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Mack & Mabel Reviews

2 reviews of the show:

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Two Reeler Tale is a Five Star Stunner

It is no exaggeration to declare Neil Mathieson’s production a certified five-star stunner.

This deftly directed production led its audience through the whirlwind world of showbiz from the 1900s to the roaring ’20s with plenty of panache.

Beautifully interjected animations and projections took this production to a whole new level and, combined with a larger than life cast with brilliant timing (hats off to choreographer Georgina Smith) and bags of energy, could not fail to impress.

Frank Ewins cut a rakish Mack Sennett, the two-reel comic film producer who discovers the delightfully engaging Mabel Normand, played by Louise King.

Strong performers both with singing talent worthy of the professional stage; Louise King soared through several numbers that would have turned Judy Garland green.

Lorraine Rowan was also a joy to watch as the sassy, no-nonsense Lottie.

The cast were donned in costumes worthy of a wardrobe mistress who has missed many a night’s sleep with her frantic needle, and the live band led its performers with pace.

An all-round riotous romp of an evening.

The Daily Echo
Bournemouth

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Scene One Review

‘SEE that fascinating creature with perfection stamped on every feature…’ – well, okay, maybe ‘creature’ isn’t quite right but I can’t think of a better phrase to describe this mega watt brilliant production.

Where shall I start? Well, maybe with the 1930s cars that on opening night brought Mack, Mabel and the Keystone Kops to the front of the Regent Centre before the show started – a lovely touch that really set the scene. And then there was the joy of walking into the auditorium to be faced with a grainy film imploring us to remove our hats, another inspired idea. In fact, much use is made of film during this production, and it is all absolutely superb, as are the excellent set and super costumes, so Oscars all round to those responsible.

Jerry Herman’s Mack and Mabel is based on the real-life story of silent-movie director Mack Sennett and actress Mabel Normand. To make it work it needs a real chemistry between its two leading performers, which this production most certainly has in Frank Ewins and Louise King, and I believed implicitly in them both. Frank acts wonderfully and is every inch the hard director who puts his career before his personal life, and I could have listened all night to him singing I Won’t Send Roses. Louise is an absolute star, and should be as much the toast of the town as her character. She lights up the stage the moment she appears, also acts wonderfully and sings like an angel – Time Heals Everything brought tears to my eyes with the depth of emotion she gave to it.

There are good characterisations too in supporting roles, not least from Stephen Hutt as Frank and Lorraine Rowan as Lottie, while chorus work is also excellent

My final Oscars must go to Georgina Smith for her excellent choreography; to musical director Ian Carter; to the band, who made a great sound apart from a few rogue notes from somewhere in the brass section, and most of all to the incredibly talented Neil Mathieson, who once again has directed - in fine style - a show that proves Highcliffe Charity Players tick all the right boxes when it comes to putting on a quality production.

Linda Kirkman
Scene One

Mack and Mabel Act 2 film: Woman of Scandal

The film within a film within a musical etc etc etc

A few images

Au Revoir

It's next week week start

Hello cyberworld!

This is probably my last blog. Ever. I might be able to get some stuff up during the run of the show maybe next Thursday/Friday but I literally don't have a spare moment after this.

I'm waiting for proofs to arrive of the programme this afternoon and it reminded me that I haven't blogged for a while. Well this is a blog of goodbye.

The cast know what they have to do and if they do it'll be brilliant, the production crew are working to get everything done, and I can't ask much more than that.

Tickets are shifting well - looks like a possible sell out for Weds, Fri and Sat at the moment with Thursday selling fast, but still plenty of spaces for the Sat Matinee (**whisper** buy tickets). But we might just get that 'Full House' sign out - you never know.

I'm exhausted, and have every minute of every day for the next week is blocked out (as in 'planned out', not desperately-trying-to-forget) but it's the home stretch. The light at the end of the tunnel.

So I'll see you on the other side.

