THIRD PREVIEW

THIRD PREVIEW

Monday 14th June

After Saturday night’s show the Giraffe, the Zebra and I made a quick getaway. We were well in to our journey back to London before the relief of having survived a week of techs and previews finally hit us!

Monday already, and the start of a new week. As our call for today isn’t until 1:30 pm I was able to enjoy an extra night at home before an easy, sunny drive back to Chichester. And I’m raring to go!

We start the session with a physical and vocal warm up. Then it’s straight in to Elephant ‘skins’ for the Press photo-shoot.

It’s usual for a new production to have a photo-call with the local and national press – the idea being that the best shots will, hopefully, appear alongside the respective publications’ Opening Night Review. The creative team have prepared the stage for several set-ups:

• The Elephants and Elephant’s Child
• Elephant’s Child, Eldest Magician and Kolokolo Bird
• The Parsee, Stove and Rhino
• The Jaguar, Giraffe, Zebra and Leopard (me!)

When it comes to our turn (that’s us, the Jag/Gir/Zeb&Lep!), Nik (the Assistant Director) suggests we set the scene by performing the lines leading into the Jive, in the ‘Just So’ number. We run this once so the photographers can get the idea … and then go live (twice!) with bright lighting (perfect photographic conditions) and cameras clicking away all round us.

We actors love to have our photo in the paper … preferably accompanied by a favourable review by an eminent Theatre Critic. The last thing you want is to be smiling alongside a bad review! BUT of course, this is REAL life and we’ve all ‘been there … done that!’

At last the ‘Paparazzi’ are happy with their shots. We throw off our costumes and return to the auditorium for Herr Director’s notes. And Herr Director has a surprise for us! Re-writes!! (Not a complete surprise! I had been expecting some changes).

Herr Director reassures us that he was very happy with Saturday night’s performance. The new lines are purely for the augmentation of the characters and the story. We have a call for tomorrow afternoon and this will be devoted to the re-writes, so I try not to panic about them for the moment.

Stephen takes us through the scenes that still aren’t working for him - the second Crab Formation and the Finale.

When not needed on stage, the Jaguar and I have a sneaky look at our ‘new-lines’ … and start learning!! It takes me a little while to learn lines, so the sooner I start, the better! We won’t have a lot of rehearsal time (which is when I find my lines really sink in), as Herr Director wants us to include the rewrites in tomorrow night’s performance. No pressure then!

Apparently, the new lines have been taken from earlier versions of Herr Director’s scripts … and guess what? I finally get to say “I’ve got a Big Tummy-Ache” and “We have been made to eat nothing but rats, beetles and rock-rabbits” … I couldn’t be happier – these are some of my favourite moments in the Just So stories (as of course you know, dear reader).

“This is what I asked you for two weeks ago” I say to Herr Director.
“I was hoping you had forgotten!” he replies.
“How could I forget these great lines?”
“Careful Anthony”, interrupts David from the auditorium, “Simon will want a writing credit!”

The musical introduction to ‘Ladies Out Reprise’ (written especially for this CFT production) has been cut to make way for the original lines of dialogue. The Jaguar and I are just delighted. We have room for a few more ‘gags’ too! Roll on tomorrow’s rehearsal.

I spend my break back at Old Bakery Gardens learning my new lines, and eating a microwaved ‘tuna pasta’ … (the Leopard in me is not impressed!!).

The Third Preview goes well. I have even more energy than I had at the end of last week. Of course, I spend most of the two and a half hour show trying to recall my new lines … with little success! Looks like I have some homework tonight!

The audience was a nice mix of children and adults. The Parsee had his family in, so there was a huge cheer at the Finale.

It is difficult to tell, but I do think JS is going down well. Mars, from OOTW sat in on Saturday night, and he loved it. Let’s hope the Critics agree on Thursday!

