White Rabbit-like, I'm late. Amanda has already started finessing the dancing to Song Eight when I get here - apparently it takes longer than I had realised to drive from York to Bicester and then eat some tea. Anyway, the dancers need to concentrate for this. I suspect the dancers need to concentrate for all of it, but perhaps Amanda just means she needs us to focus. There's a lot of der-der'ing though I think that is meant to represent the count, not the singing. Late arrivers are slotted in in pairs. On the second der, it's up. This may mean something to the dancers (or it may not. Were you concentrating?) and we go back to starting positions. Amanda demonstrates the step involving both the pointy toes and graceful arms and we are all going the same way. Yes, Steve, we *are* all going the same way! Jackie briefly loses her partner Katie so that Amanda can show us how it works with a partner, but most people try to join in during the demo so Amanda has to do it again, slowly. The next step is limited to people who feel comfortable doing it so Steve is skipped but Nick, Andy and Chris amongst others are persuaded to join in. Some take more persuasion than others. The rest of us are allowed to do repeated box steps until 'the end' and no, that's not the end of the song/dance. But it's back to the beginning and Smile! when you sing the words and do the steps. But that's only two-thirds of the way through, so there's still another few steps to master. Now there's some jogging involved to move from an arched line to straight lines/blocks. Andy and Jan, and also Nick and Kim have to move back a bit - they're clearly keen on being front and centre but Amanda's not ready for them to do that yet. The joggers now have to organise ourselves by height, which bizarrely requires much giggling and chatter but we get there and are given additional steps in our pairs. Amanda is now demonstrating with Jackie so poor old Katie is having to work solo temporarily. We're rolling out to box steps rather than barrels but I'm still a little concerned and clearly so is Amanda as she wants to do this bit slowed down some. However, it works (more or less)! Once more with Amanda dancing in front and then she wants to do it again and watch. Martin wants us to sing, smile and move - a demanding taskmaster! There are a few worried faces in places and some arms and feet that don't move quite in sync with the rest but it's good enough for now, and Amanda wants us to revisit Song Two, which we did last week - can we still remember it?
Rod and Steve aren't quite sure what they should be doing as they weren't given specific instructions last week but Amanda has plans for them, including galloping on. Rod is dubious... Most of the song goes reasonably well, considering, but the middle bit needs a little work. Since Millie is here with Amanda, she gets a preview of what the children will be doing in this song and stands stage left with Sandy. Martin has a couple of reminders for us all regarding other things/people on the stage at this time so everyone except the back row has to take a step back and get a little tighter (though not in an alcoholic sense) before we run it again. Jackie takes huge pleasure from the galloping, to judge by the smile on her face. It's pretty good, so we get a chance to learn another new dance routine.
Song Nine needs debate. There are only two lines of dialogue at the beginning of Act Two before the song starts, so Martin is in favour of everyone being in place before the lights come up. Amanda has planned choreography based on everyone moving into place from the scene. A decision is reached. People are arranged in pairs to form square sets. Cathy is given the opportunity to be left out of this dance as she has a line after it, but she's happy to dance anyway. As we try to work out who is still missing from the positions, Dan is mentioned. Martin notices Steve sitting down and says in that case Dan can't be doing it. I definitely heard Steve say he would do it in that case, a comment he quickly retracts as soon as he realises he inadvertently said it out loud. There will be some inner circles and Martin suggests that maybe Beauty could be moved from circle to circle in the course of the dance but Beauty remains seated for now; time will tell. Circles are formed, unformed and reshaped into squares, then there are turns and bounces followed by a Charleston. Just in case this is too easy, we now need to do something which is subsequently named the Charleston flip step - turning and touching the heel of our right feet in the process. We now run the song this far, particularly with half the circles facing out so that we are also facing forward. Some chassées and more cross-turn-bounce before Amanda has to leave and Martin wants to start the rehearsal proper. Fortunately, Amanda can probably make it to Friday's rehearsal so for now, we just rerun Song Eight to help embed it.