Signing off. Goodbye blog. It's been emotional.

Neil

A few words from the lead

Well, it's nearly time for our show to take the stage. We have all worked so hard. It has been fab and sad, good and bad!! (not a patch on Polly's i know) I have worked harder on this show than any i have done in the past. I have enjoyed working with everyone, they are such a nice bunch of people. I have tried to take in each piece of advice from the acting with Neil and singing from Tracey. I hope i can pull it off and thank you to all for a fantastic experience.


Just one other thing, I would like to thank George for our Mack and Mabel ditty. Think it now is my favourite bit of the show xxx

Much Love 

Loo 

xxxx

Not long now

1 and half weeks to go....


More stuff. No time to talk. 


Neil

A bit of genius from Jon and Ben

3 weeks to go

A blog from animation genius's Ben and Jon. Kneel before them.

You may recall a post by Neil earlier this month where he revealed a rather marvellous storyboard for the Overture sequence. Since then the animation work has got moving again – five characters have so far been rigged (given skeletons) and finished for the movie, leaving only a mini Ian Carter and his merry band still to make. Hopefully everything will run smoothly now and thanks to all the hard work Neil has put into the pre-production we should have three and a half minutes animated in no time. There’s one catch – to see it you’ll have to buy a ticket before they run out!

Ben & Jon

Movies WERE movies

3 weeks to go

Rachael has sent me the edit of the Act 2 opening movie and it is sweeeee-eeeeeeet (**said in a singsongy way**). She is a genius.


These are stills from it, but it doesn't give you much of an idea of its awsomeness-ness. It moves and everything! You'll have to buy a ticket so see it in full black-and-whitey-moving-vision.


Click on the image for a larger view, by the way.


Big thumbs up all round!


Neil

Poem Poem Poem

Another day. Another poem.

4 Weeks to go and it's taking shape

We're getting in the groove.

Lou's in fine voice and George is poised

To bob anything that moves.

"Look happy when you dance,"she says," I'm Watching Like a hawk"

"If you can't do the legs, Just do the arms..

If you can't do the arms, Just Walk!"

Neil manages to guide the cast in subtle, gentle ways..

"I will personally kill you if you stand in the wrong place!"

I hate to raise your hopes too high, There's still a way to go.

But on the night, I think it might be quite a cracking show!

Polly

A blog from the lovely Kate

With only a month(ish) to go I thought it was about time I had a go at this blogging malachy.  how hard can it be?

so umm yeah...rehearsals great...singing good...dancing ok...Neil stressed...George lovely...publicity going...tickets selling...Laura Becky...Becky Laura...mosquitos bitting...crates made...finale set...game on!

done :) easy!

k8xx


(Kate Claxton)

What the...?

God, not long now

We had a photo and film shoot over the weekend for M&M, but I'm not going to explain about it. You need to buy a ticket to find out what the dickins' was going on here...

Neil

All good things must come to an end

In just 6 weeks this blog will be no more. Kaput. Gone to the great posting place in the sky. And, like the French Football Teams World Cup hopes, just a distant memory (Oh, you didn't just make a football joke did you, Neil? But..but you don't like football. Why yes I did, Neil.)


On the production front it's all a bit fenzied. Nuff said.


Neil

The Mathieson & Gaylor Sitcom

Week Aaaaarrrrrggghhhhh

Something different this week - a video blog (Below) hopefully - John G is well on the way with building the set, so I dropped in on him last night. Here's a tiny tiny snapshot of 'Life with Gaylor'. Plus there's an in-joke at the end that no-one will get. Sorry about that. Cue sitcom music.



Press play to...er...play

Neil

Putting it together

Stephen Hutt. The Man. The Legend. The young 'Stephen Fry'. I should have put this up last week but I didn't. No, don't give me that look. I'm juggling lots of balls at the mo. And you don't want to see it when my balls drop. Anyhoo, on with the blog...

