Under starter’s orders

Denim looks like it’s underway again.

The Academy Players are looking to produce Denim at the end of April. This time (for the Academy Players) I get to stand back from the production side of life and live the life of an actor. Paul, the producer of this year’s pantomime, has been hauled in kicking and screaming to take the role of Director – and it had to be said that he is taking to the role with gusto.

It can be very daunting directing your first play, but once you read a script and see what journey it’s supposed to take the audience on, then you’re on to a winner. And that is exactly what Paul has managed to do.

Two audition nights were set, one for Tuesday night and the other for last night. On Tuesday we had a multitude turn up and the auditions were stunning. Many of the attendees had been involved with the Pantomime – but what they presented in the auditions was like nothing we saw in the panto.

In panto, you have to over play everything. In a ‘standard’ play you have to connect with the part and build the character, not only in your mind, but over the course of the play. We had the Baron, Stepmother, Prince and Cinderella there… And they all became different people on the stage.

We also had a couple of newcomers arrive who had never stood on a stage, let alone take part in an audition… They blew me away! (I can’t say what they did to the Director as he has the casting decision to make – which I have no part in.) They presented themselves confidently, clearly and with defined humour. I’ve rarely seen that from total newcomers to the stage.

For me, it was terrifying. It was the first audition I’ve gone for in over 2 years. Add to that, I was auditioning for a part in one of my own plays.

I told Paul I am willing to take any part he considers me good enough for, but it was strange when I was reading the parts. At first I thought that I wanted to be Customer #1 – but someone else not only read him better, but look more the part. Then I wanted to be Doug – then I saw that I maybe wasn’t the right build or age for the part. Then I wanted to be Giles (and I really thought I would never want that part, what with it being so close to home) – and realised if I took the part, I would make the casting process for the remainder of the cast very difficult.

So I have no idea what part I could be considered for. Worse, I have no idea what part I would like to play, given the talent who auditioned.

Due to a low turn out last night, there has to be another audition call – it looks like there are enough women interested, but as with so many AmDram productions, it’s men who are lacking. So I guess I will hear something by the beginning of next week.

Let’s see what, if anything, I get. If I do get a part, I know I’ll be delighted with it (unless they want me in drag).

I forgot how scary it was to audition; I even forgot how difficult it is waiting for a decision… But here’s to waiting.

Panto success

So that’s pantomime over for another year. The Academy Players presented ‘Cinderella’ over the period 17-19 Jan 08. The cast and crew worked their hearts out and made a performance that exceeded my expectations and thoroughly entertained all the audiences who took the time out to see us and part with their hard earned cash.

Time to name names and give them the chuck ups they deserve.

Matt Bell – Buttons
A rock. His consistency of performance ensured the success of the pantomime. He is one of those actors who always thinks when he’s on stage. Hence when things went wrong (and they did) he was the first man who could be able to pick it up and make the performance get back on the tracks.

Stuart McQuade – Baron Hardup
When I decided that he would be singing ‘I will survive’ I knew that he would steal the show. And he did, with humility and generosity. He saw how far he could push the characterisation and took it there. A character that the audience fell in love with from the outset.

Maureen Baskerville – Evil Stepmother
Evil in a nice way – one that never scared the kiddies, but was still nasty enough to boo! A calm and collected performance that always amused. Especially when she pinned Buttons to the wall!

Dominic Evans – Gertrude
Stuart Simpson – Griselda
The ugly sisters that were best described by a young girl in the audience. ‘It was a good panto because the ugly sisters were really ugly’. They worked so well together as they took their characterisations in different directions, but ensured they complimented each other. A beautiful display of how to break the forth wall. Over the top, but believable in the pantomime sense.

Tamsen Clarke – Prince Rupert
Melissa Kendal – Cinderella
Two newcomers to the Academy Players who brought the panto to life. An earnest prince a stunning Cinders for the little girls to fall in love with. These two have to act again, as there’s raw talent there!

Charlotte Causton – Fairy Godmother
A fairy with attitude. The way the audience loved ‘what she does at parties’ demonstrated how well she connected with the audience. One of the finest and most accessible fairy Godmother performances I’ve had the pleasure to see.

Roger Trueman – King Cuthbert
A king with a slight Del-Boy twang. Always regal with an occasional slight toward the ludicrous. A King the audience sympathised with and wanted to support. Clear delivery and a strong presence. Again, another joy.

Becki Scott – Dandini
Loved a good thigh slap! Expressive face and full of confidence. Always willing to charge off and engage in the performance. As you would want with Dan, there was nothing understated about this performance.

Gilly Emberey – Prime Minster
Regal, considered, clearly delivered and confident. Added a touch of class and sophistication to her scenes that drove the plot forward – else we were going to see Rupert’s stipend cut off.

Chorus
As we had a minimal set, I warned the chorus that they would become the true set. And they became moving wallpaper – making each scene come to life with colour and animation. It would be an understatement to say that the production was a success because of them. They ensured that the audience spent their time looking at the actors which drew them in far more than any lavish set could have done.

Paul Graham – Producer
If it were not for Paul, this panto would not have happened. Diligent, considered and sympathetic. He pulled out all the stops and ensured that every technical aspect of the stage management went unseen to the audience – which added such a professional polish to the run.

Chris Mills – Sound
If he keeps his finger away from the space bar… Faultless. After a lot of work re-orchestrating the music and linking all the sound files together, an atmosphere the enhanced the look of the play was achived. Often an overlooked area of theatre, he gave this panto it’s fourth dimension.

Iain Cattroll – Lighting
A real challenge here as we had the lighting rig changed in the middle of the rehearsal schedule. Added warmth and clarity to the event. I know that I made his life difficult by employing a minimal set, but he rose to the challenge and delivered a plot that brought the characters to life and added pace and urgency to the show.

I could go on forever… And I will have to thank others later. But this was a show to be proud of. Full of energy and full of laughter – even when it was not supposed to be there. A few lines that will stick with me for quite some time:

“What are you looking at him for?”
“She!”
“Deja Vu”
“…is a mouse!”
“Who wrote this stuff?”

To all involved – including the audiences – many thanks for giving us all a wonderful production.

That’s the very last time that I direct a panto…






Until the next time.

Panto and Publications

The last couple of days have been hectic – which appears to par for the course for me. Sometimes I wish for a quiet life, but I know that I would go mad if that were ever to happen!

Last night we held the preview night of our pantomime, Cinderella. Over 100 OAPs attended and turned out to be a wild, engaging and appreciative audience. They understood the minimal set, loved the characterisation and went mad for the dames!

All in all, it was a great night – we’ve just got the four real performances to get through and obviously I will keep you updated.

But I also managed to publish Error of Comedies: Occupations. So that’s book number 5 available at the storefront.

If you’ve been worried about staging a JaysPlay before (what with me being a relative unknown), this could well be the play that will give you the confidence to stage something then stage another. As this play is a collection of ten interconnected comic shorts, you could stage just one or two shorts to a small audience and then see the reaction my writing gets.

To prove the point, I had a number of the audience who attended the panto preview last night that remembered me for staging Prime Directive and Mark of a Gentleman at our theatre. The repeated question was ‘when are you putting another of your plays on here again? They were so funny!’

More on the panto tomorrow