The tour has begun!
Thanks to the gracious donations made to the #TrephinationTour fund, I have arrived in Peterborough. The journey was one of confusing omens: I caught sight of an exploded fake-snow machine, fluff covering the floor, walking past Hamley’s to catch my train from London Bridge, and arrived just in time for a bomb scare in the centre of town.
I realised, while packing, that I haven’t traveled, spent the night anywhere but my flat, since I immigrated to the UK in 2020.
The chaos makes sense, in a way: in the final moments of morning-of-travel packing, throwing my phone charger and kids’ toothpaste (faithful friends know I choke on peppermint) in my bag, I made sure to draw my tarot—the “fun” part of my daily centring work—and was met with the Five of Candles and the Wheel of Fortune. Officially, I don’t believe in divination—but it gives me something to focus on for the day, and man, did the day follow through.
I decided early on that one of my access needs for this tour would be a day of space before the first tour date, to accustom to my environment and work through any brain chaos in advance of returning publicly to this piece a year after its premiere. Perhaps the external chaos set my mind at ease, or perhaps I’m simply getting the hang of rocking and rolling in the moment, but I feel fine. I believe this day of adjustment and calm was so needed—but, having had it, I’m ready to meet the tour’s first audience members tomorrow.
It may have helped that I snuck a reccy into tomorrow’s operating theatre. It’s stunning. The space is blunt and honest and open, and it will hold me and this story so well.
I'm so grateful to be here.
I'm so grateful to be here.
Until tomorrow, friends.