In the words of Stephen Sondhiem this week we are 'Putting it together'. Ah sunday in the park with George, nothing like quoteing a musical no one has seen. It's gonna be fun fun fun.

Last week is not a week I remember well. Truth be told. My head was full of revision, binary to hexidecimal conversions, ionization enthalpy rates and uv radiation and other causes of ozonedepletion were all at the forefront of my mind. So looking back it's all a tad fuzzy. Both Tuesday and Thursday Mr Neil went over all the things that were yet to be done on the acting front / bits people had missed or just plain wanted to revise. Which was nice.

The real news is that a couple of cast members went books down. *sound of neil having a party in background* a rather lovely development. Another bit of news is that we have found 'the scene' , the scene that will always go wrong, if there is going to be a mess up it will be here. We've already spent a silly amount of time on it, done it again and again. Forewarned is however forearmed. It's not a hugely important scene either or that emotional which is always a good thing. But it's there, looming with the faint smell of disaster.

This week looks to be a goodun' I unfortunately cannot attend Thursdays rehearsal, (it saddens me deeply but there is little I can do) but Tuesday was very productive and most enjoyable.

We got stuff done and we had a laugh doing it.  Amen to that!

Stephen Hutt

Two poems from the lovely Polly

2 poems from Polly this week - I'm not sure if I'd missed one...email overload....but it means you get a 'twofer' this wet Thursday afternoon. Aren't you lucky. Yes. Yes, you are. 

Poem 1

Right..It’s getting serious – Our names are on the signs.
Neil is going to shave our heads if we don’t know our lines.
Mack managed a monologue for a page and a half.
Then Mabel fluffed up her first line – it made us really laugh.
Simon has been busy – “Spellbound” have been on the phone.
He’s needed as their trainer after Tuesday’s backward roll!
John G acts convincingly..just half a page behind.
But we’ve seen the title credits so we know they will be fine.
We came to Walkford so that we could start a run right through.
..and though we all did very well......We’re only on page 2!

Poem 2
Rehearsals in the hall at Walkford just could not be rosier
But not a walk in the park outside in the dark – they’re suffering from exposure!
Ian’s put to the test, but doing his best with all Altos, Tenors, Basses
As he says “Don’t Tap, Try not to Chat or we’ll all be basket cases.
George is working on a mission that will come to fruition
To finish the Finale that we learned at the audition.
Adam’s here (“Hooray!” we cheer) He’ll be Playing Kessel!
But it was a bit tough to sing by himself at his very his first rehearsal!
It’s a privilege to have a part and this chance to do dramatic art.
But HELP! We’re Fretting, We’re all forgetting stuff we did at the start!

Polly

Twitter, Twitter, Twitter.

7 weeks to go

We're on Twitter. 
Thanks to Pete Whitaker - or should that be Pete Twitaker (**ba boom tish** I thang yew) -  we can now tweet, twoot, twaat, twuut...whatever it is to our hearts contents.

Get all the minute-to-minute, luvvy-by-luvvy updates from here:

http://twitter.com/CharityPlayers

You'd be a..ahem...'twit' not to. Oh stop it. No you stop. No, you. 


Neil

Scene it, heard it, done it.

7 weeks (OH MY GOD, 7 WEEKS) to opening night

These photos above, are not from a photo shoot, they aren't publicity - they are in fact to help with costumes so we know who is in what scene, and to help us figure out who has some quick costume changes etc. So if they look a little bored or distracted that's why.....

Enjoy this little snap shot of 'who's in what scene'.

Don't forget to get your tickets on 01202 499199 - or visit the regent website here.

Neil

It's done.

The Overture storyboard and modelling is done. At last.

It now gets passed over to Jon for a touch of his genius. Huzzah.

