Friday, July 26, 2013

A Picnic in the Rain

The Plan for Thursday, July 25th:

Leave our home at 1pm to drive to Spring Green, WI in order to attend the 7:30pm viewing of Hamlet. Hannah, Ellie, our friends Andrew and Mindy, David, and I also packed a picnic supper to eat in the scenic area surrounding the outdoor theater.  After the three and a half hour performance we were going to drive all the way back home, arriving approximately 4 or 5 in the morning.

The Reality:

We left on time, had a nice drive visiting with our friends.  It rained the whole way, but I told them I had checked the weather and it said rain for WI wasn't to start till Friday.  We arrived at APT and it wasn't raining then, so we took our picnic lunch and sat at a picnic table under one of the trees, spread out our supper, and began swiping at mosquitoes while trying to eat. Then the rain started, so we ate while holding umbrellas.

But there was still a good hour and a half before the play was to begin, the rain should slow down, or at least be light enough that the show would go on.

Nope.  It continued to rain, getting harder at times, slacking off at others.  We ventured on up the hill, waiting under the porch like-structure of the gift shop, concession stand are along with all the other attendees to see if they would start on time or wait to see if the rain would pass.  Then, the speaker crackled and the announcers voice said they would hold the start as their meteorologist said the radar looked as though the rain should move along and the play could go on.

A second announcement some time later gave the disheartening news, "The show will be cancelled as the optimistic outlook has changed."

Big sigh.

Along with everyone else, we walk back down the hill, not discussing the lovely performance of Hamlet, but instead how disappointed we were about not getting to see the play.  We began our drive back home after 8pm and therefore arrived home four hours earlier than our original plan.

The tragedy?  Andrew's favorite Shakespeare play is Hamlet.  We had told him and his wife how wonderful this theater is and they were so excited to come with us to see.  But, due to the rain, he won't get too.  The remaining performances of the season do not work with his schedule.  And, frankly, I'm not sure it will for ours either.

Big sigh.

Well, we at least had an enjoyable visit with our friends who didn't mind us taking them four hours away for a picnic in the rain.

4 comments:

Cheryl said...

Oh, I am so sorry!

Susan said...

Oh NO. No!!!!!! How wretched. We got "rained out" at one matinee, which means it moved to a tent where the actors recited their lines but didn't act them out, while the kids sat on mulch listening. We were already 2/3 of the way through the play, so we could close our eyes and "see" much of what would've been happening.

And we were at the not-rained-out (but called off, resumed, called off, resumed, called off AGAIN, and resumed) play that stands out in several of the actors' minds as The Worst Weather where they still played. But to make plans --and drive THAT FAR-- and have it canceled... oh, it makes me want to cry.

And we just got a brief, very light shower yesterday evening. But boy, did it storm today!

Glenda said...

Thank you. It is the risk we took, and instead of talking and remembering a fantastic play, we talk and remember our rainy drive and picnic and disappointment. :-)

I am thankful for APT's rain policy for ticket reimbursement or exchange.

Theron said...

This is awesome!