Shuffle the pack

Week 21 - 272 days to opening night

I'm moving in 3 days, so I've done pretty much nuffin' this week. Nuffin' y'hear except scrub and box and stuff and pack and clean (**fades off into distance**)....

(**sound off footsteps coming back**) Having said that I've done a tiny bit on updating sets (above) but not much. Anyway back to the packing and cleaning and boxing (**fades off into distance**)....

Neil 

Mwah-ha-ha-ha haaaaaaa!

Week 21 - 282 days to opening night

No, no, I have been working on M&M, I promise. I swear. You don't believe me do you. Aw, come on ba-by, don't be like that. I've not been looking at other blogs, I promise.....we'll maybe one, but I was thinking about you the whole time, I promise.

It's all been papery stuff this week - getting timings for the overture so that it all syncs together, starting to create some of the graphics for the animation (the evil moustached baddie above, for one) working out using suitcases to build cars, looking through youtube for some inspiration, building some elements for the dockside scene, and then researching white star liners graphics (them of Titanic fame), but nothing really interesting to report.

Oh nearly forgot - and we've updated facebook, and created a new fan page because it allows a bit more control over the information and how it's seen. So there's plenty of previous production shots, and forthcoming stuff on there now:

Click here for the Highcliffe Charity Players Facebook Page (Do, do, do join, I beseech you)

John Gayler returns to these shores this week after an 8 year absence - I'll give him a couple of weeks to settle back in before I pounce on him (not literally that would only end up with a court order ) and show him the full horror of what I have planned for the set.....mwah-ha-ha-haaaaa indeed...

Neil 

Return of the intertitles

Week 19 - 291 days to opening night

Intertitles. And, yes, they're supposed to be slightly blurred.

Neil 

Moving story

Week 22 - 293 days to opening night

I'm moving. So I'm packing. And dumping. And sorting. And tipping. Plus we've been sorting stuff for the Xmas show, so it's been a bit of a light week on the ol' Mack & Mabel front. But I have been building set models, and overture models, and a couple of other bits'n'bobs, so it's not been a complete washout.

And talking of 'building' (Oh Neil, nii-ice segueway into the next topic) we seem to be building a bit of interest now inside and outside the group which is good, the more people want to be part of it the better the production - plus there are only 3 or 4 big productions going on in the area next year - particularly as it seems that Theatre2000 have pulled out from doing 'Beauty and the Beast' (and I don't blame them - you'd need some serious money to put that show on).

Had a bit of a brainwave about the ending of the show this week - it ends on a real low, which can work in a lot of cases, but the script in this case is very clunky at the end, so it needs a bit of work to make the whole thing flow to a natural conclusion - and I think I've sorted it - but it does mean a lot of work for me to do first. Plus we're not just leaving it on that low as we'll have a reprise of the overture which will include some vigorous dance and the curtain calls built in.

Anyway, gotta get back to putting my life into cardboard boxes.

Neil

Just who do you think you are?

Week 22 - 297 days to opening night

How the 'ell have we got less than 300 days to go, huh? I said huh? Was out last night with a few HCPers for Louise King's 40th, and as a couple of the pictures feature those involved in producing the next 3 HCP shows (Xmas Revue, Panto and M&M) I thought it might be nice to stick a few faces to names. That's us. Slightly drunk.

Obviously the drink flowed and we talked around all the productions, but one titbit that came up last night was about the music for M&M, which if confirmed will be brilliant news. Am emotionally erect at the thought. Will keep you posted obviously. Loo kept asking (seriously about 30 times, Loo, how many times do I need to tell you) if when auditioning for a main part do you have to sing a song from the show, or can it be anything? And the simple answer is: anything (but it's probably best to keep it in keeping with the show - something by Iron Maiden isn't going to get you too far). It is nice though to see people getting excited about a show we won't be auditioning for for another 6 months...

Plus Ro Copson, the lovely Ro, has been given me plenty food for thought (thanks Ro! keep it comin' - am looking at options as we speak).

Neil