Neil

Horsin' around

To find out what the hell the above image is all about book your tickets now by calling: 01202 499199 or

Click here to book tickets at the Regent Centre

Neil

Keeping it going

Week-oh-my-god-I-haven't-enough-time

Oh it's all getting a little scary now. I'm doing 2am finishes at the mo, but my piles doesn't seem to be going down. That's piles of work, by the way, not piles. Nothing to do with my bottom area...just to be clear.

Anyhoo, overture storyboards nearly finished (above) and ready for handing over to Jon and his team. The idea is that everyone gets a name check in the overture in a style suiting them ie John Gayler is building the set therefore:

We had a props meeting on Weds evening and that went well. The Two Annes seemed very at ease with everything I've asked from them, so that's all tres encouragement (as they say somewhere that speaks French. Like Dusseldorf).

Last night was a production meeting which went well. I think. My attempt at being helpful and sorting out lighting bars may have turned out to be a bit wrong... but Martyn and Eliot seemed to interpret it. Plus Martyn may have saved us 1000s of pounds by point out something bleedin' obvious that I didn't think about. Custard Pies + Radio mikes don't mix very well. Phew, electrical disaster averted.

Last nights rehearsal was doing the little bits of lib we haven't done with the principals, and George went through the last of the dances - all in preparation for the bolting it together next week. Cast should have their books down, and Sharon Burn is coming to prompt them - so fingers crossed that the cast have learnt their bits or we're a bit screwed....

Lots of publicity going out at the mo. Ticket sales are ok, but we're going to push more over the next few weeks.

So now comes the hard part of rehearsals.....bolting it all together - next week we'll know if the show is going to work or not....eeeeek

Neil

Time for a quick rank

Week at the knees


Ooooh. This blog is top 100 (88 at time of posting) in the Wikio Music blog rankings and 218 in the top culture blogs:

  

Golly gosh. I have no idea how this works or if it means anything, but it is nice to have a good rank now and then. I'm going to pretend it does mean something: hurrah for us. Watch over the coming weeks as it rises or falls...


Shame we only have a few more weeks left on this blog, and it's all over.


Neil

It's the game that's sweeping the nation

It's the game that's sweeping the nation our rehearsals. (For the whole 
background story to this see our 19th May posting) Thanks to Jon Hall we're off and running to today with "Becky or Laura"....OK! Let's play!

Answer next week....

We throw a pie in the heroine's face...

Well what a week it has been. Time churns on, the show gets nearer and I for one am terrified.

Tuesday brought our last session with Ian forms couple of weeks as he is disappearing off into the wild blue yonder. He did however leave us with jobs to be done, mainly to learn the words as well as overcome jerry Herman's lack of affection for breathing. Then Tuesday was wrapped up with a good bit of dance followed by a quick rehearsal for the publicity event on the 29th.

 Thursday was another exciting experience, we arrived early for another rehearsal for Christchurch community celebration on the 29th. The fabled t-shirts had arrived and were admired by all. The rest of the rehearsal was devoted to sorting the custard pie scene, I won't lie to you it's less than glamorous, and the next scene we are all in has got to be very glamorous, some very good make up recovery will be needed on the night I think.

Saturday then brought the Christchurch Community Celebration that we had been rehearsing for, the weather was foul, but we ploughed through and got a good plug for Mack and Mabel,

All together a fun ol' week
Stephen

Back is the new back.

Several weeks to go.

I'm back once again. Like a renegade master. And if you're under 30 that'll mean nothing to you. Or if you don't don't recognise classic hiphop lyrics from the 80s. I does. Cos I is keepin' it reeeel for the streets. Y'hear me boooyz. Fo shizzle me nizzle.

Works kept me away from blogging I'm afraid, and she's a cruel and fickle b*tch of a mistress. But I promise I was thinkin' about you the whole time. Aw, baby don't be like that.

Before I forget do not miss John Gaylers blog posting below - for those who know him this is a miracle and must be praised and worshipped for the fact that it actually exists.

