Last night I dreamed of Elvis

I am on a film set, working; there is a catering tent (like Harrod's Food Hall, but smaller) where the tea is plentiful and good. There is also a Cathedral set, and an airstrip. A small turbo-prop lands, a little stairway is wheeled to the door, and out comes Elvis, who sees me, and turns to English actor Bernard Hill. "Look! There's Laurel!", he says, and they smile big bright sunrise smiles, and come down the stairs.

Elvis looks great. He is older, of course, as he should be, and a little stout, but healthy and happy, and full of life and laughter. We've been friends ever since Bernard first introduced us.

Now, my babysitters were Elvis fans. I was a little too young, and then my family moved across the Atlantic to Solihull, England, and it wasn't until the Beatles were on the telly there in 1962 that pop music came into my life. I've dreamed of Paul McCartney many times over the decades since then, but this is Elvis' first appearance. What a great guy he turns out to be!

 

On set with director Cornelia Moore (wearing headset)

And how interesting it is that we are neither in a recording studio, nor on a concert stage, but on a movie set. A concert takes an evening, a recording, a few weeks or maybe months (for most artists), but movies are long projects. They take time, and require a vast number of people to work at a vast number of specialized tasks, some seen, some only felt. But everyone focuses on a common goal, everyone serves a vision.

 

While with the Transfer, I did a lot of TV, but I've only been on one film set as a performer (rather than a visitor), and only for a day. Cornelia Moore, director of Camilla Dickinson (a screen adaptation of Madeleine L'Engle's novel, Camilla), called me to be a nightclub singer in a scene, and so off I flew to Spokane, WA, for a day of location shooting. As soon as I arrived on set, I felt that "thing", that magic, in cast and crew. Shared purpose, connection, speaking a common language - it was in the air. And at the end of that one day, when I heard "that's a wrap for Laurel Massé", I was knocked over by a wave of sadness. Time to go? Already? Oh. I wanted to stay, to be part of the story, because of that "thing".

I am a sucker for that thing. It is what I loved about doing King Lear with Project Rushmore Theatre Company. It's what I love about Ashokan, and why I would often rather see a band in rehearsal than in performance. It's the shared purpose, the collaboration; it's a participation in the Beloved Community, and it's the story we tell. 

Here's an image that gives the sense of what I am talking about. It's The Quilting Bee, by Grandma Moses. In this painting, every stitch is a story. Elvis has not yet arrived...

 

And here is a link to an article about Cornelia, in which she talks about her film, her writing, and her godmother.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Comments

[Kevin Ainsworth]

Hi Laurel

What an interesting dream you had. As I live only a 20 minute walk from Harrods and their Food Hall I can say that the caterers of your dream film laid on a banquet fit for a King (of rock and roll)! I am intrigued, though, as to what work you were doing on this film. Were you serving Elvis the best tea he never had?

I always thought that Elvis was a much better actor than he was allowed to be and could have done roles rivalling James Dean or Marlon Brando. But that is not where those running his life thought his market was. It's a shame but all his films are enjoyable nonetheless.

I was in hospital recovering from a major operation (performed on my birthday a few days previously - apparently the surgeon's tools were gift wrapped) when Elvis died. The doctors had asked me to speak to a girl who would be undergoing a similar operation and I remember her first words when she came to see me - "Elvis has died!"

Funnily enough there was an item in the newspapers about Ed Miliband the Right Honourable Leader of Her Majesty's Opposition in Parliament. In an opinion poll yesterday it was revealed that "twice as many Brits think Elvis Presley is still alive than reckon that Ed Miliband has strong leadership qualities." Which raises the further question of who thinks of these poll questions???

I am not into conspiracy theories but 'Elvis is alive' is the one I find plausible. Having been world famous from such a young age, and being locked into that ridiculous contract with Colonel Parker and Vegas, the only way for him to escape a hopeless situation and lead a normal life was to die, or appear to die. If he had faked his death then he would today be as you saw him in your dream.

It is interesting that there was a Cathedral set. Elvis had the voice of an Angel and, at the back of my mind, whenever I listen to the passion and belief he put into his religious songs I find it hard to accept that God would have abandoned him to the life he was drawn into. Maybe God took him in 1977 to save him from more pain or maybe He has enabled him to live peacefully in obscurity since then? Or maybe the theory is just wishful thinking from a lot of people?

Oh the plane. As you know Elvis never toured in England and many English fans live with the story that he flew back to America via England while he was in the army. And there is another story that he secretly visited London in 1958 and was given a guided tour, including the Houses of Parliament, by friends . So he could move secretly and avoid being noticed when he put his mind to it....

Lisa Marie Presley is now happily living with her husband in England and has even worked part time in a fish and chip shop. Maybe the song "There's a guy works down the chip shop swears he's Elvis" is true after all and she is simply following in her Father's footsteps? I shall have to ask Elvis next time I am in the chip shop...

Here is the link: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2230288/How-English-village-rescued-Elviss-girl-Lisa-Marie-Presley-explains-love-simple-life.html

Having been on a film set a couple of times and also been involved in theatre I can appreciate what you say about that "thing", that "magic", that "shared sense of purpose", that "vision", and, more than that, the creativity.

When you lie in bed tonight listening to the night train in the distance, imagine that it is the Last Train to Memphis. Imagine, also, that it will return full of fan mail and on each envelope, written in Elvis's handwriting, are the words "Return to Sender"...

And if that made you laugh then you can say "I'm all shook up!" :-)

Warmest regards,

Kevin Ainsworth.

PS I like the painting. Elvis may not yet have arrived but is that his Hound Dog waiting for him in the bottom right hand corner...?

[Kevin Ainsworth]

Your dream continues to inspire my imagination. I can imagine a film Runner bursting into the catering tent, running up to Bernard Hill and breathlessly exclaiming "Elvis calls for tea!"

There is a dramatic pause as all eyes are on a visibly thinking Bernard. After a few seconds, he puts on his best Lord Of The Rings voice to majestically proclaim "And Laurel will answer. Muster the teapot!!!"

With apologies to Douglas Adams, I can also imagine that this is the fourth film in the Lord Of The Rings trilogy(!) - "Return Of The King Of Rockandroll"

I hope that I have not overdone it with the levity because I realise this must have been a special dream for you to have shared it with us. But it did inspire me.

Imaginative regards,

Kevin Ainsworth.

[Laurel Massé]

Ah, Kevin!
Levity is the necessary and life-saving counter-balance to gravity. As Lewis or Chesterton (I can't find where I wrote it down) wrote, some things are much too serious not to be taken lightly.

And I love it when Bernard gets bossy.

Blessings, L