Act One Take One!

Now there is a smell of woodsmoke in the air, it must be time to run through Act One!  A few faces who haven't been here for a couple of weeks surface and catch up with the rest of the chorus while Giles warms his drums up and the saxophone toots melodiously in the background.

Martin claps his hands for a start and not much happens initially but then our opening speakers take the 'stage' and we can get going, while the chorus play the part of the audience - well, we are all sitting down like an audience, so it seems not unreasonable.  It can run fairly smoothly in many ways as we're not off book yet, this being the first full rehearsal of Act One as opposed to songs and dances.  Speaking of which, our songs and dances are going to be a little late starting as the bandleader/keyboard player has been unavoidably delayed, so it's all script reading at the moment. Which side entrances and exits need to be on is still being refined and not everyone is aware of how long the lines before their entrance are going to take. A brief musical interlude gets all the teenagers on stage although the newest addition to the teen chorus is almost immediately assigned more than she might have chosen! Two of them are then chased around the stage by Nick, who frankly is old enough to know better... But I won't say any more yet in case I spoil the surprise. Martin (a different Martin) hasn't done the dance for Song One but Director Martin tells him he can just stay by his trolley (not off it, then) and join in the singing. The singing is a little ropey but we are attempting it without the keyboards, and doing the dancing at the same time. Martin says we'll do it again when Steve gets here and I can hear mutters of agreement from the rest of the band.

Barely two lines later, and it's time to do Song Two. Well, actually it's seven lines later, but it still comes as a bit of a shock, including to the band who are still making notes about Song One. The singing this time is better but the dance is a little less intricate, which may have something to do with it. Charlotte has to make a hasty crossing of the stage on her knees - she is probably regretting volunteering for this role already, to judge by the face she's pulling. There's a call for sound effects and Sarah has fun creating weird and wonderful noises with her electronic gizmo.  A little more script work and the scene is set, as the saying goes, for the next part of the story to be take to the stage.

The next scene runs remarkably smoothly given that the Dame isn't here yet but the cast cope without him and Martin reads his lines is a suitably high voice.  In fact, the Dame gets here just as the next scene starts, but I'm sure he'll have plenty of opportunity to read some lines later on Act One. Especially since Martin tells the players of Scene Two that now that the Dame is here, they can do it again. Their performance is punctuated by the arrival of the keyboard player and all his kit but they still manage to get to the end of the previously rehearsed section without too many mishaps and a few ad libs. Then it's on to the other half of the scene, which takes lots of input from the Dame and a first time up for the comedy duo. This provides plenty of entertainment for those of us not on stage at present, seeing the correct actors reading the part rather than just anyone, as at the initial read-through. They're trying to enact the messy scene, which is possibly even funnier without props. (Though obviously it'll be amazing once it's all on stage with props and no scripts, so do buy tickets when they're available in the New Year!)  Kim takes a few photos, possibly for the programme, so yet another reason to come along in February. :-)

Now that the band are all here, we do Songs One and Two again. Having the keyboards backing the singers is definitely helping, though it could be because each practice improves the general level of memory. However, on reaching the end of Song One, Martin asks the band to do it again, at approximately twice the speed so that it's less dirge-like. It wasn't that slow, so I'm hoping it won't be twice that next time... After about four lines, Martin stops the band again, claiming that they've slowed down again already! The band rise to the challenge, going at a breakneck pace which makes it a little harder to fit all the dance moves in, but we make a manful effort.  Now for Song Two again - what speed will Martin want this one doing? Giles tries out a few tempi on the drums just to wind us up, though when we get going, it's not that much slower.

Time for some coffee and approved chatter.  Announcements reflect the amount of work already ongoing with regard to props and costumes and a request from Martin for people to join him in Bicester on Thursday when the Christmas lights are being turned on. We are also asked to collect large perfume bottles (don't ask) and reminded that Lauren is back next week so she'll do the dances again, and this time Bob will film them for us. Something to watch over Christmas, Martin says, when there's nothing on TV.

