A word on understudying from cast member David Gillard (MBE)

Week 7 of rehearsal - understudying

I'm going to be honest, David is one of my all-time favourite cast members. Not because he's an excellent actor, not because he's amazing person (seriously his life is am-azing), not because as an MBE he has the Queen on speed dial, but because he's willing to take main parts, and when the casting isn't sympathetic to him he's more than willing to step back and take the lesser parts to help the production. I've done it many times myself, and we have several excellent cast members in the chorus who've had leads in very big productions who are helping me in the 'smaller' parts - I'm very proud of the chorus because these are the people that make a show and if they do it well they can turn a good show into an amazing show. Anyways, here's David Gillard MBE giving you a glimpse into understudying and his life....

I’ve just spent the last two rehearsals happily ‘reading in’ for absent colleagues – great fun and the nearest I’ll get to playing Mack and Kessel. And it set me thinking about those largely unsung heroes and heroines of the stage, the understudy. They learn a role but often never get to play it. And if they do it’s rarely on the Press night, so they never get the reviews. But a great training ground, none the less. When I was starting out in am-dram (at the South London Theatre Centre back in those ‘swinging sixties’) a friend knew a young professional actor named Fred who was an understudy and ‘spear carrier’ in Olivier’s fledgling National Theatre company at the Old Vic. Fred very generously came to see us strutting our stuff at SLTC a couple of times. In the bar afterwards he told us how amazing it was working with stars like Sir John Gielgud and Michael Redgrave, young lions like Tom Courtenay, Derek Jacobi, Michael Gambon, Robert Stephens, Frank Finlay, Maggie Smith and Billie Whitelaw (not to mention the great Sir Larry himself – apparently just ‘Sir’ to the company). And he hoped that one day he’d get a decent part. I saw Fred twice at the Vic. He was (very briefly) a hotel guest dashing on to a balcony in the hilarious Feydeau farce ‘A Flea in her Ear’. And, yes, that was Fred marching slowly up and down in the gloom at the back as a soldier on sentry duty while Olivier mesmerised us front-stage in Strindberg’s powerful ‘A Dance of Death’. A couple of years later (when I’d been forced to give up am-dram to attend first nights of my own as the theatre critic of the old Daily Sketch) I heard that Fred had left the National. He’d been offered a part in a new TV soap called ‘Emmerdale Farm’ (now, of course, just ‘Emmerdale’). It meant spending rather a lot of time in Yorkshire but it was regular work and the money was good. So Fred created the role of Matt Skilbeck, stayed in ‘Emmerdale Farm’ for 17 years and went on to become the head of Equity. But – panto players, please note - he reckoned some of his happiest theatrical experiences came later when he realised a lifelong ambition to play Dame. His name is Frederick Pyne.

David Gillard

A word from the Choreographer

Week 7 of rehearsal - dancin' time

Another cast/crew blog! This time from choreographer-extraordinaire Georgina:

Soooooo , actually really really enjoyed rehearsals Tues night... first one to be honest... things we've done so far seemed to fall in to place a bit more.

Ian was great and has been very patient with me changing my mind all the time over the tap number and that actually looked so much better tonight (everything was better for people not tap tap tapping when they arent actually supposed ot be :0).. glad its all set and with 15 weeks to go im sure those taps will be crystal clear!!!

Mabel comes in the room... was really pleased with that too.. still needs loads of work but i think thats one of my favourites!.... big time is set.... we've started the finale so we are doing well ..... still have a lot to do mind what with the keystone cops and hundreds of girls but im planning now so all will be fine.

Cast seem really upbeat and always helps when we have chocolate cake like we did on Tues for shelleys birthday.......... theres loads of birthdays during this production so i hope that means loads of cake!!!!

Anyway.... keep up the good work everyone ttfn xx

Georgina

Poets Corner

Week 7 of rehearsal - poetry time

Week 7. Cast member Polly's poem. It's like a regular feature. Hurrah for Polly.

This poem is a tribute to the phases that our dedicated team used at least twice on Thursday.

On Thursday we tapped our troubles away and the men learned some moves that would turn Gene Kelly Grey!
George worked in the main room with the guys. "Start on the Left" she gaily cries -
"Forget about Loz..She's not really there!" "I know what I want - Just not how you get where!"
In the other room the acting is immense! Neil clears confusion with "Does that make sense?"
Meanwhile, down the stairs there's Jane saying rather desperately "This may change!"
If the rest goes pear-shaped on the night - I hope, at least, we get the sodding tap dance right !