I spend what’s left of my evening trying to learn my TEN new lines. “Only ten?” you may be thinking. I guess you are right, but I’m not helped by the fact that they are spread over three scenes that are now quite different from the original script.

The Parsee invites the Jaguar and the Cooking Stove back to Old Bakery Gardens for a glass of wine. We sit chatting in the kitchen (best place for a Stove! … not sure about a Jaguar?).

And talking of stoves … the Cooking Stove tells us he had a little ‘accident’ in the show tonight. Not life threatening of course, just hilarious! After his opening scene with The Parsee, and at the Rhino’s entrance, the Cooking Stove normally returns to his original place (a large wooden pallet) and, very sedately, ducks down inside his costume. Tonight, however, the small step that helps the Cooking Stove back onto his pallet, gave way under him, and he tumbled forward into his ‘oven’ just as the Rhino launched in to his opening number. Afraid to move (and cause distraction) he remained trapped, half squatting, with his head wedged, and his face squashed, while the Rhino (oblivious to his colleague’s distress) sang his way through what is a looooong number!

I head off to bed, script in hand, with this amusing thought in my head. And for a moment, it takes my mind off my sufferings! The pollen count is VERY high – my nose is streaming, my throat is raging, my eyes are inflamed, and my head is aching – BUT the show must go on! Now, back to those new lines!

RE-WRITES

Tuesday 15th June

I manage to sleep for eight hours, and I must have been chanting my new lines all night, because I think I actually know them.

… “Where have all our breakfast …eat nothing but rats, beetles … what are we chasing her for? … It’s good to have a bit of roughage …your mumbo, jumbo … I’ve got a Big Tummy-Ache”
Umm … that doesn’t sound right!

Straight after our company warm up and notes session, we move on to the changes in ‘Leaps and Bounds’. We have a tighter verse and chorus, and a fantastic new ‘We Will Rock You’ style clap break: “Boom, Tish, Boom-Boom Tish” … you know the one!?

The Jaguar, Elephant’s Child, Kolokolo Bird and I rehearse our changes with Herr Director and Nik in the foyer. The Jaguar and I are fairly comfortable with the initial changes - it’s just a question of remembering the new lines. The rewrite of the final scene is a little harder. Once we have worked out the basic blocking, we have a chance to talk through the changes.

I am really pleased with the changes. Our characters (the Jaguar and I) are more defined. The rewrites have given our ‘story’ weight, and I feel much more comfortable. I’m confident that now we believe in our characters, so too will the audience … and that’s extremely important!

Back onstage we run ‘Leaps and Bounds’, and then move on to our new scenes. Last night I asked Stage Management if they could keep a copy of the new script pages backstage, and there they are - stuck to the walls, in clear sight, for our convenience! Now that’s efficient stage management!

David and George have been busy with rewrites for the new music arrangements. We manage only a couple of run-throughs, with music, before we have to break.

Tonight’s show is going to be seriously scary! I think I’ve committed my new lines to memory, but it’s going to take a lot of concentration! I hate having to ‘think’ about my lines. My performance is much more ‘fluent’ when my lines are safely stored in my head! At the moment I’m relying on short-term memory - the sooner I move in to long-term memory, the better. This evening we are going to be ‘Flying-By-The-Seat-Of-Our-Pants’!!

And as if I haven’t got enough to think about, I’m sitting here in my Dressing Room, worrying about the ending of ‘Ladies Out’, which went a little pear-shaped last night! David comes to the rescue and explains that he’ll be conducting a new ‘bar filler’ that he hopes will help us out.

The Cooking Stove (in his Dance Captain hat!) pops in too, to check I know all the changes we’ve put in.

Showtime!

Act One, Fourth Preview, and all is going well. The new lines in the Veldt crossover are fine. During the interval, while I towel myself down, we run the new Act Two lines. Aaaarh! We discover Mr CWEP is out front. He flew in by helicopter … as you do!

Lou announces … “Act Two beginners!” That’s me … here we go!