Now on with Act One. Because there's still quite a lot to be done! This is quite complicated for the band as half their number are still doing the washing-up but we start without them and then realise that the dancing isn't quite the way it's supposed to be. Start the song again! Teni has kindly joined the rehearsal to help us with our dance which for some is probably just as well, though there are a few who know what they're doing, all exacerbated by the absence of a few chorus members.

Finally we get to a scene between Beauty and the Beast - I'm not really giving anything away, I think, telling you that, unless you hadn't yet noticed the title of this year's pantomime.  And a fetching song for them. The band want to do the song again, but there's no time yet.

Now our resident baddie has her moment. There is a song coming up; by now the band are having 'an issue', but as far as Sue is concerned, there's a bigger issue in that she doesn't know how the song goes yet. Martin sings along with her to give the band the chance to play the song through and agrees with her that the key will change - the power! (Mark claims she's like that at home, but I couldn't possibly comment.)

After a little more script stuff, we reach the instrumental song. Although the dance is not perfected, it's made more difficult by the disagreement between director and band about the length of the intro that the dancers will get before they start. I'm momentarily confused by Sue the baddie turning up in the chorus line, but I suppose she's standing in for someone. Or is bored. One or the other...  We get to the end and Martin announces that we won't do that again. Probably more than anyone's sanity can manage.

The next song seems to have a particularly random dance but actually it's the cast changing their minds about where they're supposed to be. Several times. By the time the last chord is reached, we're all in the right place. Just not much before the last chord. Knowing which dance routine we're supposed to be doing helps, so Martin suggests we do that one again. 

This is technically now the end of Act One, so Martin takes the opportunity to run through some of the earlier sections again.  Sue gets a chance to be really bad without having to sing and then the chorus gets to sing Song Three again. Rod decides to sit down and not sing it instead of standing in the middle of the chorus not singing it, but I have to tell him off for starting to join in quietly.  He mustn't develop bad habits this early!  It takes a while to remind people where they're starting and partners are different for this week ( because of those absences) but eventually we get going and once through is enough for Martin to allow us all to go home. A brief mention of the CDs that are available for a mere 50p and we stack the chairs and head off.

Everybody wants to be a teen...

We start with a change as Lauren has a paying gig, which obviously takes precedence over teaching us sorry lot how to dance.  Consequently, rather than the original scheduled song, we begin with a sing through of the Finale song, which is different words to a familiar tune. Until it changes.... We did reasonably well until that point. 

Now to Song Seven, an instrumental, and in Lauren's absence, Kim takes us through the steps again. Lauren taught Kim all the steps yesterday but just in case, Kim has filmed them too.  The musicians start, the guitar is strumming, the dancers... just stand there. A brief review of what has to be done by checking the camera, and then try again. Beauty is not on stage at this point, so she offers to watch the camera and tell Kim what is needed. This will be an excellent suggestion once Beauty works out how to operate the camera.  (She has given me permission to mention that she is blonde, though I'm sure this has nothing to do with her excellence or otherwise.) There's also the difficulty of who partnered who last time, but between us we will probably remember. 

And off we go. Eventually, the step-count is worked out for group one and they manage to get through their first section.  At which point, group two are supposed to start dancing, an opportunity of which some of them are aware.  There's a certain amount of hilarity and scuttling as people catch up and then disintegrate because they've forgotten what comes next. To be entirely fair, most people remember some of it, so the collective memory can reconstruct it. There's quite a lot of debate now and then some dancing props are produced and Martin asks the chorus to take it from the beginning again. He's going to count the four beats and warns us not to get ahead of ourselves, because we have more time than we think. We get to the end relatively successfully this time though Martin has had to tell a few people to slow down and one dance step was left out altogether (sorry, Lauren!).  Once more for good luck or measure, with feeling. Martin's verdict: it's getting better.  As consultations take place over the order of various steps, Martin asks if they'd like to do it once more. There's no answer which he takes as a yes, so we go again. There's a brief moment of distress as two people go in opposite directions, but at least they're going, so surely that's more important?