We’re starting Act Two for real at this point, so everyone needs to get into position to try out the choreography Amanda has just given us now that she's gone. Beauty tries to join in with the occasional bounce but she hasn't been given specific instructions yet so it's a little tricky for her. The rest of us don't do a bad job, though Amanda might not have shared my opinion had she been here.
Anyway, the action starts. Beauty's attempt at sounding positive isn't positive enough and I wonder if she should slap her thigh at this point, but Martin doesn't suggest it. Dan is unfortunately off saving lives again so Jackie stands in, though the Dame calls her Boris. Or Doris. One or the other. Or maybe that was Steve? At the next line, about signing for the delivery, Jackie is the one who has to bend over - perhaps that's why she was volunteered for the role of stand-in. Mark soon has to describe Steve as an idiot and Diane is forced to defend him, so some serious acting called for. We get to the end of the scene with Celia making occasional notes about additional acquisitions that need to be made, including wet socks. Obviously.
Charlotte does her solo to much applause again and that scene proceeds pretty well, though she and Daisy still need to work on the second half of their dance.
Next up (ish) is the teen scene and we have a full complement of teens, eight of them. Their coffee grinders are all pretty good, though the singing is still a little quiet but perhaps it's just that not enough of the 'audience' are singing along with them. After the first time, Martin asks for a repeat, with a little more attitude and volume in the singing, and he adds Suzanne to the stage presence, though she doesn't need to join in the dancing (shame!). He also asks Giles to play a little quieter - so that'll be a challenge! The audience are asked not to join in the singing this time. For a group of eight teenagers, they're just not yet scary enough but I'm sure they can practise that. Shirley gets to tie herself up and does it remarkably quickly so Andy assumes audibly that she's done that before. Cue much laughter.
Diane and Tina ham their next scene up considerably to much amusement though Tina grabs her stick at the wrong end initially (also the cause of much amusement). The beating goes well but Martin asks for it to be done again, despite Mark's protests, because they need to time it with the drums. After a third attempt at perfecting beating Mark, Tina and Diane appear to channel the Keystone Cops but Martin is happy to move on for now. Mark appeared to be asking for another rehearsal but perhaps he was being ironic.
We're getting ready for another chorus number now and Jenni acquires a line, though she has to deliver it with a bit more welly, which is administered via an additional five voices. The step-slide manoeuvre in the next dance leaves a few of the back line, notably Liz, Sandy and Chris, narrowly avoiding a full-on collision with the back wall but they soldier on nobly. Miles develops an interesting distribution method for the sweets that involves his feet but Martin may not allow him to do that on the night.
The lights are dimmed for the special effects scene rehearsal which presents a problem for the musicians who can no longer see their music. Someone finds a light for Steve and another light is shone on Sarah's music so that she can see. There's a brief rehearsal in the dark so we can all we how it works but then Martin is prepared to have the lights back on so he can direct those involved more easily. He (possibly foolishly) says that after this rehearsal of the scene we will stop for coffee, which means that all those not involved in the scene are in line within seconds, hoping to be first up for choice of cake, presumably. Fortunately it's not a problem for those rehearsing and even the band is in line before Martin has finished talking to the rehearsers. (Disclaimer: This did not include Giles.)
Lots of homemade cake later, announcements:
· Street promotion next Saturday with Teni, Tina, Simon and Sarah in Sheep Street - please support them!
· Four weeks tonight it will all be over! 400 tickets sold already, get more sold. There will be more big boards going up when Bob is available to help. But push Thursday evening especially!
· Painting - next weekend, please, all welcome, however minimal your painting skills. There's a big set so Gordon needs lots of help.
· Costumes - Jackie and Cathy are making fantastic progress. Next Sunday from 11 a.m. chorus up at the barn for a costume call.
· There's also a children's rehearsal next Sunday 10 to 11.30 in the hall. If any can be around in the evening between 6 and 7 too that would be great.