The new crossover, after ‘Wait a bit’ goes really well. We get a good laugh at the gag, and on our exit walk. (Make ‘em laugh, make ‘em smile ……!)

‘Leaps and Bounds’ gets a great response. It’s much snappier (which is of course the desired effect).

The audience, are having a ball! … We’re having a ball!

And then … in the new ‘BBQ’ scene, I lost it! I didn’t drop a line … but I did paraphrase a little. Gotta work on that! I have three more (and counting!) chances before Opening Night!

‘Previews’ are of course the performances ‘before the official first night’. The theatregoers who attend the Previews are often the ‘aficionados’ - understanding of the trials of, not only the actor, but also the people behind the scenes. They are not fazed if someone misses an entrance, or loses a line … and can be infinitely patient when faced with a technical hitch!

The ‘Previews’ provide the Writers and Actors with the opportunity to fine-tune their work, and the Audience with the opportunity to feel truly involved in a performance not yet dampened by repetition!

After the show I allow myself one drink only in The Bell, and then home – I still have lines to learn!!

PREVIEWS FIVE & SIX

Wednesday 16th June

I didn’t sleep at all well – I tossed and turned in dreams of suffocation - my hay fever is really bad! I was finally brought to full consciousness by the jovial conversation of Mars and The Parsee outside my bedroom door. (You see there are some disadvantages in sharing a nice house with a 42” flat screen!).

Herr Director’s notes from last night’s show contain the phrase “Pick up the pace!” He’s right – some or our performances were a bit ‘ploddy’.

With a matinee and an evening performance to get through, my aim today is to conserve energy and pace myself. I’m always in danger of giving my all in the matinee, and then finding my resources are exhausted when it comes to the evening performance! It’s a balancing act, and when you get it right, a two-show-day can be exhilarating, instead of exhausting.

We have some school groups in for the matinee, and they are surprisingly quiet and well behaved. Are they not enjoying themselves? I worry my way through the show, and then, when we take our bows … their cheers and whistles fill the theatre!

The Jaguar and I congratulate ourselves. Our new scene went much better than last night, and our lines were ‘flowing’. That’s what ‘previews’ are all about … you just get better and more confident at each performance.

“Pick up the pace” was the key to our performance. Everyone clearly took Herr Director’s words on board, as the show was pretty “speedy”. Act One was a whole THREE minutes, and Act Two, ONE minute shorter. Scenes were running so quickly that the Jaguar and I nearly missed an entrance! As the previews roll on, the costume changes are getting faster! This may be a problem! We’ll see.

After a much-needed shower, the Jaguar and I run a quick rehearsal with David, George and the band! We have a slightly different musical arrangement for ‘Ladies Out’ and David wants us to hear it before tonight’s show. It’s fantastic … a real Big-Band sound, and the end button is easier to follow. Let’s hope we can hear these wonderful musicians when we’re live on stage!

And as if they can read my thoughts, the sound department are on the case! With the musical arrangements being much LOUDER than those for OOTW, they have had to rethink the acoustics for JS, and have come up with ‘fold-back’ speakers, which will be placed onstage. These speakers will help us hear the band much more clearly. The sound department will still have some fine-tuning to do, but the end result should be that the company will be performing in time with the band!

A 2:00 pm matinee leaves plenty of time between the evening show, so I nip home to Old Bakery Gardens for dinner. As I wait for the microwave to ‘ting’, I receive a text message from my Dad’s cousin. A friend of hers from Worthing saw the show and thought I was ‘wonderful’. I love a good review!

I have my GG, Aunt and Uncle coming to tomorrow night’s Press performance, and they are not the type to “pull their punches” - it will be good to hear what they have to say about the show too.

When I get back to the theatre for the evening performance there is some terrible news!
“Simon, I’ve been looking for you”, says Nik. He goes on to explain that the Jaguar’s Grandfather has died.
“Oh no, that’s awful” I reply
“… the Parsee will be going on in his place for next Wednesday’s matinee!”
“The Parsee!? … as the JAGUAR!?!” I exclaim.