So lots on. My main priority is not to have a break down. Working flat out now to reach that end-of july deadline. But things seem to be chugging along  nicely. I've spent the last few evenings doing 3d work and storyboards to help with the overture and sorting out the pagination of the programme, and doing backgrounds for the show.

 We had a test custard pie fight on Thursday which went well, particularly as there wasn't a huge amount of mess after....but time will tell...

We have a production meeting this week, a props meeting this week and a costume thing this week. Ticket sales are going well but I won't be happy til we have that big red 'full house' sign on the door...

I promise I won't leave the next blog quite so long....

Anyways back to work.

Neil

LULU, the creation of a lassy with a ‘classy chassis and a great backside!’

Only a few weeks to opening night...

No, no your eyes aren't decieving you..John Gayler has, after an enormous amount of bulling by me, written a blog. And it's coherent. And the spelling is correct. This is a day to tell your grandchildren about. I must warn you though this blog contains several four letter words. Like 'weld' and 'apex'.

When Neil told me that I was going to be responsible for set construction the one item that presented the greatest challenge was the ‘observation platform’ / railway carriage that Mack and Mabel play their romantic scene on. It also revolves and doubles as the Roman scene that follows, has to be strong enough to safely carry the two leads, light (I do listen Mr M.) and mobile, and because of its’ size it has to live on stage in the scene dock. No problem.

A metal frame was essential and fortunately I had a supply of mild steel box section and sheet metal. Once cut to size and prepped it was welded up by Joe Dunwoody, a long standing friend and car body bodywork repair expert ( 01425 618055 ), who has happily risen to the challenge. There have been numerous design changes with health and safety in mind but I hope the end result will compliment the high standards of our “stars”.

Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start. Joe ‘spots’ or ‘dobs ‘ in the first weld.

First castors are on with wooden platform, buffer board and lower backboard. Support for steps and handrails in place but not welded.Two empty paint cans, drainpipe and two ceiling plates for light for light fittings and you’ve got buffers , but don’t tell anyone.

Lulu is hoping to hook up with a good looking restaurant car after the show.

Redesign the steps because people get on and OFF the train. Picnics etc weren’t in my script and I only discovered this the day before the final welding was due. I sat in on the train scene rehearsal and watched as Lou, Frank and Lorraine climbed up and down. Size restrictions had meant that I originally designed the steps for climbing up and not descending and certainly not in a ladylike manner. Welding was hastily postponed !

New steel platform. Joe had commented that even with my slender figure the floor could do with reinforcing and I envisaged a nightmare scenario where Frank and Lou disappeared, so replaced wooden floor with steel and bracing.

Top rail from a wooden bed-head (skip) which was also going to make the main railing until I found vertical rails from a cot frame (skip). And then Lou climbed up the steps during the ‘Sopley Sort’ and nearly went base over apex across the rails, necessitating a 4” increase in top rail height and new vertical rails.

Now I’ve just got to add a carriage back with door, roof, wheels , springs and odd trim all finished in “indigo blue with old gold accessories”. My sincere thanks to Joe for his patience and advice.

John Gayler

Hey Mr Producer

Week something

Wow... what a week for Highcliffe Charity Players...... from Custard Pie fights while rehearsing for Mack & Mabel.... to performing in the Annual Christchurch Community Celebration and presenting another Charity Cheque to another great local cause!

The weather couldn't dampen the spirits of the Mack & Mabel cast, singing songs from our forthcoming show and the Christchurch Community Celebration in Saxon Square and Druit Gardens. We were also joined by other Highcliffe Charity Players members singing songs from previous shows.Well done to all involved in the event and thanks to everyone for coming to support us.... particularly Barnaby Smith (son of our Chairman, Georgina) who possibly gave us a snap-shot of the future by demonstrating his Directorial skills and a possible future Mack! (see picture below).

