Anakana Schofield

Driving down the hill (road) on Boundary in the 5 blocks before you cross Hastings there are the most staggering pylons. They remind me of the big auld Tripods. They could nearly lift up their legs and tramp down the hill. It’s funny I never noticed the source of power so much in the city til I saw them today. I always observe power sources in rural locations because I am inevitably curious to see who is off the grid.

It’s odd because if you say walk across a bridge in the dark in the city, inevitably the ditty-dotty lights on the North Shore (she says trying to rem can you see the N Shore from bridges?) … however you see them, those ditty dotty lights all up the North Shore til the rock star stream on Grouse grab your attention.

I once had a very funny experience with a spotlight when on tour with my play. I arrived at this tiny venue to discover they’d rented a single light that U2 might have needed for Wembley… but that I had to plead with them to turn off. The conversation went “but we rented it, but I am the volunteer lighting man,” to which I could only respond politely “but I am completely blinded by it and can see nothing and will end up in the lap of the audience.” The play on this occasion was being performed at lunchtime in a non theatre venue and that light could have literally guided the Sealink ferry safely into Dun Laoghaire from inside said building 45 miles away. Touching tho’ that anyone would rent anything in my honour whatever the wattage.