Now it's time for the teenagers to learn the dance that goes with their song. We do a sing through of the words first, though the actual teenagers stand in the middle of the floor while everyone sings along. Is this because everyone else will be singing from the wings, or is there some other reason? Watch this space and you might find out.... Martin sings this song with such gusto, I think he's discovered a hidden longing, but for now we'll just say he's showing the others how he wants it done.  Now Kim explains how the dance is going to work.  Mostly it seems that Daisy has to learn the whole thing and the others need to copy what she's done. So no pressure, Daisy!  It's quite entertaining watching Kim doing a 'teenager with attitude' dance when she was more recently seen as a Hot Box Girl, strutting her stuff rather more elegantly. She kicks off here shoes to show the teens the second verse - it's more memories of Hot Box girls, but with Take Back Your Script - and promptly demonstrates some street dancing that may owe something to the Cossacks. Round of applause after Kim has demonstrated, though the teens are not convinced they can do it (and sing, as Celia quietly observes). A bit of practice and some more shoes removed and they make progress. It's a tricky sequence and no one expects them to get it straight off, though a couple of them are worried that they'll never get it.  We have faith, teenagers, you'll be fine! 

After every few bars, Kim consults the camera, runs through the moves quickly by herself and then shows the teens, at which point they try to do the steps.  Several steps later, they try to do it from the beginning again. It's mostly in place now but Martin thinks it's time some of the rest of us do some work, so the teens are told to go elsewhere and rehearse and we assemble for Song Eight.  Though, the teens are now told they need to be in Song Eight, so the rehearsing will have to happen some other time.

The tune of Song Eight is apparently familiar to the chorus but you would have thought that most of the dancers had never been shown steps for it.  Not our finest performance! It was getting there by the end, so Martin uses logic to deduce that more of it will be there if we do it again. Turns out that Martin was sort of right as it is much better the second time, so the decision is made to leave that dance on a high and move on to Song Nine.

Song Nine starts once everyone has worked out which group they will ultimately be in, though the groups then have trouble remembering their dance steps (come back, Lauren, please!) and there is a debrief at the end to remind us what we're doing when and a short rehearsal of one step that is staggered across the groups. Then it's time to practise the song again, but just from the chorus so that we can demonstrate our staggering skills. Martin wants to do the verse part too and fortunately Dan knows how it goes, so he ends up standing in the middle of the room trying to show everyone how the dance goes, even within our groups.  There's a box step and some nodding, but again, it's staggered. Good job we're all experienced at staggering. Dan is again brought in to demonstrate the steps and he looks as though he's regretting admitting he knows what to do.  But, astonishingly, it seems to have worked! We get to the end of the song with a certain amount of confidence and accuracy! Time for coffee and cake before we jinx it.

Some extremely delicious home-made cake later, a few announcements about carols, costumes and sets, and it's back to work. One of the teens has had to leave, so Mark kindly stands in for her as they rehearse Song Twelve again. I say kindly, because it's so entertaining for the rest of us. And for some of the dancers, unfortunately, which I say as it's hard to concentrate on dancing when you're collapsed in a fit of giggles. Mark exacerbates this by following Kim when she goes to check on the lyrics and moves - anyone would think he was in a pantomime! Poor Kim continues trying to show them what they're doing while Mark appears to have joined the cast of Karate Kid, but I suppose he's only standing in for someone, so perhaps it doesn't matter as much. They're still worried after going through it a couple of times quite successfully, but as Celia points out, Lauren can go through the end with them next time.

Now it's time to sing the Finale song. We'll sing it through a couple of times from our chairs before getting up and trying to work out some dance steps. Everyone will be on stage for it so it will be quite a squish.  Martin has worked out an arrangement of fours rows so we're called out in order to take up position in the correct row. The good news is that with so many people on stage, the opportunity for complicated dance steps is considerably reduced.  Undaunted, Martin proceeds to instruct his four lines in some frankly quite complicated dance steps...  It doesn't take long for the cast to simplify them and we attempt to sing and dance at the same time. At a critical moment, the Beast arrives and is immediately directed to his position in the finale song.