Polly Morris

Bournemouth Music Festival

Week 6 of rehearsals

Loo (Mabel) was down at the Bournemouth Music Festival on Sunday doing her PR bit for the show and here's what bloomin' happened, and no mistake, guvnor:  

I've never been to bournemouth football club before and was staggered by the state of the car park!! Pot holes, holes and more pot holes. We were attending the first Ever Bournemouth Music festival I met with Val, Tracy and George and we made our way inside (to the unknown). We were greeted by the organiser who took us upstairs to where all the perfomers were and our eyes met 20 Belly Dancers doing there thing to an audience of around 60 people. We were up next, I was so nervous my mouth went dry, it was just a bit weird! I handed my cd to the sound man and he put a microphone in the middle of the room. Then George introduced us and told them a bit about the Charity Players and then explained about the show. My first song was Wherever He Ain't ( i did cock up the words a bit, but i don't think they noticed) and that seemed to go down well, then i finished with Time Heals Everything. There were lots of kids there so they all cheered loudly which was really nice because i was pooping myself!! The guyz gave out flyers and people did seem very keen to come and see the show !!! So all in all it was well worth it xxx

Louise King

Week Six Summary

Week 6 of rehearsals

Monday - Publicity meeting
Publicity meeting round Vals. Simon A, Rachael B, Val, David G and myself present. Basically it was an evening of sorting out where to publicise, what to publicise, how to publicise, and who to publicise to - especially as all the marketing materials are hitting in the next two weeks. We've discussed the obvious routes, the unobvious routes, the use of new and old media - a few exciting possibilities. The discussion of internal ticket sales and how to approach that, a discussion on cast involvement, pr stunts etc etc etc. Lots'n'lots'n'lots of things - most of which I'm not really going to discuss in an open forum like this - gotta keep some of the good stuff close to our chests. A bit like poker, but instead of cards we have....er ideas. All in all it was a lovely jovial fun meeting - and the best part is that I didn't come out of it with and enormous 'to do' list to add to my already enormous 'to do' list. Hurrah for Team Publicity. Tickets are selling well, which is really odd (but good) as we haven't really publicised the show yet...

Tuesday - Rehearsal
Ah, Tuesdays rehearsal. More back stage shenanigans. But I think we're sorted. Turned up early to discuss the filling of parts vacated by Tracey and Simon Leaton. Kessel is proving to be a bit more of a problem - we've approached 6 or 7 people so far and most of them are in other shows or away at the time - but we're still looking. Lottie was a bit less of a problem as we just slotted Lorraine Rowan into the part...which was a pretty obvious move - so at least one issue solved. The actual rehearsal revolved around Ian teaching more chorus numbers, George choreographing a new number, and myself and John Gayler having a set build meeting outside (which was a mistake because it was f..f..ff.ffffreezing.) Then I sat with Loo in the drafty corridor - yes the corridor, my life is that glamorous - where we discussed and went over some of her lines and speeches.

Wednesday - Technical/artwork
An evening of sorting artwork, and designing animations/backdrops for the actual production, and officially my first 2:30am finish for this production. There will, unfortunately, be many, many of these to come.

Thursday - Rehearsal
I wasn't sure I was going to make rehearsal on Thurs as I was feeling really ill in the morning, but after a cup of tea mid morning I was my usual charming and lovely self (insert joke here). The rehearsals split on Thurs as we have several rooms to use - George went over the tap adding a new sequence, and then went on to 'When Mabel comes in the room' and all went really well from what I hear. I took Loo (and David G reading in for Frank who was away) and we went through her 'emotional' bits. Things went well - so much so that Loo was actually crying during her bits - she was fab - and I'm sure the rest of the cast thought I'd been shouting at her after because her eyes were red (Which is great. Fear is good). Then Stephen and Simon did their bits which were great considering it was first time acting it through. We still have a long way to go - and I'm praying that they are learning their lines quickly - but the signs are good. I had a 'discussion' last year with someone whilst I was doing Hamlet (**Warning. Rare appearance of my ego approaching** I was the lead, oh yes. Oh yes I was. Me. Lead role. Hamlet. Kneel before me), and the discussion revolved around the fact that most people who do am dram musicals can sing/dance but can't act - and I had to agree with him up to a point, but I'm determined to prove them wrong with this production.

