Absent *again*!

Presumably, now that you've all run out of turkey and mince pies (well, nearly), your mind is turning to higher things, such as - "What happened at the last rehearsal?" "How much mulled wine had I drunk before I was supposed to deliver my lines?" "Just how many pieces of Mark's brownies did I eat?"

So, with a humungous smiley face :-) at Simon, Sarah and Charlie who *did* email me and a very severe frowny face >:-(  at the rest of you for the shortage of notes on which to base this blog report, here goes.

We are suffering again from The Case of The Invisible Choreographer, who was stuck in Gloucester (but not Gloucester, Gloucester, because that would lead to a very cheesy joke...) but fortunately Kim has been forewarned of this possibility and therefore has revised some of the dance routines, which are the focus of the rehearsal.  Teni also helps on Song 3, and Daisy just helps. Daisy hasn't been forewarned but she seems to cope anyway!  In spite of it being incredibly cold in the hall, with some people sitting huddled in their coats, no-one feels brave enough (or rich enough) to try feeding a pound coin into the meter to see if this will bring the new fan heaters to life.

We start with Song 1 and this goes quite well despite the absence of more people than just the choreographer.  Being the first number, this is a bonus as the audience will be impressed by the smiley energy and accuracy.  Whether this lulls them into the proverbial false sense of security remains to be seen.  Of course, it helped that Martin had asked everyone who wasn't 'on stage' to join in the singing, saying, "Those who aren't in it can sing," despite the subsequent remark that this was just a rumour.  It seems that "smile" is still the director's favourite word: "You have to look like you're enjoying it -- even you three over there."  Is "smile" perhaps the new "pace"?

We then go on to practise Song 3 - "Kim and Daisy can demonstrate".  There is a misunderstanding about the timing of some words, which isn't entirely helped by the singers trying to work on their dance steps at the same time; after a mix-up about exactly which chord is the cue for the singers to come back in, Martin decides to move on and revisit Song 3 later if time permits.  (It does, and singing  through the song without the distraction of dancing clears everything up.)

On to Song 7, the one without words but which is now known as the Oi! song.  This brings with it technical difficulties for the musicians when Martin suggests that the guitarists have to be on the down-stage-right steps, as there isn't room for them on the stage.  This means that they can't hear  the rest of the band (and vice versa) as they will be situated down-stage-left.  At MD Steve's suggestion, Sarah (who is reinforcing the guitar melody on her clarinet) moves to be with the guitarists DSR, where Miles warns her that she'll have to dress as a gypsy -- and possibly a male one at that! -- if she joins the guitarists.  Of more concern to Sarah is that she will have to  memorize the tune!

Now it's time to practise Song 8 - this may be the one for which Martin suggests to the dancers, "Try to do the same as the person in front of you.  Then if anything goes wrong it's the front row's fault!" - my informant was uncertain. The various members of the band each separately toyed with putting in a cheesy cha-cha-cha ending just to amuse each other.  This is undoubtedly hugely helpful...  Sounds like the band haven't got enough to do!   It inspires  a long discussion about the very end of the song; Martin points out "this is the last note of the first act", so clearly it's important to get it right, especially as the band's final sting is the cue for the last move of the dance.  There are several runs-through of the very end, with various suggestions being made about the timing of Giles's final drum hit, until eventually the band settles on something that works for them as well as for the dancers.  Phew!
 

Song 9 also inspires some debate as Steve wants to add some light and shade and is keen that the singers should continue to make the chorus sound louder than the verses; Martin comments, "I think they hit the chorus because they know the words."  How well he knows us all!

Also in tonight's rehearsal schedule is Song 18.  Cathy is initially the only person to admit to being in group 1.  Others eventually join her.  The chorus are then instructed to try to avoid crashing into each other during this song.  Is this because during any other song it's okay?  We've not been given this specific instruction before...

Doubtless there is more to be related but you're all keeping it secret.  In the meantime, it just remains for me to remind you that Bob has produced DVDs of the dances which are now available for the super low price 50p, get one from Bob and practise over the Christmas break. Next rehearsal is on Monday 2nd January at 7pm, rehearsals thereafter at 6pm.  (Bring a coat!)