We have a go at the combination with our almost complete cast on stage, at which point a number of the words appear to be 'la'. Oh well, we've got nearly 200 days until performance, plenty of time to learn the words (I am indebted to Chris Cook for this calculation, so if it's wrong, you can blame him. But I suspect he's right.).  The adulation for the hero isn't quite up to the required level yet but hey, we're still learning the words. The choreography has led to something that Mark calls a Mexican bow, but it works. Martin thinks we should know it by now, so it's on to Song Three.

Teni is helping refresh memories of the steps for Song Three and it goes relatively smoothly. It helps that some people have now been able to go home, not being needed for Song Three, so it's less crowded. This dance is one in which the dance partners are not necessarily going in the same direction all the time, which explains the confusion in the earlier song. Song Three is quite a bit slower than the finale so walking in time is key - it's much more leisurely, so dancers need to be more laid back.  Despite the slower tempo, the steps prove to be quite challenging, necessitating lots of chat, and Martin is reduced to saying sssh! quite a bit. Not everyone has remembered the steps and others are standing in for missing cast members, so it's all very complicated. Talking it through only works to a certain extent, so Martin asks us to go from the top and go as long as we can.  We appear to get to the end, but there are definitely some muddy areas in the middle, mostly involving the rotating circles.

Because it's not complicated enough yet, props are issued and we go from the top again. Despite this added excitement, it mostly goes okay, though the mathematical amongst you will be unsurprised to learn that the hardest part appears to be changing a circle to a straight line.

After all this, Martin decides that we've all worked hard enough so we pack up to go home or elsewhere, and the chats continue down at the pub - what a wonderful way to spend a Sunday evening!

Week Two - Potential Amnesia

We start with Song One again, to see if anyone has remembered how the song goes, what the steps are, etc.  We've started rather promptly with not everyone here yet, so there's a little bit of people sidling into the hall and joining in halfway through a line.  However, we seem to have remembered a surprisingly large proportion of it, if not necessarily in the right order. The spinning wheels almost spin out of control but stop before they hit the wall, so it's all good.

Now onto a new song, Song Seven, which Lauren has choreographed. This is the first dance she's choreographed for us, so her first step is very sensibly splitting the dancers into two groups and then sending half of them to sit down. Arguments ensue about the order in which they are standing, and a stand-in for Nairne is needed.  Several people volunteer each other for this role but eventually someone is left standing and the teaching proceeds. Fortunately for the dancers, this number is a dance only, i.e. no singing involved, so at least they don't need to worry about trying to sing and dance at the same time. Lauren puts them into pairs and they are instructed in box steps and a variation of the grapevine. Then it's time to try it out to music!  They reach a point where some punctuation might be appreciated and Martin suggests an 'oi!', which Giles then accompanies on the drums. A repetition of the routine so far has a few people remembering to 'oi!' if not all, but it's their first time so we'll be kind.  And in fact, it's a deserved kindness, because the next time, they all remember to 'oi!'.

Now it's the turn of the second group, who all have to pretend they have scarves to wave like a local gymnastics team, with touches of flamenco dancing woven into it. One or two are waving their scarves as though they are whips, which may force Lauren into a change of plan, though it still may not involve whips.  I'm pretty certain that as they rehearsed the steps at one point, Lauren prompted them with a "pas de bourree" or some similar technical term, the significance of which will have been lost on 90% of her pupils, but they were copying what she was doing, so who knows, perhaps they'll learn the name of the step at the same time. They seem to be doing almost what Lauren is demonstrating on the next run through though what Lauren will think when she turns round to watch them instead of standing with her back to them and doing the dance with them, who knows. There's a brief rethink of one step as the count changes once the music is added but Lauren quickly comes up with something entirely doable. Round of applause from the other half when they finish and then the dreaded words: let's put the two halves together, shall we?