I'm looking forward to cracking on with rehearsals this week and also looking forward to taking a look at Neil's 'lengthy' prop list with the 'two ann's. Plus getting all technical with the Production Team and the Regent Centre guys for our Production Meeting.
Pete

A word from the Georgina Smith - Choreographer Extraordinaire

10 weeks to go

Ok soooo its all busy ... its always busy... we like busy.... really pleased with the numbers so far, tho i keep hounding people to learn words and go thro their dance routines in bed.... by far the best place to go thro them... sends you straight off to sleep!!

Apart from the dancing been busy ordering t shirts which has proved the hardest job so far! why dont people get back to you!!! so after lots of e mails we should finally receive them on thursday!! hooray! all ready for our first publicity event on saturday where we have a little selection of 5 songs.. been a bit cheeky and off loaded some music jobs to stephen ( thanks stevie baby) which has helped me immensly and i have asked people to learn some songs for this week which i know is pushing it but sure they are all more than capable.

I think i've finally cracked the whole laura/becky name issue... thank goodness so embarrassing when I can't get it right... so we'll see this week!!

BIG thanks to those that came and helped sort out our props storage... hateful job but we did have a laugh.... and I was shocked at how much we achieved , just shows how much you can do when you work as a team!

Think thats it from me.... hoping my friend Neil doesnt have a breakdown this week ... i need him to hang on in there til end of july.... he can have it then.

Still masses to do and everyone is working hard.... we are getting there and having fun at the same time.... i think.... i hope!!!!

Georgina

Valerie Gillard - Publicity Guru

10  weeks to go!!!! Book now!

Publicity. Without it there's no point in doing a show - and luckily we have genius publicity guru Valerie Gillard here to say a few words:

They say ‘a good picture is worth a thousand words’ and we certainly hope this will be the case now that Neil’s fab shots of the Mack & Mabel train and car has added weight to our publicity ‘push’. His amazing pics were sent out last week with our Press release to the monthly magazines and there has already been an enthusiastic response. Later they will also go to the local papers to encourage preview listings. Linda Kirkman popped round to deliver the June issue of Scene One on Saturday and, after a cup of tea and a cake in the sunshine on our patio, very kindly agreed to use Neil’s pictures in next month’s Scene One – a before and after story showing the original image alongside Neil’s final wizardry. Publicity – it’s a piece of cake!

We plan to ‘refresh’ the picture publicity with a ‘news’ photo just before we open – perhaps featuring our local ‘Bobby on the beat’ surrounded by HCP’s Keystone Kops. And we can no doubt get some mileage out of the superb vintage cars that Pete has brilliantly secured for the opening night.

The huge drop banner overlooking the Regent Centre’s car park has made a great impact and banners for Highcliffe and Christchurch - including one across Christchurch High Street – are planned. On the poster front, Rachel, Simon, Kate and myself will be trawling shops in the area soon – but it’s great that posters are already springing up all over the place courtesy of the cast.

Following 15,000 leaflets going out with the Regent Centre’s Diary mailing, more flyers will soon be available so that we can deluge houses, shops, offices, schools, clubs, etc. Meanwhile, Stephen is busy researching contacts for us to target.

It’s been fun handing out the M & M business cards – makes one feel quite the executive! And expect to place your drink on a Mack & Mabel beer mat soon.

The Pettengells display boards are still to come (suitable addresses willing) plus, of course, local radio coverage (if our dear modest Director can be bullied into being interviewed).

I still – even at my advanced age and after 30 years as an Arts PR – get a thrill when our publicity material appears in print. So, sad as I am, I really look forward to seeing what coverage we achieve. We’ve already had a great colour centre spread in the Highcliffe’s Residents’ Magazine (a piece on the company and M & M) which has hit 5,000 homes. Now if only this could translate to ticket sales we would need to do a two-week run……..!