BB: In Absentia, or Act Two: The Important Bits

Huge thanks to all of those who sent me info about Sunday's rehearsal - I have attempted to blend your comments into a coherent whole.  With varying degrees of success.  Some key points i.e. several people raised the same issue, have come out of this exercise:

-  Andrew is very tall.

- Nobody knows all the dance moves yet.

- There is likely to be a queue to be the Beast's understudy.

-  Squirting your wife with water in public is highly entertaining. (I'm tempted to add, only if you're Nick, just in case Rod gets any ideas.)

- Charlotte appears to take after her mother in the singing stakes.

So, with apologies to anyone who meant to send something and hasn't quite got round to it yet, and to anyone else who feels slighted in any way, shape or form, here is this week's blog!

ACT TWO - THE IMPORTANT BITS!

The evening started with several cast members handing Christmas cards to other cast members, usually resulting in the traditional Christmas greeting: "Oh. I haven't started writing mine yet."

Martin's voice is going, so Celia asks chorus to be quiet as Martin was talking - he's not got much voice and if he shouts too loud he won't be able to speak to Celia on Monday (or was Celia inciting chorus to be noisy anyway?) Then we get into Act 2, which is simulated by the band starting to play with the lights off. Lights up, and off we go.

There was the part when Suzanne came on and she (and most of the cast) thought Martin was talking to her and giving her directions, when in fact he was talking to the teens.   He said she had to come on using all 3 entrances.  Her reply was, "I know I'm good but I'm not that good."  

There was the time when Beauty was going on her journey and she asked which way then pointed towards the toilets when Miles called out, "Not that way, that's the way to the bog!!!"

There was an awkward pause whilst Tina and Diane had to determine which of the comedy duo men  they wished to flirt with for the duration of the story; Diane did the decent thing and chose her real life husband. Two seconds later, Tina realised  her real life husband  gets to squirt her with water. 

Nick was told he was the washing machine so he can get up to all sorts of nonsense as it is used in one of the messy scenes and was very pleased to hear that he has to squirt Tina in the face!   About to rehearse the washing-machine scene, Martin calls out "Nick: you're the washing-machine, aren't  you?", to which Mark replies "Is he a top loader?"  There follow many bad washing-machine jokes, such as Mark's lame attempt at a joke by saying that someone had 'Nicked' his washing machine!

One of the best bits was when Beauty (who was Beastless on Sunday) was singing one of her songs with Martin when they decided as there was no Beast to leave it - but Steve carried on playing the whole song oblivious to the fact they were no longer singing!

Martin explains to Blossom and Petal that "You're airheads really."

As the teens meet up with the baddy, Martin tells them that they need to be nastier.

There is much excitement from Shirley when she realizes that she gets to slap her thigh!

Martin discovers that Andy (the 3-foot tall goblin) can whistle by putting his foot in his mouth.

After the teen song, Martin comments that the band's volume needs to be about a quarter what it was, and the teens' needs to be about double.

There is some hesitancy to the first attempts made by both teens and adults to rattle off a list of words, one per actor, at speed.

Chris sort of screamed when Martin encouraged the teens to be excited by the baddy.

Charlotte's song was fantastic -  made everyone stop and listen! 

The teenagers' scene with Suzanne... one of the lines they all have to say a word 'mischievous, etc' and it is beginning to shape up as a very funny scene. 

Our lack of knowledge of the penultimate song - some did not even remember we had learnt it... one writer only knowing she stood next to Rod and Jackie, and Ellie only remembered because she wrote it down.  Luckily Lauren will be there next rehearsal!  Or as another cast-member put it, " The chorus forgot some dance moves...."

No need for chocks away, marks off!, we began marching at the start of the penultimate song long before the music had even begun!

Lots of dance routines that people can remember some of but no one can remember all of.  

The words are "we've all had a JOLLY good time"

Smile...smile....smile!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dancing was lacking a leader - we miss you, Lauren.

The solos were brilliant tonight - Obviously lots of work has gone into them already - we have some great singers again this year.

