FIRST PREVIEW

WEEK SIX part two THIRD TECH

Thursday 10th June

It’s a rainy day in sunny Chichester! I slept well, although the fatigue of long, full days is setting in.

I’m called for 10:00 am, but do nothing all morning. George is back from Boston, and the “band’s all here” (to coin a phrase!). The tech continues very slowly. The Parsee, Jaguar and I run a photo-shoot in the foyer to pass the time.

Over the last few days, I have been cultivating a bristly chin ... my ‘Scurrilous Whiskers’!! I would love to have given my Leopard “wide-boy” sideburns and a goatee, but because I’m in Rep and appearing from time to time as the clean-cut Art O’Malley (OOTW), I have to keep whisking off my whiskers! Herr Director and Peter like my stubble, so I’ll grow it as often as I can - it’ll be a full beard by the end of next week!

After lunch, a few more hours pass before I’m called. Just as we get to the second entrance of the Crab (having enjoyed watching the Kolokolo bird earn her wings, and the Elephant’s Child acquire his trunk), we break for dinner.

All I’ve really done today is sit around … and eat. Not a bad day for a hungry Leopard!!

Although we haven’t finished teching Act Two, the plan for the evening session is to “run it from the top” - and see how far we get.

It’s evening, and Dressers are running hither and thither backstage. Poor Jess has to carry five of my six costumes upstairs and set them on either side of the backstage area.

The run starts well, but at my second entrance (as one of the Elephants) things grind to a halt … we get going again, but hit another tricky moment just before the ‘Parsee Cake’ number. The costume changes however are going really well, thanks to Jess and all the wardrobe girls.

We get as far as the second crab entrance in Act Two and then… guess what… we run out of time.

The first couple of stage runs of a show are a real challenge. You have spent many hours in a rehearsal room, with a piano, and things are looking just about right … and then you move into the theatre. In this new environment, you have to contend with costumes, lighting, set, and band. Although each department is pulling out all the stops, it does take time for everything to fall into place. And while all this is going on, you find your performance (or your character) has “gone out the window” because, suddenly, your focus is off course! It can be a terrible moment, but you just have to work through it, knowing you will get back on track.

Tonight for example, I have:

• An Elephant bowler hat that is a little too tight, and trousers that are a little too long;
• New white Commis Chef shoes that I can’t wear socks with (which is uncomfortable) and wrist bands that are so tight I can’t pull them off quickly enough for my quick change;
• A Leopard hat that only just stays on my head when I get sweaty, and a jacket that is so heavy my shoulders are almost permanently hunched (even when I don’t want them to be);
• Wildebeest dungaree straps that won’t stay done up, especially in the quick change, and a hat that’s so tight it’s making me cross-eyed;
• A Wallaby tail that’s too long, so I keep stepping on it…

Added to this:

• It’s so dark backstage we can’t see to change;
• The Parsee’s crates are so big and heavy, we can hardly move them, let alone get them through the doors and on to the stage;
• The band are either VERY LOUD, or very quiet;
• We can’t hear some of our own vocals;
• Some of the musical number tempos are too slow;

And :

• With my “challenged” eyesight, I can only just see the MD monitor in the auditorium.

… it doesn’t stop there - the list goes on… And we preview in … twenty-one hours!! Aagh!!

Quick drink in The Bell, home, shower, chat to GG, and ... bed. I gotta get a good nights sleep.

FIRST PREVIEW

Friday 11th June

We are called in for 11:00 am to tech the end of the show, with microphones only, no costumes this time around.

Before lunch Herr Director gives our morale a little boost; “Considering all the problems last night, I thought you all did so well. Hang on to all the great work you did in the rehearsal room… you’ll be fine tonight”.

The Jaguar and I check out the end of our number with David. “Keep your eyes glued to the monitor and we’ll be fine”.
“I’ll be watching” I say, “but, I want to hear that drum break we’ve been promised, David”.

George is very complimentary to we cats! I feel he understands that our ‘characters’ aren’t as black and white as some of the others, and he says that we’re doing a great job… and that we’re funny… apparently! The proof will be in the audience’s response!

There’s a card waiting at the Stage Door from my GG. Now that really gives me the lift I need… and then my Mum calls to wish me luck for tonight too.