Well, thank goodness for emergency covers! It’s Nik’s job, as Assistant Director, to allocate emergency covers. He actually asked me last week if I could cover the Parsee, but I had to tell him “I don’t think so!” - whatever the fee, nothing would get me onstage, playing someone else’s part, with little, or possibly NO, rehearsal. There are some Actors who thrive on this kind of challenge … Not me!!

The poor Parsee!! I can’t think of anything worse. I wonder how he’s feeling? At least he has a week’s notice! It’s certainly going to make my show interesting!?

The Sixth Preview goes well and the ‘Ladies Out’ number sounds great! As I come off stage I find The Parsee going through the Jaguar’s moves in ‘Ladies Out’ … he’s wearing a worried frown!!

My dresser, Jess, had some friends in tonight. She tells me that when she invited them, one of the girls misheard her, and arrived at the Theatre expecting to see ‘Joss Stone’! Imagine her disappointment, finding herself watching a group of Actors jigging around onstage in cream thermal long johns, singing about wanting to be animals!!

I am reminded of the time when I was working as a front-of-house attendant at the London Palladium (in the days when I was a penniless drama student!). During a performance of Sam Mendes’ production of ‘Oliver’, an American tourist called me over and whispered in my ear -
“Excuse me, isn’t this supposed to be Richard III ?”
“No Madame”, I politely replied, “It’s Lionel Bart’s Oliver!”

As I escorted them out of the auditorium I asked to check their tickets. They were supposed to be at the RNT - at the OLIVIER Theatre - watching the bard!

Richard our OOTW MD is very enthusiastic about tonight’s performance. “I loved it,” he says. “I can’t believe what a talented company we have!”

In The Bell Mr D, Richard and I get to talking about cast recordings.
“Are you going to do a ‘Just So’ album?” asks Richard.
“I really hope so” I reply, (trying not to sound too desperate). “It would be fantastic if we do!! How about an ‘Out Of This World’ recording too??”
“Well, if we can find someone to produce it” says Mr D “then why not!”

Fingers crossed! It would be fantastic to close the season (and this amazing experience at CFT) with two new cast recordings on my CV, and two more CD’s to give to my family!!

I spend the rest of my evening back at the house making my Opening Night cards! It is a theatrical tradition to present fellow Actors with ‘Good Luck’ (or should I say ‘Break-a-leg’??) cards on Opening Night.
My problem is where to stop! Does one give cards to the Director, Designer, Stage Management? They are all an integral part of show! But then there’s the Crew, and the Dressers. If they weren’t there to help, the show would never happen! Boy, it’s tricky … and then there’s the agony of thinking of something original to write on each card!!

Should I try and write something funny?
Should I comment on an Actors ‘Wonderful’ performance?
Should I just write ‘Best Wishes, Enjoy the run!’?

Instead of simply buying cards, I have created my own ‘tradition’. I always hand-make my opening night cards. I try to create something original. Something my colleagues may want to keep (rather than just another piece of paper that will find it’s way in to the waste paper basket on the last day of the show!).

So, what are my JS cards going to be, dear Reader? Earlier today I photocopied the front of the script (about twenty times). From these, I extract the JS typeface and a small sketch of an Elephant. I paste them to the front of blank cards, surrounding the image with the words ‘Chichester Festival Theatre’ and the production dates.

Not particularly original though!!

I write a quote from Kipling - the ‘Unforgiving Minute’ - on the inside of the card. Better!

So far, so good. But, not good enough!

By this time it’s late, and my brain has come to a standstill. I decide to sleep on it. Maybe in my dreams, the words will come – something inspirational or funny, or touching, to write in everyone’s cards.

How about …. “This show should be recast” (Nicholas de Jongh)!!

Only Joking!! - Goodnight, dear Reader!

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