Though actually, it's not as bad as you might have thought. Lauren has watched some of it, this time, so after the first time through, they have a slow step through before dancing it to the music again.  Celia appears to leave her shoe behind and nearly gets trampled by the second half of the troupe but fortunately retrieves it in time.  Everyone now forms a filled-in vee at which point a very unhelpful Rod calls for a bowling ball but we don't have one so the dancers are safe. The second part of the dance is learnt remarkably quickly - everyone must be in the zone now - so it's back to the top and the whole dance is run. Successfully.

On to song eight now.  As when learning new songs last week, everyone sings it sitting down a couple of times first. It's pitched a little low initially so Steve transposes it and everyone sings it again. It sounds much brighter so Martin hands over again to Lauren and the whole chorus stands up ready to learn the dance. The principals who will have been involved in the scene before the song are placed centre stage once they've been identified and the rest are in a line. There is some debate over the speed of the steps, given the sentiment of the song and the ability of the dancers, but Martin has the final word, so they're slower. Though after a few bars, Martin also decides that the music needs to be a little faster, so it probably meets in the middle. Here is a picture of Lauren trying to instruct some of the chorus:

   Clearly, they're all paying attention.

Some pivot steps are introduced that require the dancers to move back at the same time. One of the dancers asks if they're taking a step backwards but no one answers...  A brief rethink as Lauren establishes that the ultimate stage is not as large as the parish hall but it's only a slight tweak. Arms are supposed to be raised in a high vee though Andy is achieving more of a w, with his head as the central stroke, though doubtless he'll improve (won't he?). For those who watched Third Rock from the Sun, think French Stewart channelling the Big Giant Head. But the steps continue to be issued and kneeling is involved as well as turning in time. The 'helpful' singing from the three people not on stage is of variable volume and accuracy but as they're not the ones who are going to have to sing it in the end, it probably doesn't matter much.  At the next run-through, the chorus ask Lauren to watch them and see if they're doing it right. They're a brave bunch!  It does mean she can see when they're not facing forward but plenty of time to sort out minor details like that. Round of applause for Lauren and it's time to sing through song twelve while the coffees are brought to fruition.

Technically song twelve is for the teen chorus, but several people who are trying to stay young are promoted to 'teenagers' so it's a very loose definition of 'teen'. Pretty much anyone with attitude and a deficiency of grey hair, I think!  Eat your heart out, Mick Jagger.  :-)

Time for coffee and cake. Or tea and biscuits. And congratulations to Scott and Amanda on the arrival of Alistair James.  Much slurping and munching ensues, facilitated by Sandy and Kim, to whom many thanks.

Before we start again, Martin passes on a request from the sports and social club to park cars along the lane in such a way that other people can get round the bend without needing to invoke their insurance policies. Also, congratulations to those Village Players who are also in BCOS and were part of the very successful Guys and Dolls. A reminder about the carols, which will be rehearsed on 16th and 19th (private coaching for anyone who can't manage those dates). Next week, Song Twelve and Song Fourteen, and try not to be too heavy footed on stage.

Now on with Song Nine.  There seems to be some impromptu harmonising on the chorus which Martin thought we would already know, but Martin actually encourages it so that's all right.  It gets one sing through but it's very straight forward so it's on with dancing after that. Beauty decides to sit this number out so that she can take some photos on Kim's behalf, provided she can join in the chorus... It takes all sorts! Kim may not be thrilled with the results as there's one in which Kim appears to be counting the ceiling tiles.  

But back to the dancing. More box steps and some nodding, which is supposed to be just your head rather than your entire top half.  Pointing, which is all supposed to be in the same direction, in spite of Liz's suggestion that one night everyone should point in different directions. That may or may not be the plan (you'll just have to buy a ticket and find out what happens!). Jackie looks as though she may have done the kick step before, which could explain why Steve is sitting on the other side of the hall.  No key change this time, Martin says, to save the Westlife moment for the reprise.  There is discussion about going down and who feels comfortable about it, but the answers are fairly incoherent through the giggles. Some of us have our minds not so much in the gutter as lying a few feet under it.  Anyway, they do the whole number reasonably successfully with Lauren leading the dancing, so now it's time to attempt the dancing while Lauren watches.  Martin sings along but still finds time to remind people to smile while they try to remember the words, the tune and the steps.