Valerie Gillard

Weekly Poets Corner

10 weeks to go

On Thursday, without Ian, we all danced to Georges Phone.
With hand signals, George picked up guiding aircraft at Heathrow.
At one point she yelled “Balls Up” which was a trifle strong.
Jane was working overtime….3 parts in just one song.
The Olympic swimming team should be quite concerned.
They’ll struggle with the hard floor swimming strokes that we have learned.
It won’t be quite the same dancing to Ian’s gentle goading
But when we dance, there will be less chance of Georges Phone Exploding!

Polly

Paw show

One little side note of the photoshoot (see below) was the interruption by a small dog who decided that he was going to get in on the act - much to everyone's amooosment. How we laughed. 


Neil

Publicity Shots

10 weeks to go

We had a photoshoot for some PR shots at the weekend and these are the results.

If you want to see a large version of the train image click here

If you want to see a large version of the car image click here

So we'll send these photos out and see what..ahem...develops (photography joke there for you)

Neil

Who's who?

Week something something with something something to go

This is a new game we're going to play, devised by Jon Hall, called 'Becky or Laura'. Long story short: some people still confuse the two names because they joined the Mack & Mabel cast at the same time - despite the fact they don't look alike. So each week Jon is going to supply an image of either Becky or Laura disguised and you have to guess - there are no prizes because we're tight as a gnats chuff...

So here's what they actually look like.

We begin next week. We could have a 'Laura' laughs with this (...yes, yes I did go for a cheap pun. But I don't care.)

Neil

Mr Gillard Goes To Town

11 weeks to go

A few words from David Gillard (MBE) on the man and the myth that was Frank Capra:

The nice thing about catching up with classics is that the longer you leave them the greater the resonance. For instance, last weekend I saw for the first time the famous 1936 ‘feel-good’ movie ‘Mr Deeds Goes To Town’, in which Gary Cooper plays a hick, small-town poet (he writes homespun verses for greeting cards) who unexpectedly inherits a fortune and is condemned as mad by the Big City luminaries when he naively tries to do good ‘Deeds’ with the money. It’s a silly, sentimental wallow but done with enormous panache and cinematic flair. And the ‘resonances’ for me came because it was directed by Frank Capra, who won an Academy Award for for it. I’ve been rather involved with Capra of late, because he is, of course, one of the major characters in ‘Mack and Mabel’ - and splendidly played in our production by the enormously talented Stephen Hutt.

In ‘Mack and Mabel’ we first meet Capra as a 16-year-old ‘gofer’ on Mack’s Brooklyn set. Later, Sennett thrusts him into the spotlight by telling his potential financial backers, Kessel and Bauman, that Frank is ‘that jewel in the crown of American literary talent’ (he wasn’t, but they don’t know that). It’s implied that Sennett gives Frank his big breaks (which may or may not be true, though he certainly worked as a gag writer for Sennett in the 1920s). And by the end of the show Mack is lamenting his departure: ‘It really hurt when that sonofabitch Frank walked out. Suddenly he became “Frank Capra the big shot.” Quit me to write and direct comedies for Columbia Pictures.’ Big shot he certainly was, making his name with oddball romcoms like the Clark Gable/Claudette Colbert classic ‘It Happened One Night’ (1934) and winning a reputation as a humanitarian with a light touch through such wholesome movies as ‘Mr Deeds’, ‘You Can’t Take it With You’ (1938), ‘Mr. Smith Goes to Washington’ (1939) and, of course, the evergreen if schmaltzy Jimmy Stewart fable about a man prevented from committing suicide by an elderly angel, ‘It’s a Wonderful Life’ (1947) - ‘Every time you hear a bell ring, it means some angel just got his wings.’

