whole time, telling me about her tattooing experience, asking about mine. Before I knew it all thirty something staples were out. A quick flash of my back, showing off my guardian angel and I was off again, for another cast.

Prognosis seems good. X-ray looked good. (Apparently) Another 6-8 weeks and I'll be out of the cast. Another 6-8 weeks after that and I'll have us of my foot again. Full use anyway. It's a long recovery time. Very long. But I'll survive. I have to. And I've got plenty of great people to help me.

Back to boredom. I've watched every dvd I own and I've taken to watching obscure sitcoms on the internet. I've done a lot of songwriting, whipping my stuff into shape. Hopefully a bebo/myspace music page will be coming soon. And writing, finishing up my half-written films and plays. I'm bored, thats no lie. But I'm being productive that's for sure!

It's taken me a while to get to the stage where I could write this.Trainspotting has been over for almost a week now. But it's taken me this long to sort out emotions. Everyone is hitting Post Show Blues at this stage. Five days after the final night. But for me, it's essentially been over since last Wednesday. In case you don't know, I broke my ankle on Wednesday night, and my run ended there. A whirlwind twelve hours, containing a doctor, two hospitals, plenty of nurses, three x-rays, gardai, a shot up garda van, surgery, casts, plenty of phone calls, tears, apologies, no sleep and one huge metal plate screwed to my ankle. To quote Tommy Mckenzie: "Fuckin weird man."

Despite the accident, it was a great week. In the Watergate! There's no better place to be! Surrounded by great friends and the most talented bunch of actors I've ever encountered. We had an amazing opening night, a shaky second night and then I was absent for the last three. But it still went fantastic! Full credit to the whole cast for replacing me so easily. =)

Thank you to everyone involved! You guys were amazing, all of you! You got me through. But there's a few people i need to thank specifically.

Colm: For all the help on Wednesday night, practically carrying me onstage and all around side-stage. Texting me Wednesday night, allaying my crippling fears.
Tommy: Again for Wednesday night. Getting me everything I needed, from props to costumes.
Kevin: For everything! Taking over characters, endless cups of tea, helping me get around, the amazing talk we had Tuesday night, all the times you were there to make me feel better Friday and Saturday
Paddy: My saviour! Taking over my characters for three nights with almost no rehearsal and doing as good a job as i could have done! All the encouragement, the hugs!
Pip: Taking over characters! Tea! Always being there for a chat.
Ken: Getting me to the doctor so quickly. Always making sure I was ok. Writing CUNT on my cast!
Niamh: Everything! Letting me audition, giving me the chance, believing in me. Never getting pissed off at me no matter how many questions I asked. Hugs! Kind, amazing words. Phone calls to see if i was ok. Texts to tell me how everything was going. I can never thank you enough.
John: Jesus, where do i start? I think thank you is too small a gesture. I owe you so much. All the encouragement, the advice, the help, the faith, the belief, the confidence in me when i had none. Dude, thank you. Phone calls, texts, emails! I'm pretty sure i cried over the phone to you. But I cant remember!
Ross: Here's another big one! Giving me the confidence to get up there, the encouragement, the praise, the faith, the kind words, the advice. Being generally amazing both on and off stage. You're so easy to act beside, making me feel so comfortable on stage. Working your ass off to get your character and make this the best show possible. You did it! Watergate week! Making me laugh, getting each other through our opening night nerves. The texts when i was in hospital. The hug when i got out. Thank you!

And the rest of you guys, just because I didn't mention you by name doesn't mean i'm not equally grateful to all of you! Because I am. I love you guys, all of you. And I want to work with you all again! I cant wait to...

There's also one particular person who I haven't mentioned by name. But I don't have to. She know what she has done and how grateful I am. I thank you in person every day.

So there it is. And here I am, bed-ridden. With nothing but happy memories to keep me going. I'm going stir-crazy here! Save me! Save me now! =)

Punter/Dianne's Da/Morag "Jam Rag" Henderson/Boy/Scumbag/Young girl/Footsie Ould Cunt/Mikey Forrester/Punter 2/Punter 3/Squirrel/Renton's Da/Uncle Cha Cha/Workie

Michael "Too Excited By Batman" Murphy


Mick

So here I am, 4:25 in the morning, Tuesday 24th June 2008. Why am i awake? I have no idea! I cant sleep. I've tried. But my mind is racing. In fourteen hours Devious Theatre will be taking to the Watergate stage with Trainspotting. And the wee cast of eleven includes me! My official credit is "Cast of Thousands" Imagine getting the phone call that informs you of that! The closest I ever came to a heart attack i think! But eight weeks on, it has proven possible to inhabit all the different characters. And with two amazing directors and an incredible cast, to help, offer advice, offer criticism, encourage and discourage, i've made it through the rehearsals. And now comes the night we've been working towards. Opening night. Scared? You bet your ass I am.

Reading back over that last few lines, its pretty damn egotistical. (Is it?) Trainspotting has been a fantastic experience. A smouldering cauldron of ideas, creativity, hard work, and laughter. Everyone in the cast, from Ross right down to me has worked themselves into the ground to bring the best possible show to the stage. We've rehearsed through hangovers, flus, heat, cold, work restraints, space restraints, tiredness, even tonsilitis! And it's all been worth it.

On Sunday morning, the doors of the Watergate opened to us. And there we are for the week. Working, eating, sleeping! Speaking of such, i should be sleeping right now. But i cant. I've attempted counting sheep. But i'm so wound up, my imaginary sheep keep finding more interesting things to do than be counted.

The sun's coming up. God, I need sleep. I can't be tired tomorrow. I can't let everyone down. I need to be alert. I need to be energised. I need to be focused. I need to sleep!

Opening night. Scared? You bet your ass i am.