Before we finish, since we've made such excellent time, Martin wants to sing through Song Three.  Anyone who wants to do the actions is invited to do so, yet strangely everyone remains seated.

Then it's on to Song Seven again - remember that one? You did it this evening? Not many oi!s were remembered though the steps weren't too bad, but Martin is a stickler for oi!s so it's gone through again. Much better this time!  Lauren's key tip - go home and practise. Shell bring a notebook next week to write down exactly who's doing what, even though she doesn't know any names, so it should be pretty easy to confuse her if you really want to.

Back to Song Eight again. People are in position surprisingly quickly.  Some of them are even singing along in places. Dan gets to the end with a "boo-yar!" (or however it's spelled) of relief because, putting so much effort/passion into it, he's getting rather tired by now. [I found out as we were packing up that he'd been up since 4 this morning and did a 12-hour shift before coming to rehearsal, so frankly, he's done well!]  Twice through but people seem to know it.

And before we finish, a final performance of Song Nine with a chorus that even I know by now. I don't know if it's meant to be an audience song, but they may find the audience joining in by accident in February.  Some of the steps get forgotten but it's nearly 10 o'clock so maybe they're just exhausted after so much dancing.  

Well done, everyone, you've survived another intense week of learning dances and songs together. Next week - more dances!

First rehearsal - Game on!

Welcome to the blog of the Launton Village Players' 2012 pantomime, Beauty and the Beast.  Martin has written another original pantomime, Steve has written some more tunes for the songs, the hall is booked, the read-through and casting done.... time to start the rehearsals for a show that will be performed over the half-term week of the Spring Term.  Better get on with it then!

Everyone has scripts with lyrics in so without any formal welcome, once the clock in the parish hall reaches 7 pm,  it's straight into Song 1.  An email was sent with details of who was needed for each song, so as soon as the song is announced, they all know who is involved.  Singing begins while seated. The tape that Martin and Steve made earlier for rehearsal purposes has been playing in the background and those who made it to the read-through will have heard it already, but even for those who haven't, they seem to be picking it up pretty quickly. There are a few places when the singing gets a little quieter, but it's mostly when the line starts on the off-beat.

Martin now asks for it to be done once more with feeling, and without looking at the words... There is general laughter but at the same time a slightly uneasy sense that he's not entirely joking. The band start up again and off they go again.

Now it's time to look at the moves. Some characters are named and therefore placed first. The rest of the chorus then need to join in groups, which obviously necessitates a lot of conversation.  But Celia is undaunted and the steps are demonstrated, copied and then put to music, with some singing at the same time, augmented by Martin to help the singers work out whereabouts in the song they are.  Part of the dance is reminiscent of Ring-a-Ring-of-Roses, with a script in the middle rather than a pile of handbags, but it doesn't last for very long and I suspect it won't look quite the same by the time a paying audience sees it.  Several practices later and Martin wants to take it from the top, with all audience members singing to bulk up the volume while the chorus concentrates on remembering the dance steps. They get to the end of the song and Martin asks for feedback. Unfortunately, everyone is so excited at having reached the end that they don't hear him. So it's once more through Song 1 before moving on to something else. Martin congratulates all those who were singing really loudly; those who were singing *and smiling* - even better!