· Another rehearsal next Friday of anything for which we have the cast.
· Socks - please lend them if you can. They're only going to get wet! They don't even need to be clean (though they won't get washed).
· Info sheets to Rob for the programme - if you don't get them to him, he will make up something embarrassing for you ("he does anyway!").
· Donations for Martyn - there is a box that will be brought for the next few rehearsals.
· Teens - please get hold of leggings or jogging bottoms - you need to look like little thugs (or in Chris’s and Andrew's cases, big thugs).
And now back to the action. Andy demonstrates severe grumpiness most successfully though he might find a set of shoe trees helpful! Tina and Diane have to indulge in some clasping which they do for longer than is possibly necessary (could someone please tell Keith at the Black Bull, I'm still trying to persuade him to come to the show!) but it's probably part of their hamming.
Someone has been plaiting the Beast's hair and he's looking rather too fashionable so some unbraiding will have to take place at some point.
The Chief Goodie tries to run through how the audience participation is going to work and considering we have the script (or at least have seen it), we seem to be remarkably slow on the uptake. Suzanne asks at a time-critical moment if we can run through it again but she is ignored; is this an experience she is used to? We’ll have to ask Mark.
Beauty gets to the Beast and is concerned initially that he is dead. However, the shuddering laughter would indicate that she is wrong. This distracts both of them from delivering lines, or even what the lines are. Never mind, Hilary is here! Fortunately, they have both recovered by the time they reach the love duet. The hand-holding and cat-calling induce more giggles but they just about reach the end of the song.
Lots of people assemble in the wings ready for the next entrance, but Martin reminds us that only named characters, who have a line, should be coming on. Poor Emily and Jan sidle back to their seats. Nairne and Charlie are so busy spatting that I thought for a moment they weren't paying attention but it seems they were actually acting. Martin then gets us to run through the scene again but with a little movement choreographed into it so that it looks more natural. There's a general reminder that if you can't see the audience, they're looking at your back. They run the scene again and it works better though Martin has been taking notes.
Time now for Catherine's solo again which is even better than last time I heard it. Some of her dance steps... Well, you'll have to buy a ticket and come and make your own decision.
The walk-down goes well enough but anyone who thought it would be time to go home gets a timely reminder from Martin - we're going from the beginning again. Back to the opening song for Act One! We've all warmed up by now so the lines and laughs come - well, if not thick and fast, at least relatively fluently. Although Charlotte seems uncertain about the direction she should be crawling in and Sandy has to duck out of the way.
Matthew does a semi-gallop across the stage but his 'horse' is not only too far behind him but has also failed to acquire any coconut halves. Monty Python have nothing to worry about.
For the hunting scene, there is a difference of opinion between Martin and Sarah about the build-up so although Sarah has played something, Martin continues to demonstrates a dum-de-dum until Sarah takes the hint. Suzanne varies the cue for the mass exit of the chorus but they don't realise this until Martin points it out though then they beetle off quickly enough.
Beauty is perfecting the delivery of her goody-goody lines to the point that several members of the audience are nauseated in addition to the cast, so this bodes well for the performance, which, as I've already mentioned, is less than a month away.
We stop after a short while to revisit Songs Eight and Nine, which were done earlier in the evening so the possibility of having forgotten them already is pretty high. Between us, we probably remember the whole of Song Eight, though there are a few patchy sections of chorus line. Consequently, Martin wants it done again. It's um better, according to Martin, but for now it's best to move on to Song Nine.
This is slightly dodgier. I suspect that it is not meant to be a comedy number, nor is it meant to be completely static in verse two but so many people have forgotten how it's supposed to go that there's no one to follow/copy. However, Martin is deep in conversation and Amanda isn't here so the best thing is probably to give up for now, which is what we do.
I'm away again next Sunday (and Friday too, for what it's worth) so if you want a blog update for those rehearsals, I'm going to need some notes off you again. Email them ASAP and we'll see what happens!
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