He Died with a Felafel In His Hand has now been cast.
By crumbs it was difficult - so many talented people auditioned, and I always feel terribly bad when I don't "include" people. It's like I fear them hating me for ever and ever, when in fact, it's a play, not a lifeboat off the Titanic, and actors are reasonably used to rejection.
In the end for me, it came down to gut instinct and physical appearance. Not being shallow there; but I want this play to have a good range of physical types. No point having three petite brunettes when I can have a petite brunette, a blonde bombshell and a curvy redhead (which I have; plus a curvy brunette and a olive-skinned cutie). The guys range from blokey to alternative, which is excellent.
It made me think about decision-making. I'm generally terrible at it; I'm always the last to order at a restaurant. So how do you make decisions? Do you go with guts, or write up comprehensive notes weighing the pros or cons? Do you ask people for advice, or rely totally on your own rational brain? And how different is the decision-making process between simple stuff, and IMPORTANT issues?
And a dovetail question. Felafel has its first rehearsal this coming Sunday. The cast are well-aware by now that I am reasonably insane. My tirades against "wanky actor types" and calls of "cue dildo smackdown dance number!" during the audition process has pretty much taken care of that.
But I wonder if I may be able to turn it around by adopting some sort of affectation to appear much more hip, cool and with it than I actually am. Dark sunglasses, perhaps? A skewiff tie? A large coffee, like Mark Harmon from NCIS? Herbal cigarillos? Black fingernail polish?