In a stunningly logical move, they are now going to have a look at Song 2.  The same structure is applied to learning the song: sing it while sitting down and with the lyric sheet to hand. The key seems to be largely okay, which suits the band as it means they don't have to alter what they're already playing.  After just the one sing through, those involved need to stand and be ready to be put into position. It turns out to be a paean to the hero, so he prepares to be praised with his hand in his pockets while the chorus are instructed on grouping, marching and synchronisation. Martin tells them he's not bothered if they bump into each other at the moment because he reckons they'll soon learn not to. Optimism or experience?  Judging by the way the first verse works, it's experience speaking though it's possible that the floor is bouncing slightly.  The second verse adds a couple of minor characters into the routine which almost sabotages it, but the chorus pulls through and the end of the song is reached. Now Martin wants to add an additional move to the last line of the second verse but because this is largely dancing in safe mode, there is no individual rehearsal of it; it is simply to be included at the end of the next run-through.  The singers have been told to put their song-words down so that they can concentrate better on the dance moves. This makes the singing a little quieter but the dancing is a little heavier-footed.   They all get so carried away with the dance steps that they forget the additional move that Martin wanted at the end of verse 2, so it all has to be done again before they can stop for coffee.  They don't quite know the words well enough yet to remember when they are supposed to stop for the final steps, but doubtless it will come.

There  had been mention of stopping for coffee but in fact Martin wants to see if they can still remember Song 1 - with the instruction 'don't forget to sing, don't forget to smile and don't forget the steps!'  There's a well done from Martin and it's time for coffee.

Coffee and cake later, Martin has a few announcements. Firstly is about the blog, the Facebook group (Launton Village Players) and the twitter name (LauntonPlayers).  No one appears to demur so it looks like I shall get away with it. Next a word about carol singing rehearsal dates. (We will be revisiting those descants and, all being well, learning the Carol of the Bells.) Then Lauren is introduced as a new member who also does choreography and will be making the dances more complicated next week. Tina promotes a wine-tasting night, Steve promotes his gig which unfortunately clashes with the wine-tasting (19th November) and Teni promotes a Regency dance evening (3rd December) for which formal dress and gloves, (but not necessarily a partner), are required.

Now it's on to Song 3, which Teni has choreographed. The ladies and gents are separated for this and Teni has some moves first for the ladies. Mostly it's arm movements at the moment, turning to face the same way, which may be stage left or stage right, I can't remember, but it's right first from where I'm sitting.  Stage front hand has to be kept low, with the other hand curving up and over. The word 'sexy' is mentioned which causes a brief titter, but mostly from the audience as the dancers are trying to concentrate.

Time for the chaps to learn their routine - again, arms are involved, though remembering which arm is down and which way to face may prove challenging for one or two.

The ladies are now put into pairs, working both facing each other and away, still with arms moving, turning and now trying to add some singing. This is more complicated than the first two songs so the run-through is not as immediately successful as the earlier ones.  The ladies step it out again while the chaps prop up the back wall looking worried. However, for the moment, it's only the heroine's father who has to participate.

A few tweaks later and it's time to add the chaps in, swaying more or less in time, though there is some debate about which way people should sway when.  Stop the music, work out the next move which involves pointing thumbs down and fingers up as well for each of several turns. This seems much harder, especially when a few folks develop a fit of the giggles.  Still, Teni persists and a few more steps are learnt.  Back to the beginning and with encouragement and singing from Martin who is actually holding his song words, they get to the end of what has been rehearsed so far.  Trying to stand in two concentric circles with partners seems quite challenging, especially when giggling, but Teni takes them back to the beginning again with a reminder of how some of the moves need to look.

In the circles, the gents have to stand still but their lady partners will be moving on four people. It transpires that it will be easier for everyone if Teni works with each circle individually, so there is more time for the giggles to try to work it out of their systems. Circle one gets it, then circle two - can they both do it to the music? Apparently not... However, time is running short so Martin says they need to do it from the top as best they can. Other than a few people forgetting which way they were turning, it worked reasonably well.  So well, in fact, that...

Song 1 and then Song 2 to show how well they can still remember them before every one is allowed to go home!  It's amazing how well the song words have sunk in already in addition to the steps, which do in fact seem to be mostly there, usually in the right place too.  So while it may not be an actual wrap, the cast are allowed to go home now. What better way to spend a Sunday evening. :-)