Emblondening

One can do a lot in four-and-a-half hours. Read a book, watch a couple of movies or a whole TV series. Cook something, do some admin work, volunteer at a centre for illiterate puppies.

I spent four-and-a-half hours on Friday getting my hair done.

I've decided the chair at the hairdressing salon is much like Nick Cave's "Mercy Seat" only without the sense of the end approaching, and with more cheap women's magazines. Apparently Brad and Angelina are having problems. Again. Well at least they were back in March, which is when the mags carbon-dated to. Still, there's always a few good beauty tips in them; and you know what? I've been so busy, busy, busy all the time recently, it was actually very good to go and sit somewhere NOT near a computer. Couple that with our lovely bushwalk yesterday, and it's made me realise that I need to do that more often. Get out, get away. Let someone else wait for a change, rather than it always be me waiting for emails, Facebook messages, tweets, waiting so I can sort things out.

Of course, problem is, I can only do that to a point at the moment. There's a number of great things happening: one is the launch of the Brisbane Arts Theatre's 2010 season next Sunday 15 November at 2:30pm. Come along if you're interested - I've been working on the brochure, and it's a marvel. I've had a great deal of help from some amazingly talented and generous people, and it really is a work of art. I can't tell you how much I am invested in it. I imagine this is what having an illiterate puppy must be like.

Anyway, another thing related to the launch is the impending return of He Died With a Felafel in His Hand for a special limited edition return season - EIGHT SHOWS ONLY - JANUARY 2 to 15.

This show was just magic; many people who read this blog saw it and raved about it, and I couldn't be prouder. It stands up there as one of my greatest creative achievements - I'm so pleased it did well for theatre, and for my own sake (I really, really, REALLY wanted John Birmingham and playwright Simon Bedak to like it. Like, REALLY.)

It made sense to bring it back for a revival, and January turned out to be the most workable date. It's officially the first play in the 2010 Season - so there's a scoop for you.

It will be predominantly the same cast - with the exception of two of the females, both of whom have since left the state. A fantastic lady named Al will be coming into the show - and yours truly is going to be pulling on the boots and corset to play Deborah the dominatrix. Nice.

I felt this was reason enough for a hair colour change. Em, the actor who previously played Deborah, had vibrant red hair. I don't want to feel like I'm simply "replacing" Em - her Deb was her own and I want to pay respect to that, not ape it.

So I'm going blonder. The four-and-a-half hours is the time it takes for a full head of foils (in my thick, Indian mane of hair), developing time, toners and a full cut.

This evening I was at the Brisbane Arts Theatre for ImproMafia's musical show One Bride for Seven Brothers. (A top show - wonderful performances by the whole cast).

Before I went out, I curled my hair as usual, then tried pinning it in some sort of up-do. It was one part Brigitte Bardot, two parts Sybil Fawlty - but still, not too bad an effort.

Of course, it still looks somewhat reddish in this pic, due to the energy-saving mini-fluorescent light globes in my living room. But trust me, it's blonder.

Remind me sometime to write about some of the other hair colours I've been, and why... considering it's been over 13 years since I've been my natural colour (mystery colour!), it's a long story.