MB
Having got Aspects of Love back into the West End.
The Guardian, The Q&A, The Guardian, 20 May 2023 source ↗
The question
What keeps you awake at night?Originally asked
The Guardian, to a different person each week, The Q&A
A long-running fixed question in The Guardian's weekly Q&A questionnaire.
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Others on this question
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Alain de Botton
Writer and philosopher; founder of The School of Life
failure. I dream of chapters I haven't written and things that I forgot to say in books I wrote three or seven years ago.
Edwina Currie
Former British politician, broadcaster and writer
Anxiety. Usually the best response is to think hard about things, work up some solutions and then go to sleep.
The Middle East crisis.
The perimenopause.
More from Michael Ball
View profile →Handing out leaflets for a European coach trip wearing just lederhosen, in February and March in Surrey. It was freezing, and I got fired.
During the technical rehearsal of Aspects of Love in 1989. They told me it would be discreetly lit because I was paranoid about being in just my pants. I walked on and every spotlight in the building followed me round the stage.
“Unfortunately, Michael, I don’t think you’re ever going to work in the acting profession until you’re about 40, and then it’ll only be in minor character roles.” Drama teacher at Guildford School of Acting.
I am pretty proud of having got Aspects of Love back into the West End.
My first summer working, in 1984. I’d come out of drama school, I’d landed a job that got me an Equity card doing Godspell in Aberystwyth – and it was just unmitigated joy.
Watching Long Lost Family on telly.
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