Good Fairy was meant to say "I'll whistle them up" but ended up saying "I'll whistle up them."  (Ed: No flute, then?)

Mark trying to make a scene with a tent look realistic with only a hoodie for a prop - it was an intents scene though...

In one scene, Suzanne refuses to continue until the rest of the people on stage react to her line with the required excitement.

Chris was on form tonight - the most enthusiastic teen of them all. And the moment when Beauty looked up and up ... and up at Andrew. She suddenly realises that both Andrew and Christopher are absolute GIANTS (and it isn't that she is a little vertically challenged) - shame we are doing Beauty & the Beast and not Jack & the Beanstalk!!! - they could play the Giant or the Beanstalk!!!  

Shirley discovers a blindfold causes additional problems when you're not off-script yet.

The beast couldn't get to rehearsal this evening, so Martin stood in for a scene: Beauty and the Director.  Martin Evans reading in for the beast when suits - he was sussed when Beauty was about to kiss him to turn him back to prince!   Beauty seems to have been stood up at the altar......boo-hoo!!!!! 

Catherine got the audience doing farmyard bird impressions.

Walkdowns. Martin realised he's not thought about the order, so Celia stepped in with a decisive, if uncontroversial suggestion: "Children first." Greeted by cheers and laughter, so that's all right then. There is consternation in the band about which tune to play for the walkdowns, with most suggestions having to be rejected because they have just been played or are just about to be played.  They finally settle on Song 1, but in a slightly different style.

Song 18: a few people can't remember where on stage they're meant to be for it. Rod and Cathy discover that it's hard to hold hands if you're on opposite sides of the hall.  Almost everyone forgets to slow down at the end of the finale song, which is then re-run a few times until the speed change has settled down; some members of the cast take the opportunity to suggest modifications to improve the flow of the words.  Finally everyone is happy, and that's a wrap!

At some point there was an interval with some announcements: a request to the carol singers to arrive at Carol and Patrick's fairly early please as they are off the following day to India.  (Presumably they want to do some packing?)  And DVDs of this year's Summer Show were avilable from Simon for a massive £2 - there will also be DVDs of last year's show available next weekend. 

I hope you've found this blog helpful as a summary of events, because I can't be at next week's rehearsal either, so the next one may be a little like this, once we've all *mulled* it over...

Dancing for Posterity

First of all, apologies to Martyn, who was mistakenly referred to as Martin last week. He very kindly didn't say anything, but maybe partly because someone else saved him the trouble.

Secondly - who saw us at the turning on of the Christmas Lights in Bicester on Thursday? It may only have been the first of December but Advent calendars are already being opened, so the Christmas Lights are now ON!

Now, on to this week. Bob is recording the dances so that everyone can have a DVD to rehearse with and first up is Song One. There is some walking through of the steps, some hazier than others, and Celia reminds people what we're doing. Liz suggests that she had thought the sequence of steps was in a different order but apparently that was last year... While everyone practises the steps in this year's order, Bob assembles bits of camera and occasionally leaps up to the high-level tripod to check on the view. Time to record Take One. Bob is a little surprised at this but as Martin says, you never know which take will work. We may have time for a second attempt take, but we'll have to see how the time goes. But despite the laughter at the end, Martin thinks it's pretty good and there's no need to do it again.

Now it's time to do Song Fourteen. If you can't remember the steps for this, Celia reassures us: you haven't done it yet. That is definitely some consolation, though it also means another set of steps to learn. On the plus side, Lauren is back this week, so she'll make sure that we're doing the right thing. Steve and the band start to play, Lauren steps through her notes and everyone copies her and tries to join in the singing at the same time. There is a short section when Lauren doesn't appear to have scheduled any steps but Miles dances enthusiastically through it anyway. We get to the end of the song and Martin thinks we probably know most of it now but Lauren wants to step through it slowly anyway. Holding up two fingers in a family-friendly way encourages some mild naughtiness but that's half the fun of rehearsals! While we all practise holding up the right number of fingers, Sarah tries out some muted saxophone phrases in the latest key-shift. There is some debate about how the song should end and Miles suggests everyone doing the splits - with demonstration - but Andy has already had trouble pirouetting in the right direction and tells Miles he's on his own. By the time we reach the end of the rehearsal to the music, Miles is on his own, but Martin says that since Miles is a named character, it doesn't matter if he does it differently. This is apparently just as well.

