Join the Circus

Once again I find myself apologising for the lack of posting. This time I feel I have a valid excuse; I have recently been promoted to Acting Publicity Manager for the theatre company after the previous manager stood down. So the last couple of months have been rather, nay - extremely, busy. Writing press releases, arranging publicity events and distributing leaflets among other things. Some may say that writing my blog could be good advertising, however, my readership isn't that wide, and... well, I'm not sure how to finish that sentence other than to say, I've been really busy!
Anyway, rehearsals for Barnum have been going really well, and there is lots for everyone to do. Our director Martin Beaumont has a fantastic way of using the chorus in exciting and entertaining ways. Where other companies could fall down, just wheeling out their chorus for the big numbers, Martin has a wonderful way of using the chorus in the background to bring other scenes to life.
Further to my previous blog, I can confirm that I am featuring in a big way on the acrobatic front, and yes, I get to cartwheel!!!! It has definitely been fun learning to do new things, and it certainly brings you "closer" to your fellow cast members. I feel that I know Josh a whole lot better since last year's production!
We are now less than four weeks away from opening night, which is a bit scary and this is when the nerves start to set in. It's also exciting, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the show comes together as we start to do complete run throughs over the coming rehearsals. This is going to be one of the most colourful shows that Hessle Theatre Company have put on in a long time, and I think that Hull audiences are going to be in for a treat, with the spectacle of unicyclists, tight rope walking and plate spinning, but not least me balancing in various positions from various parts of Josh's person!!!! Please don't let that put you off, this is going to be a fantastic show, full of the fun of the circus, with plenty of jolly numbers with the razzle-dazzle of the set pieces put together by Martin.
Tickets are on sale, and the details are on my page. Hope to see you there.
Book tickets online at http://www.hullcc.gov.uk/portal/page?_pageid=221,155175&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL&p_id=3502&p_display_mode=Listing&p_option=DisplayEvent

They Fly Through The Air With The Greatest Of Ease!

We had an excellent week last week putting on Mixed Doubles and all things considered we got good numbers through the door. I also hear that the ladies running the refreshments made a killing, nice one ladies!
It was a good week, and I was absolutely over the moon that I managed to get through Permanence without laughing, Katherine and I were well chuffed. Although we did have the audiences laughing, so that's also good! Laughing is food for actors; the more they laughed the more we acted our socks off. Score was scary, and Laura and I were really pleased with the result, again we got people laughing and we covered up any mistakes really well - no-one knew! Although I suppose they do now!
So now I can concentrate on Barnum rehearsals. We had a rehearsal last night, and it felt like I hadn't been there in weeks even though I only missed one rehearsal last week.
After we went through singing the chorus numbers we headed off to the school gym to start working on some acrobatics! Ha ha! What a laugh! I never realised that some of the skills that you would consider basic, some people cannot do. So maybe these things aren't so basic at all. So starting with forward rolls, not so easy apparently, of course I was excellent, wouldn't want to let anyone down!!! Then went into diving forward rolls, which aren't as dramatic as they sound. From a stage point of view though, they will look quite good, if you've got lots of people diving about the stage. Supported handstands - I was partnered with Suzanne, who was wearing a skirt and I saw her knickers, tee hee!!! Eventually we got to sitting on people's shoulders, so I got Craig involved. If I was going to feel comfortable sitting on anyone's shoulders it would be Craig every time! So I managed to clamber onto his shoulders by climbing up the wooden railings at the side of the gym and eventually we found our balance. I also managed NOT to fart on his head! Then I survived getting onto Craig's shoulders without the use of railings! Excellent! We were rather impressed, and we got a round of applause - I thank you!
As I then mentioned to Craig that I was not about to attempt to STAND on his shoulders, Brian said that he would attempt it. I stood WELL back, as Brian started to climb the railings. I then noticed the lack of protection around them and dashed off to grab a crash mat (ahh, crash mates, remember them?) but as I quickly dragged and threw it into place I succeeded in slicing my thumb open on one of the metal eyelets around the edge. There was A LOT of blood, so although it didn't really hurt, with blood dripping of both hands and somehow, my face, there was a lot of fuss, I was like, "What?". Then had to leave early because I wasn't much use holding a piece of tissue around my thumb. I have also discovered that not using your thumb is not easy!
Oh well, people will have to wait until next time to see my further acrobatic skills. I may even attempt a cartwheel!!! Oh yes!

I REALLY Don't Feel Well!

Tonight is the first night, and nerves have just kicked. After a reasonably successful dress rehearsal I feel confident about tonight. (I hope this isn't naive!) Last night was by no means perfect, but then they do say, "Bad dress rehearsal, good first night". Rather tenuously I am saying that there was room for improvement last night, does that count?!
I just want to end today's post with a message to the cast and crew, in true theatre style, "Break a leg everyone!"

