Dope

I've spent the day in a mild panic trying to write a dance sequence for the White City project, without really knowing what type of dancers are going to be in performing. It's one of those slightly tricky sequences involving school children singing and communities dancing  which ticks all the right boxes in terms of involvement, but often ends up being mercilessly torn apart by critics, who think the sequences somehow feel a little fake. It's something I've become very conscious of ever since the mauling my Metro film got on YouTube. As it happens it's a mauling I've become rather proud of, as much because for every negative comment there's someone who gets in touch to say it's one of their favourite internet films.  I even had an email a few weeks ago from  someone who was writing about it in her dissertation! The lesson I learnt from the experience was that  however firmly your tongue remains in your cheek when putting these sequences together, the majority of people are quick to get the cheese-ometers out, which can be humbling. 

So there's my dilemma. The other sequences in the film have dignity and integrity, so how can I inject a bit of this into this particular number? Slightly more worryingly, how can I do this in the three days I have to finish this if I'm going to stay on schedule? One day into my dreaded May and everything's already coming to a head!

Still, the weather is dramatically wonderful. I went and wrote for half an hour in Highgate Woods in the late afternoon and sat on the grass next to a group of grungy types who were smoking the strongest dope I've ever smelt. I personally don't have a huge problem with cannabis, it's never really appealed personally, but I support anyone's right to smoke it. I do wonder, however, what possesses people to do it so astonishingly flagrantly. I mean, any passing policeman smelling that would have had that lot banged up in seconds!!