Lauren moves on to verse two - I thought we'd got to the end of the song, but apparently not - and some stepping is demonstrated that has to begin on the right. It is decided that always starting on the right is best, mostly because it's easier to remember. She has us all stepping into a low lunge and then there is a pause as she consults her notes. Some of us are a little concerned that we won't be able to get out of the low lunge, at which point Lauren says not to worry, we need to bounce in that position briefly anyway. We run through the song from the beginning now and then carry on into the key-change which feels as though it's changed tempo too, judging by some of the pirouettes. There are quite a lot of pirouettes and some people feel a little unbalanced by the end of the song, leading to some staggering. This has nothing to do with coming to the rehearsal via the pub but is a genuine dizziness issue as none of us can quite manage the fancy head-move that top ballerinas do to help keep their balance. Different options are suggest to avoid the problem but the conversation has to be terminated so that the song can be filmed, mistakes and all. Martin reminds us all that even if we don't know the tune, the words or the steps, we all know how to smile! And in fact for the recording, no one appears to lurch in an ungainly fashion when they should be pirouetting.
Now to try Song Two. Some of the temporary audience have to get up and do some work now. The Prince is unable to be here at the moment so obviously Shirley stands in. Could this be wishful thinking? By the time I've finished typing the sentence, Shirley has sat down and Andrew is standing in instead. Well, he's the right height for a start, if not a little taller, quite apart from being a chap. Martin reminds us of a few of the finer points of this dance and suggests that this will also be done in one take. He's such an optimist! Steve says it was a bit slow and quite a few people forgot to make the ending a little shorter, so we will be doing it again, at a slightly faster pace! Also, Martin would like everyone to look to the front a little more rather than studiously watching the back of the person in front of them. (A demanding optimist, then.) That's better, Martin says, so that's a wrap.

Back to Lauren for a revisit of Song Seven, the instrumental, so at least we don't need to remember any lyrics for this one. There are a few partners missing so some potential kind souls stand in, which will doubtless make the routine much more interesting! Lauren does the first section; you all know that now, says Martin. Jan is shaking her head but once the music starts, she might surprise herself. Recording is about to start and we get another reminder from Martin to SMILE! Four bars in and Martin is already saying how miserable we look and Smile! which leads Jan to scowl at him but actually she smiles at herself scowling, so mission achieved. We get to the end but Martin needs it to be done again for filming purposes, with More Smiling. There is a theme developing here. What it really needs is for Lauren to have a piece of paper pinned to her back with a large Smiley on it, since everyone is watching her so closely. The audience all have fixed grins in an attempt to make them smile, but no one's watching! Even so, we get to the end more or less satisfactorily.

And on to Song Eight. Lyrics again, folks, but Lauren reminds us of the steps first. Martin helpfully puts a chair markers to demonstrate where the side of the stage is, and if anyone wants to be on the stage, they need to be on the right side of the chair. Bob offers to record the first run through, but Martin seems to think this one will be a rehearsal. His optimism is clearly beginning to wear thin. Possibly with reason, as Christine and Lesley take the view partway through that provided they smile, it won't matter if they don't remember the steps. Some of the turns elsewhere are looking very confident, however, particularly from Jackie, who fortunately can't see what's going wrong behind her. Take two is to be recorded for posterity, so make sure we smile for posterity too - this is Martin's appeal so with any luck it'll work. Martin is happy with the outcome of this, so take two is a wrap.

