Last week I played Mrs Santa Claus in a super cute short called Big Fat Santa directed by Shane Brennan and set in gorgeous Salisbury. So many times I rush around and never see a location outside of the set and the hotel. It reminded me how important it is to grab the moments where we can, even in a hectic day to just enjoy being alive and cherishing the beauty around us. Beauty is always there, from sunsets, architecture to flowers on a table, I just have to remind myself to stop and look!
This week I am rehearsing for two different Royal Festival Hall shows but I cannot help falling in passionate love every night with my wonderful London as I walk back over the bridge from the Southbank. I can get so easily stressed rushing around from one project to another so taking each moment in between to truly appreciate life helps me stabilise and remind me with joy of the ups of a freelance life, it reminds me that I have chosen this life as an artist. Again and again I have turned my back on the corporate world and a proper job because of the joy I find in creating and helping others tell their stories. It is magic, so taking moments to catch and breathe in my surroundings makes my life choices make sense in the unstable world of being a freelance creative.
Playing Mrs Santa Claus was fun, obviously I had to wear red but thankfully the initially Trashy Lingerie inspired Santa outfits edged with white have been toned down a lot and I am now an elegant Mrs Santa Claus 😉 If you have never been to either the Los Angeles store or onto their website you need to check it out, the ultimate Halloween trashy outfits, but definitely not to be worn in public or where there are cameras about! (see atypical Trashy outfit below. Note this was NOT my costume 😉
We were shooting on location in Salisbury, such a beautiful place and Stonehenge is only 15 minutes drive away, which sadly I did not have time to visit. However my scenes were all in a traditional country hotel, The Lazy Cow where we had 4 male crew, one Mr Santa & me in a tiny bathroom at one point 🙂 Santa is played by Sean Higgs and it is a very funny script. As always with location shoots you arrive and get straight into the acting and rarely get the chance to see around. However I did manage to pop into Salisbury Cathedral on my way to the train just as the organist was practising. They are trying to raise £10 million for its renovation and conservation. Salisbury has lots of 17th Century buildings so definitely worth a visit if you want to indulge in a traditional English city, the cream teas looked great too!
The hotel has just won a Publican Best Food Award for 2014 and I can attest the food and the ambience was lovely. I am not sure why this is turning into an ad for the hotel and Salisbury but I really was swept away by the tiny houses and gorgeous architecture.
Let me know where you have visited for work and been able to take a moment to enjoy your surroundings.
Tags: Halloween, London, Los Angeles, Marysia Trembecka, Mr Santa, Mrs Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, Royal Festival Hall, Salisbury, Salisbury Cathedral, Santa, Santa Claus, Sean Higgs, Shane Brennan, Trashy Lingerie
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