So who was Frank Capra? He was born in Sicily in 1897 and came with his parents to America at the age of six. He began his career as a prop man in silent movies and he was to go on to win six Academy Awards (later successes included ‘Lost Horizon’ in 1937 and ‘Arsenic and Old Lace’ in 1944). He was widely perceived as an inspirational patriotic libertarian (he devoted much of the Second World War to making propaganda film). He was undoubtedly an anti-Communist Republican. Yet his reputation has not gone unblemished. As the excellent film critic David Thomson makes clear in his ‘A Biographical Dictionary of Film’, Capra’s biographer painted a warts-and-all portrait. Says Thomson: ‘Then there has been Joseph McBride’s careful and horrified biography. I say “horrified” because McBride was once a leading fan of the director. Yet in the research he did on Capra’s archive he found all kinds of flaws in the man: a hypocrite, a careerist and credit grabber, a rearranger of facts, a liar, a reactionary, a bogus liberal, an anti-Semite, a self-serving fabulist, and an informer. And a big admirer of Mussolini.’ Hmm.

Capra’s career declined in the 1950s and he made his last movie in 1961 - ‘A Pocketful of Miracles’ with Bette Davis and Glenn Ford, an overlong re-make of his own 1933 hit ‘Lady for a Day’. But Capra’s day had passed and it was savaged by the critics - ‘The effect is less one of whimsy than of being bludgeoned to death with a toffee apple’ and ‘The story has enough cracks in it for the syrup to leak through.’ It was his last cinematic gasp, though he lived for another 30 years and made a good living on the lecture tour, recalling those halcyon Hollywood days. He died peacefully in his sleep at his home in California at the age of 94. A wonderful life? You bet.


David Gillard

Polly's Poets Corner

It's May I know that - about 11 weeks to opening

Polly's weekly poem:

On Thursday, girls together, we did breaststroke and front crawl
We shuffled backwards in a line. We threw and caught the ball.
We frolicked. We Cavaulted. We did as Georgina bid.
The boys were in the other room.....We don't know what they did!
Polly

BBLOC The Producers - Crunch Time

Holy Frick

This isn't about Mack & Mabel, or HCP...but it is indirectly. BBLOC are putting on 'The Producers' at the Pavilion in Bournemouth, but tickets aren't as good as they were hoping and if they don't get another 800 tickets by Friday of next week their show will be cancelled - resulting in a big financial loss for them. Please support them if you are a theatre fan, it could so easily happen to any group at the moment - several groups are struggling and it's not a nice thing to hear about.

If you want tickets please get them from the BIC here.

Having said all that if you only see one show this year then see our 'Mack & Mabel'. If you see two, then go support BBLOC.

Neil

Hug a Hoodie

Week 8 of rehearsal 

I'm gonna be honest here - I can't remember what we did last week. So, sue me. Upheavals at work mean that last week is a bit of a distant memory, but I think I can bullet a few points:

•  Adam turned up so we officially have a Kessel
• 20,000 posters are now being distributed, the Pop Up stand is up and being moved to locations and business cards are arriving today. Banners and outdoor displays are being printed
• We did lots of acting, and lots of singing, and dancing
• Lulu (the train) is being built with loving care and attention by John G (he promises me a blog and pictures)

I'm not a big fan of copying other groups ideas  but a good idea is a good idea - we've several members of the Funky Little Choir in the cast and they've had some good quality Hoodies done and they looked great - so we asked them for their supplier and are getting some HCP hoodies and tshirts done.

I'm doing a lot of production stuff at home - free time is now a thing of the past - but I've got all the imagery done for Movies are Movies, and Look what happened to Mabel, Hundreds of Girls is nearly done and I'm using something similar in the programme - but it all takes time....

Things are chugging along nicely basically...but the clock is tickin'

Tick Tick Tick.

See. Did you hear that. 

Neil

Happy 1st Birthday Blog

Year 1
Ahhh, my little baby blog was 1 on Sunday. It only seems like yesterday that it was taking its first tentative steps into the cyberworld.... and now, now it's a fully grown, mature posting. I'm so proud.

Maybe it'll meet another blog and settle down soon. Fingers crossed we'll hear the tapping of tiny keyboards in the near future.

Happy Birthday Blog.

Neil