Friday - Technical/artwork
More artwork - and designing animations/backdrop, plus the programme. But it's coming along well. Just wish I had a spare second for myself.

Saturday
I was working, but Pete, John G and Georgina have been across at Sopley with Arena helping with a general clearout and helping with their set build. More artwork for me when I got home from work.

Sunday
Some members of the cast are singing songs from Mack and Mabel today and handing out leaflets at a festival. I'm hoping Loo will send a posting about it in the next few days.

Watch this space.

Neil

Egg Timer Etiquette

Week 6 of rehearsals

And they keep on coming - yesterday it was Louise, today it's Stephen - nice to have cast members chipping in now. Hurrah for Team Mack'M'Mabel. So, over to Mr Stephen Hutt for his second blog:

Thursday saw another rehearsal at rainbow school which Is always an excitement, little chairs and 'I can learn my abc's' flash cards are just some of the many thrills. The temptation just to regress a few years and go crazy with the toys is great, I won't lie, but Mr Neil keeps us on the straight and narrow, more or less.

One if the best things at rainbow is the egg timer, it times five minutes in an interesting and different manner, or at least it would do if people left it be. There we go it had to be said,

Rehearsal brought more tap. We tapped stamped and clapped are troubles away with a few spins just for giggles. It's gonna be a good number to watch and hopefully it wont be bad to listen to either!

Blocking being officially over the real acting is starting and it turns out Mr Neil has made it his mission to make the acting in this production fantastic (I did offer to drop out when he said this) and as such there are now pages of my script that are covered with text and scribbles, where to stand what to say and how to say it. How I will remember it when it comes to books down heaven only knows!

Stephen Hutt

Leading Lady Blog II - The sequel

Week 6 of rehearsals

Another blog from the leading lady - probably because I said her last one was more of a 'text' than a blog, but this...this is more like it Loo. 

OMG, what a hard but brilliant rehearsal. Whilst the others danced next door Neil was picking apart every word that came out of my mouth ( well, the ones inthe script ) . I want to do this right and i have to concentrate (which, as you all know doesn'thappen that often) and when we got to the last scene of the show i couln't stop the tears.I know that sounds a bit dramatic, but it is very emotional. So the outbreak of giggling between myself and simon did bring a little light relief. Anyway Nellie, i shall work on the bits we went through and will hopefully be better next week.. xxx

Louise King

View from the top....

Week 6 of rehearsals

Leading lady blog. Leading lady blog. Leading lady blog.

Well, what a few weeks it's been. I have been excited every day since I got the part of Mabel. I'm enjoying rehearsals so much. I just hope I can do the part justice!!! x

Louise King

He moves in mysterious ways...

Week eightysomething - Week 6 of rehearsals BC

In the beginning was the word, and the word was 'spreadsheet'. Behold! (**SFX of angels singing** ahhh ahhhh aaaahhhhhhh). And it came to pass, verily, that the sheep dist kneel, and the ox lay down in mightyith awe of Stephen Hutt's costumes excel spreadsheet. The Hutt said 'Let there be excel', and it was good. And in the 7th column he rested. 

Hereth endeth the lessonth. 

Neil

PS. If you look really carefully you can see everyones bra size. And some of the womens too. **Ba boom tish**. No you stop. No you.

It's Poem Time! from Polly Morris

Week 6 of rehearsal - not long to opening night

Week 6 must mean it's time for another poem from cast member Polly surely? Oh alright. But only because you've been good, mind.  Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Polly Morris:

The last time we all practiced singing

was practically decades ago

When Ian asked Lou King

"Are you ready to sing"

Her "No Yes" was really "Yes No"!

The Basses made up for(in courage),

Whatever (in numbers) they lacked.

There were some of the cast

who-If Niel asked-

Went into the back room to act!

The rest of us all practiced dancing.

Our Tapping is coming along.

But we were filled with dread

When Jane calmly said

We'll be Tapping whilst singing a song!!!  ARRGH!

Polly Morris

Stand and deliver

Week eightysomething - Week 6 of rehearsals

The stand. Nuff said.

Neil

Sponsorship Deal

Week eightysomething - Week 6 of rehearsals

It's been coming for while, but at last we can confirm that Pettengells and Tony Hair have agreed to sponsor the show - which is brilliant news, not only because of the financial side but because of the long association both these businesses have had with HCP.

