I didn't know what to feel about performing in front of an audience, and naturally I was nervous. But actually having an audience there felt like it completed the whole thing; this was what we had been rehearsing for, all this time. I had been told, don't look at them, and that really helped as they aren't really there, outside Belinda's living room, are they, so you can't make eye contact. If you did, it would distract you.
We performed Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday night and I think we all preferred Thursday and Friday night as the audience laughed the most and were most responsive. They were a good crowd and it was amazing to hear them laughing. You can hear everything in the dressing room so you can follow the play and know when to go on. This also means you can hear the audience chatting away before the play starts. Each scene starts/ends with "I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus" to give the crew time to change the scene. Now when we hear this we will always think of Season's Greetings. Hearing it meant feeling slightly more nervous as we knew we had to go on.
It's funny but although all of us knew our lines it was still useful to have the book with you to just check them and to follow the cues. I would take it with me to the door and look just to make sure I knew what I was going to say. I'd put it down then have to grab it again to double check. Losing your script around the back rooms was always a bit panicky.
But as I say actually having the audience there made such a difference and it kind of helped you perform better. I noticed it with some people and Clive (Jonathan) remarked on it with me, that I sounded more relaxed and into it. When I'd said most of my bit in scene 1, and I stay on to "watch tv", I was sitting there enjoying hearing the others do their part and I thought, this is great, being here surrounded by these people who I love being with, and we are all enjoying doing this play together. It was such a nice feeling.
Funny that once it started, the plays seemed to fly past so quickly. It is knackering because you have to concentrate and follow where you are all the time so you don't miss a cue or get confused. I had bits on and off in scene 1, then on until the end, then on at the start of scene 2 and a bit of a rest through the interval. Then straight on for scene 3, the party scene, which required so much concentration, and then back for Act 2 scene 1, the puppet show, which needed all our focus to get the passing of the pigs wrong (or right) and the bumping of the puppet theatre. I think Jules and I got there in the end and he was just wonderful with the pig voices. The audience loved it, thank god. I should think so too. And then 3 lines in scene 2 which was fine.
My family came along, which made me feel a bit more nervous initially, and they really enjoyed it which was brilliant. It was really nice to have people you knew in the audience.
Knowing how much work goes into it, it meant a lot to finally get that appreciation from people. It was very tiring but totally worth it. We had a lovely party together after the Saturday show and the Chairwoman presented us all with really nicely worded certificates to sum up our part in the show. To my surprise she also presented me with a little cup that goes to one person each show, for being a good team player, reliable, punctual, helpful etc. Richard said to me later, "director's choice", which was lovely. And happily he now knows how much we all think of him, as everyone said such nice things, but so well deserved. The chair remarked what a happy group we were, with no dramas, no arguments. It was true. Everyone got on really well and Richard kept us all happy, he worked so hard to bring everything together for his vision, making the puppets, the scenery, the puppet theatre, and the set. The others in the cast said that this show felt special to them because everyone had got on so well. It was lovely to relax together afterwards and we went down to theatre to see if we could smell the lavendar lady, the resident ghost, but nothing, thankfully. Maria did a hilarious impression of her.
The next day we had to go in to tidy up the green room for the next group, who barely waited 5 seconds til they were on that stage (bare and house-less, which was tragic). It didn't take long to clear up but no one wanted to leave, and we were standing around quoting lines at each other from the play. We've been doing this for weeks, as they come into normal conversation. No one else will get it, will they. So eventually we all said goodbye but I expect we'll see each other soon anyway as there are the next auditions that the Chair was trying to get people to audition for. And we have our Facebook page where Richard is putting up clips from the show, and we are sharing our thoughts. Everyone was so tired yesterday we just all fell asleep. I felt quite tired and emotional so took it easy. It is strange to think it is all over but it has been the most wonderful experience, I have been so lucky that this group of people were my first production as it's clear from what they said that we had something special. It did feel like a family and we spent so much time together. It is always nice to be part of a little group like that. Doesn't happen often but when it does it is a good feeling.
Monday 7 December 2015
last week of rehearsals
It's rather a shame that, having been so busy with the play over the last 2 weeks, I haven't had time to blog about it. As now I have to update everything after it's happened. But that's how it is, so it can't be helped.
Needless to say, the last 2 weeks of rehearsals flew by. From 22 November we had the theatre to ourselves so the set went up and slowly Belinda's house took shape before our very eyes. Richard is very clever and not only designed the set but built it too, and a few of us helped paint the walls and some bits and pieces on the Thursday. That was all good fun, knowing that we were helping to bring it all together. I feel Pattie and Belinda might have been the sorts who got on with the decorating rather than relying on Neville and Eddie. Richard can certainly be relied on though and decked out the whole house with cards and decorations, which I got in Poundland, and it looked fabulous.
Sunday before the performance week was our tech/dress rehearsal, so we were there a good few hours as the sounds and lighting were fitted to the play. It meant running through a few scenes a few times so we were all exhausted by the time we went home. Monday night was full dress rehearsal and Tuesday too. Something odd happened on Tuesday and I just gave the worse performance ever, forgetting whole lines, and getting in a muddle. But luckily that was still a practice and before the real thing.
We had all our things in the dressing rooms and green room and so the props and back stage crew were busy getting everything in place for us. They were very reliable and had a lot of props to deal with including bowls of mousse, jelly and plates of sandwiches. The stage manager, Lindsay, was very calm and that really helped us be calm too.
Needless to say, the last 2 weeks of rehearsals flew by. From 22 November we had the theatre to ourselves so the set went up and slowly Belinda's house took shape before our very eyes. Richard is very clever and not only designed the set but built it too, and a few of us helped paint the walls and some bits and pieces on the Thursday. That was all good fun, knowing that we were helping to bring it all together. I feel Pattie and Belinda might have been the sorts who got on with the decorating rather than relying on Neville and Eddie. Richard can certainly be relied on though and decked out the whole house with cards and decorations, which I got in Poundland, and it looked fabulous.
Sunday before the performance week was our tech/dress rehearsal, so we were there a good few hours as the sounds and lighting were fitted to the play. It meant running through a few scenes a few times so we were all exhausted by the time we went home. Monday night was full dress rehearsal and Tuesday too. Something odd happened on Tuesday and I just gave the worse performance ever, forgetting whole lines, and getting in a muddle. But luckily that was still a practice and before the real thing.
We had all our things in the dressing rooms and green room and so the props and back stage crew were busy getting everything in place for us. They were very reliable and had a lot of props to deal with including bowls of mousse, jelly and plates of sandwiches. The stage manager, Lindsay, was very calm and that really helped us be calm too.
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