While Ali and Laura are already enjoying the hopefully warm sun of Italy (of course that's what everybody is willing to imagine), Scott Julia and I are breathing the last particles of fresh Scottish air before jumping on the Edinburgh Shuttle Bus to the Airport. It is quite strange to think we will be performing tomorrow morning at 9.15 am in the wonderful theatre of Piacenza in front of a raging number of little Italian friends and teenagers.

Last year we had a variety of different kind of students, who could be terribly noisy and disturbing (I remember directing a specific "some punished" to a little menace on one of the last days who would just NOT stay still), quite ok and easy going or absolutely and utterly silent, not even laughing at the usually funny Mercutio who tries to kiss Romeo... which was scary!

I'm curious to know about the southern Italian audience. How is the English going to come across? Are they going to throw roses or coca cola cans at us? What about mafia gang wars... that would be quite fitting for a R&J play! Well, of course that is just stereotypical. In fact we are really looking forward to eating famous Puglia dishes and trying spotting the shores of Albania on the other side of the waters!

I hope everything goes well so we get to Piacenza on time so not to stress Laura by missing trains and buses... let's invoke the spirits and be taken by Mab on our exciting and colourful journey across the fervid Italic Peninsula!

Little teenage Italians, HERE WE COME!