Neil

'Setting' the scene

Week **cough**- It's a sunday

Had a quick trip to Sopley today with John G and Pete as we were just looking over the materials for set building... and it was all very ..ahem..constructive (liddle 'set build' gag for you there) - plus John was showing off his biplanes that he's built for the show, and Pete had great delight playing with them. Kids...can't take 'em anywhere.

That is all. Message out.

**static**

Neil

Time heals everything, but it's going too quickly....

Week seventysomething or possible eighty...I'm losing track to be honest - Week 5 of rehearsals

Week 1. **Blink** Week 5. How the hell are we at week 5 already? Who's messing with the space/time continuum? 

Weeeeeellllllllllll, it's been quite the week, lemmetellyou. Crappy and good, with a liddle bit of crap on the side, but with a garnish of good to come. All washed down with a nice glass of who-the-what-now.

Monday was committee meeting - which I'm invited to only for the duration of rehearsals. Many, many things were discussed about the show - suffice to say everything's on track (**whoooo-whoooo**...that's a train whistle sound fx right there y'all)

Tuesdays rehearsal was the news that Tracey (Lottie) was going to have to drop out, which is a real shame. She had some problems with her knees and back last year and it flaired up a couple of weeks ago, resulting in some rather painful injections - but it has led her doctor to advise, and quite rightly, that doing a big tap number's probably not the most intelligent of ideas. She's a bit gutted about the whole thing, and it does leave a huge gapping hole to fill, but the good news is that Trace will still be involved and sing in the Pit during the run of the show. The rest of the evening was a mish mash as Ian Carter couldn't make it at the last minute so we had to go over some blocking that was missed and then go over the dances. Plus Jen went round getting measurements, head size, arm, inside leg, neck, inside leg, shoe size, inside leg, waist, inside leg....obviously I'm joking (**whispers** no, not really). Plus we saw Stephen Hutt's Excel Costume spreadsheet in action - seriously, poems will be composed about it down the centuries, mighty epics written about its mighty-epic-ness. I'm assured that a screen grab of it is on the way - if indeed you can capture the magic of its awesomeness in a mere screengrab...

Wednesday. Ah wednesday evening. That saw **sound of angels singing** a costume/set build/finances/animations meeting in the pub...yes the pub...with Jenny, John G, Sue and Jon H. Costumes are comin' on well, Jen's on top of things, has had quotes in and is travelling up to Sheffield next week to look at a few bits and bobs - mainly keystone cops and evening wear. She doesn't have to do it, but wants to - which shows the kinda commitment going on behind the scenes. Love her. John G seems to think he can build the set in his sleep, which is brilliant (but not advisable) and doesn't forsee any real problems - apart from a few niggly access issues which are being sorted. Then came finances with Sue, which was depressing, not because of Sue y'understand but because basically we need to sell out, and there aint much wiggle room. We did it for Happy As A Sandbag which was a pretty unknown show, and were oh-so-close with Smokey Joes Cafe so I'm confident we'll do it provided everyone pulls their weight. And then came Jon 'Genius' Hall and the overture animation and bits and bobs - and he didn't seem worried about any of the...yeah, i'm going to say...quite frankly appalling storyboard I'd done for him. But I'll work on it for him, and we're going to do a couple of tests...and if you haven't seen it please, please check 4 seconds of pure poetry....

see Jon H's Keystone test here

Thursday and we're back to rehearsals. And for me this was the start of the proper rehearsals - and a lovely atmosphere. Ian C was teaching a couple of numbers which involved some gentle joshing, but people were knuckling down at the same time. Then we split into two rooms - me with the actors, and George with the dancers. Dancing is really comin' on - s'gunna be gooooooooddd. And the acting side was great considering it was the first time.... I'm really, really encouraged with how this is going now. Did a couple of small scenes just to get them used to how I work/direct, and I think, by jove, it's all going to kick into gear nicely.

Today, a few of my cast who are in the Funky Little Choir were on the radio singing, and they sound fab. (**wipes tear from eye**) They grow up soooo fast....

Neil

Week 4 of rehearsals

Week seventysomething - Week 4 of rehearsals

Why, Monsieur Ambassador, with all these posts in one day, you're really spoiling us. (**that was supposed to be in a french/european accent by the way**)

Ah, week 4 of rehearsals. Monday saw me sorting the props list and then the budget and then.....zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz......ssa wha, huh? Sorry, nodded off there due to my own boredom.

