Since we last spoke, I have become very familiar with the wall opposite my desk in the library. After just a few minutes of Physics, the spines of books become entirely irresistible, and every title I read pushes another important equation out of my head. Rather than attempt to memorise an entire wall, I set a realistic target, and end up reading the same few titles over and over again. The last time I was so familiar with a shelf’s contents was while working for a local supermarket in my teens. The manager immediately spotted my aptitude for cheese stacking, and I rapidly became a recognised authority on the dairy aisle’s exact configuration. Friends interrupted their shopping to test me. “Where is the white stilton?” they would enquire, the glint of obscurely won victory in their eyes. “Third section along, bottom shelf, just next to the gouda”, I would respond, with almost preternatural speed.

The rising terror at my approaching exams hasn’t yet precluded the occasional relaxing outing, and tomorrow evening (wait this evening) I have a reunion to attend. ‘Utopia Unlimited’ was a show I did last September, and some of the profit made is paying for a dinner for the entire company. The Cambridge University Gilbert and Sullivan Society (quite a mouthful) is one of the wealthiest university drama societies, purely because of the lucrative yearly slot they have at the Minack Theatre. It’s an amphitheatre cut into the cliffs near Porthcurno in Cornwall, with waves crashing against the rocks directly below (and very occasionally right onto the stage). I strongly recommend you take a look at the Minack website, and there are even photos of ‘Utopia Unlimited’. Maximum credit to anyone who can pick me out. Also, there’s a great photo of the show’s finale, taken by one of the technical crew.

As it happens, I auditioned recently for this year’s show, ‘Iolanthe’. First audition last weekend, and then a recall on Wednesday, but I wont know till Monday what the score is. The entire production team will be at the upcoming dinner, probably having already made their decisions. Maybe if I can get one of them drunk enough they’ll put me out of my misery…

PS If it looks windy in the Utopia photos, that’s because it was. It blew a howling gale the first three nights, almost lifting those with billowy costumes clean off their feet. At one point it turned a dress completely inside out, and three people were required to wrestle it under control again. Fortunately it didn’t occur during one of her solos…