Next we're going to do Song Eighteen. Song words are re-engaged for this and Lauren has a new set of steps to demonstrate. Mark kicks the chair out of his way and is reminded that he has now extended the stage in an impossible manner, but he's asserting himself and kicks it further, promptly followed by putting his hands on his hips. Clearly getting into character. There's so much discussion (chatting) about some of the steps that Lauren has to yell 'Shut up!' at one point, which shocks us all so much that we shut up. It's complicated stuff, Song Eighteen, with handholding and all sorts, so really we do need to shut up.... We run through the first section with the band playing, and it needs to go on record that even though it's not being recorded yet, Jan Is Smiling. Charlotte takes the opportunity to 'accidentally' step on Andy's feet but he just laughs so she's got away with it. He might want to watch out for her elbows in the next step, though. The rest of the steps are demonstrated and it's time to run through the whole thing. Martin says it didn't look bad in a tone that suggests he certainly wasn't expecting it to go well, probably partly because Kim was doing such a good job of smiling front and centre,and Bob presses the record button again. Reach the end and everyone charges for one of Lesley's famous lemon crumbles before Martin can ask us to do it again.

Announcements as the last few of us cram the last few crumblies in. Rehearsal on Monday 2nd January - please could someone volunteer to do the coffees. Christmas lights went brilliantly - thanks to everyone who was there, lots of people in Bicester and Sandra made us a wonderful game to play. Advance notice of the village fete - do we want to do it, June 30th, with the summer show less than a month later? Something to consider. Find your own props for January 2nd if possible. Sunday 18th December there will be photos in the morning for as many nursery rhyme characters as possible. And next week we're running Act Two so have a read-through of it before then.

Back to the rehearsing - Song Twelve! This is our Song with Attitude but not everyone needs to join in the dance. Not quite sure why Mark is up there for the rehearsal but perhaps he likes the song... It's a while since we've done this, it seems and Chris at least has completely forgotten his steps, but I'm sure he'll remember them soon. Especially when Lauren notices him standing still - he does rather stand out! He may get away with it for a bit as Lauren needs to consult her notes and remind herself what's going on. The dancers are told they need to practise the Coffee Grinder move in the kitchen, but Chris is still trying to untangle his very long legs, which for this dance are most definitely not an advantage. Time to record it - but Mark is possibly more of a distraction than a help. Anyone trying to learn this dance from the DVD, don't watch Mark! Charlotte, on the other hand, reckons she deserves a round of applause. Which she does. Lauren runs through the steps in more detail for everyone's benefit and Kim continues to take photos for the website, as well as the programme (in case anyone wants to check it out). This takes a little while before they are ready to record, but eventually they get there while the audience boosts the singing volume by about 98%.

Now Song Nine, which Martin reminds us is the opening song to Act Two. I think he's trying to suggest that therefore it will need Energy, but obviously we will need to Smile too. "From the top, doing any of the moves you remember, and then we'll sort it out." Lauren stands at the front doing the moves in case anyone looks in that direction, which does seem to help. There are a few steps to be rehearsed though Liz seems to have perfected the 'knock-kneed' step that I am still convinced lost Cliff Richard the Eurovision Song Contest back in 197something. Could it be she's a Cliff Richard fan? Whatever, it's time to try recording the song and see whether we can all smile for the DVD. Apparently not... But before we do it again, Martin has been informed by an anonymous source who might know how to make lemon crumblies that it's Ellie's birthday soon, so we have an impromptu birthday wish for her, accompanied by the band, which is probably just as well. While she recovers from the embarrassment, exacerbated by Liz helping her wave her arms in time to the music, we do another take of Song Nine. Christine has a tip to help us all remember to smile for this song: it's like line dancing on a Wednesday afternoon at the nursing home. If that doesn't bring a smile to your face, then nothing will.

Final song to record is the Finale Song, appropriately enough. Everyone is reminded which line they are supposed to be in first, and surprisingly few have to move as a result of this information. Lauren reluctantly stands in for the missing prince but then enters into the part with muscles and chivalry (The Choreographer Latterly Known As Prince). The dancing goes okay but different people reach the end at different times... Celia puts in a request to do the last verse again, generally regarded as a good idea. Martin asks if we can do it again at not quite such a breakneck speed, which even he acknowledges is unusual for him. Quick bowing practice, a reminder to Bob to make sure he's recording, and then we do it for a final time before heading home.
By the way, I misquoted Chris Cook recently, trying to rely on my memory rather than actually checking my facts. There are now 74 days until we do this to an audience. So no pressure, folks!