So, before we face an audience, we have one more go at it this afternoon. No pressure then!

We do a sound check with the band and then go straight in to our first official Dress Run. It goes rather well, and very quickly! Of course there’s a problem or two, or three! But we’ll be there by next week’s Opening Night. The Jaguar and I are much happier with our number! And Mr CWEP was in too!

The show is starting to feel like a ‘Show’, instead of a collection of scene and costume changes!

Roll on 7:30 pm.

I have my dinner in the Green Room and spend the rest of my break conserving my energy… and my voice. There is certainly a first performance buzz in the air. Poseidon from OOTW pops in to wish us all the best, and to tell us he’ll be out front tonight - with other ensemble members - for moral support.

The obligatory half hour call is at 6:55 pm and I go to Room J to prepare for what is to come!

Stephen and Herr Director pop in and out of dressing rooms wishing everyone a good show.

Act One goes fairly smoothly – although we are all feeling like ‘rabbits-in-the-headlights’! It’s not a particularly busy house, so having friends out front makes a huge difference. The ‘Ladies Out’ duet goes well and the Jaguar and I get some laughs - in the right places!

Unfortunately, Act Two doesn’t run quite as smoothly, especially the end of the show (which we only tech’d this morning!). This afternoon’s dress run was a far better performance. I can tell that I’m not the only person feeling tired - top notes are cracking all over the place.

I have a well-needed shower. I can hear Mr D as he goes round dressing rooms congratulating everyone. George puts his head around my door to say “well done”.

I know that my performance will become sharper and cleaner, and that by Opening Night I will have perfected my Leopard. It’s both fantastic and terrifying to have the writers around. I just hope I’m doing their work justice.

We are not called until after lunch tomorrow, so I have time to unwind before going home for a good nights rest, ready for tomorrow evening’s Second Preview.

In The Bell there is an encouraging buzz. Stephen and David congratulate people, but Herr Director is nowhere to be seen! I leave the Parsee sharing a couple of bottles of white wine with the Dingo Dog and the Jaguar, and head for my bed!

SECOND PREVIEW

Saturday 12th June

I’m awake! The birds are singing, and I have finally reached the last day of a very long week. My voice feels a little groggy, but with only the one show today, I’m sure I’ll be fine.

A receive a text message from a close friend announcing that her father is to receive an OBE. I am so pleased for him. His family and friends must be so proud. He is such a modest man and with his talent, passion and dedication, an OBE is rightfully deserved.

I wonder what the odds are of being honoured with an OBE? Should I reach the pinnacle of my success in the future, with a few Olivier Awards, a Tony, and an Oscar perhaps, will I receive the ultimate accolade, a Knighthood maybe … NOT! No harm in… dreaming!

Before we are called to the auditorium for working notes, the Cooking Stove takes the company through a quick physical warm up (very appropriate when you think about it!). At 2:00 pm it’s time for a vocal warm up, and then Stephen takes us through all the changes to the Elephants staging. The changes are mainly to give the Elephant’s Child a stronger first entrance, and also to open up our staging to the far sides of the auditorium.

Next up, we work on the last number of the show, ‘If’, which went a little wrong last night.

Herr Director wants us to know that Mr CWEP is “thrilled with the show”, and that he “even had a tear in his eye” last night. Apparently, he would love JS to be the “next Godspell” - a true ensemble piece of theatre. You see … we can all have our dreams!

Our Second Preview seems to run more smoothly than last night, and I find I have more energy too! Some of the third year students from the Arts Ed production are in the audience. They are very supportive. I wonder how they are feeling? I can’t really imagine how it feels to see a new production of a show that one’s been part of … Oh, hang on a minute, yes I can!

All the new changes and notes from this afternoon seem to fit - it’s certainly keeping us on toes. I’m looking forward to really knowing the script so I can start to enjoy my time onstage.

I’m still having problems hearing some of the music, and vocals, while on stage. The Jaguar had a scary moment after the BBQ scene where he started to make up the tune! I really didn’t know how to help him, so unfortunately I had to let him get on with it!

After the show Herr Director appears in the doorway of my dressing room –
“Well done tonight Simon” - “really great tonight, have a nice day off.”
“Thanks”, I reply, “I will!”

AND I do ...!!

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Read the next part of his diary - Third Preview