I Don't Feel Well

Tonight I have the dress rehearsal ahead of tomorrow night's first night of "Mixed Doubles". I am now starting to get quite nervous. We had a call last night to look at costume and technical issues. Now I'm even more nervous, as both the scenes I am in are in the first act, so myself, Laura and Katherine will be back stage for the whole of the second act. Our dressing rooms are very close to the stage and auditorium, and the sound carries, so we have been told to remain quite whilst backstage. I am used to "stage etiquette" and keeping quiet in the wings, but the dressing room area is supposed to be an area of solace. Do I sound like a luvvie? I am using that as an excuse for the fact that Katherine and I find it very hard to remain quiet for 5 minutes, never mind the whole second half of a production!!! I really hope we don't get in trouble this week! Wish me luck!
And I hope to see you there. Tickets are still available for all nights. Wednesday 31st October - Friday 2nd November only £6 each at Hessle Town Hall.

Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word

Once again I have to apologise for neglecting my post. I hope you are still checking it out, and that not too many people have given up on checking to find nothing new.
In my defense the last couple of weeks have been an absolute nightmare. I have been decorating our spare bedroom ready for my parents visiting as well as rehearsals for Barnum and Mixed Doubles, committee meetings and putting together the publicity for Mixed Doubles. On top of all this, funnily enough, I had a full time job to hold down! All this made me rather ill, and my body just completely gave out. Nothing like collapsing and vomiting to make you realise that you are doing too much! And it didn't really make for an enjoyable birthday either. That wasn't helped by the bloody postal strikes! Mr Postie didn't get much sympathy from me when I had to go through my birthday without any cards. And it would appear that some of my family have decided to use the strikes as an excuse not to send me a card at all! Thanks for that!
Yesterday, however, was my wife's birthday and I think she had a bit of a better time than I did. She spent the day on a team build and it sounds like she had fun, and when she came home she had a HUGE pile of cards to open!!! As well as the presents etc.
Anyway, rehearsals for both productions are going really well. The songs for Barnum are sounding brilliant, but there is no surprise under the sharp ear of Chris our musical director, and I am really looking forward to getting started on floor rehearsals and seeing Martin's vision coming together.
Mixed Doubles is definitely coming on. I actually know most of my words now, but with only 7 rehearsals to go, including the dress rehearsal, it's getting a bit scary. The only day off I have from rehearsals, not including weekends, is next Wednesday. It's going to be a busy couple of weeks, but I don't want to wish my life away because I am not in a rush for this production to start!

Balls Please!

Last night's Barnum rehearsal was HILARIOUS! We began with singing through "One Brick at a Time" and "Come Follow the Band", and practicing the harmonies, which are sounding brilliant. Then after a short break Martin, our director, announced that we were going to begin learning some circus tricks and skills in preparation for floor rehearsals. (You may recall earlier blogs, where I chronicled my failed attempts at learning to juggle!) All rather daunting, but it was always sure to be a laugh.
It was a quick fire way to watch a whole room of adults regress to 5 year olds!!! Tell people to get into pairs, and then throw a load of balls into the mix! We began simply enough, by throwing the ball to your partner and them throwing it back. Simple! Well, no not really. It's surprising how many people seemed completely incapable of throwing and catching, me included! After this we had to pair up again, into groups of four and things got complicated. Eventually, as we were positioned in two circles, one half of the pair on the inner circle facing out to their partner on the outer circle, so we had the balls being thrown in a zig zag fashion first clockwise around the circle, then back again. We ended the evening with having to throw and catch at the same time. I really hope I haven't over simplified this, because it really isn't easy, but the end result of this "training" is going to look really impressive. I was sweating like I don't know what and could not stop giggling. Not helped by the fact that my partner was Katherine (and we didn't do this on purpose, it just ended up the we were partnered together, I would like to add) and the other pair that we were partnered with, Janet and Craig, were just as mischievous as us.
Martin has a task on his hands keeping us all under control, but if he will give us toys to play with, he only has himself to blame!

And.... Relax!

It's been a quiet week for rehearsals this week, with only our Barnum rehearsal on Monday. But the rest doesn't last long with next week involving a Barnum rehearsal on Monday, committee meeting on Tuesday, then a Mixed Doubles rehearsal on Thursday. Although that doesn't mean that there is any rest for the wicked, with the usual myriad of singing lessons which also involves doing my theory homework, as well as all the other general day to day stuff.
We are currently decorating our new house. So we have been stripping wallpaper in our spare bedroom ready for decorating, so we can have a calming restful place for guests (predominantly my parents) to stay. We are also having some work priced up for getting some bookcases built for our dining room, so we can have our own private library. Not as posh as it sounds, we just have tonnes of books!
And within all this I am still working on learning my lines for Mixed Doubles. I am pleased to say I am getting somewhere. Learning a script is harder than learning the lines to songs, and this is quite possibly the most difficult and different thing I have ever undertaken. I just hope I rise to the challenge. Only time will tell. I will keep you posted.