Tuesday saw us do some more blocking...but only for an hour, because it's a bit boring...so we moved on to tap and Big Time and did some more choreography. (Above piccies)

Wednesday saw me round Ian Carters where we went through the score. I've said before somewhere in a previous post and at auditions that I was worried that the score would be in a piss-poor state......and it is. Basically the script and musical score don't tie up. Cue lines in the musical score don't tie up with the script - one example cue line being "with banana toast" which doesn't appear anywhere - the whole thing is riddled with inconsistencies, different words, scoring in the wrong place etc etc, but it did mean that Ian and myself made quite few decisions to get round the problems. Plus Ian recorded all the score so we can use it during rehearsals - and I was really impressed at how good a player he is - I know I should be as he's the MD, but from someone who can't do two things at once with his hands (insert joke here) it was pleasure to watch and hear.

Thursday night is a bit of a blur - a really bad day just meant that whilst I was there in the evening physically, I just wasn't there mentally. Still, we finished blocking, and went over the dances as Georgina wasn't there (she was doing Drowsey Chaperone with Pete, Val, Coral and Stephen. Saw it Saturday and it was fab). Then I recorded Jane tapping 'Tap you're troubles away' on the camcorder, which we will give out to cast members to use at home.

Friday was editing the sequence into usable formats - anyone want it for their ipod?

Yesterday was the programme - gotta start now or I'm f**ked later on. So full week. Oh, and hello Ro in Scotland by the way. Nice to hear from you.

More posting of crap later on this week. Over and out.

Neil

(**psst** ...By the way, there are rumours of a couple of cast blogs heading in this direction...)

A lesson in tap

Week seventysomething - Week 4 of rehearsals

Enjoy some stills from Jane 'Ex-Bluebelle' White showing you how tap should be done. It's almost like you can hear the rhythmic tapping of the shoes.....

Neil

In the Mind Set

Week sixty something - Week 4 of rehearsals

Costumes list sorted for Jen? Tick. Set construction schematics sorted for John G? Tick. (see above). Overture storyboards done. Almost.

I'm. On. Fire.

(Not literally, you understand. I'm not postin' from the local Hospital Burns Unit)

Neil

Rehearsals - Week 3

Week 3 of rehearsal - 120 days to opening night

Week 3 of rehearsals, and we started off with the HCP AGM which saw the old committee continue on as the new committee unopposed - hurrah for them - and then the rest of the evening was devoted to Georgina teaching/finishing off Big Time and starting the......dun dun duuurrrrnnnn....that was dramatic music in case you hadn't guessed....starting the tap routine (**cue psycho music**). And it was looking/sounding pretty good from my non-dancy/tappy standpoint.

Thursday saw a bit more of the old hoffing, and then another 10 pages blocked - but unfortunately 12 people were missing, a third of the cast, so it means having to redo it again at another time....my hearts already sinking at the amount of time we're going to have to over stuff again.

But on the plus side people are still smiling etc, despite some niggly behind the scenes schenaigans which will be sorted one way or another in the next couple of weeks. And the banner at the Regent Centre is up on the back of the building (see above) over looking the town car park which means it'll get plenty of coverage.

I'm spending the next 4 days on M&M - today was costume for Jen and I'm almost done, tomorrow into Sunday is Set Building schematics for John G, and Sunday/Monday is story boarding the overture etc for Jon Hall (animation genius (**whispers** he hates me saying that but it's true))...

So plenty to do. Do be do be dooo (that's my Frank Sinatra impression right there). Have a nice Easter.

Neil

Rehearsing-sing-sing

Week 3 of rehearsal - 120 days to opening night

Ah, my favourite Stephen in the cast, Stephen Hutt, is up for a bit 'o blogging this week. He is a rising star, watch this space. I'll shut up and let him take the floor:

And so it begins. A few rehearsals in and already it's just fun wrapped up in laughter. Blocking begins and we all stand there, pencils poised waitnig for that all important piece of direction to frantically write in the margin of our scripts, only to have to rubb it out again because we have written it in the wrong place. What. a. pickle.

I myself start to feel queesy when I look at the things to come, specifically the tap more than anything else. Definately need to learn my left from my right for that one, at the brief run through last night of said routine it was said that I should end up on the left foot, I was merrily standing on my right foot thinking it was my left overjoyed that I had got it right for once, no such luck. Stabbed in the back by my own incompetence, what can you do?

Blocking continues on Thursday, for how much longer I do not know, Mr Neil has his plans and we must follow. Onwards and upwards as they say.

Pip pip

Stephen Hutt