h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Though mentioned in my other blog type threads I realise I hadn't started one specifically for the Merry Widow.

This will be performed at the end of October. Rehearsals started sometime in April I believe, but I didn't join the cast until early June having been asked to step into the breach at the end of May (F116773?thread=3061860&skip=11&show=20).

It has been a trial, coming in on a partially blocked and rehearsed show, and trying to fit it around other commitments. This coming month is the worst, and has caused much moaning and gnashing of teeth, with numerous clashes to resolve. Last night I was released unexpectedly early from a Merry Widow rehearsal, allowing me to attend most of an equally vital Jekyll&Hyde rehearsal.

For fun, having okayed it with director I sported my monocle - "to help me get into character". I also got to see a local magazine that had me in part of a group on the front cover promoting the show. This was from the photos taken in mid July.

When I did Me and My Girl, I found it invaluable to sport my monocle at as many rehearsals as possible. It does help with character, but you also need to practice keeping it in place, as if you relax the wrong muscles, it pops out.

Monocles look like they would be uncomfortable.

Doing one play would be fun. Two at the same time sounds really stressful.

Yes, Pimms, tell us. How *do* you manage to do two plays at once and keep the characters straight? I can't imagine.....

It is fairly simple for the timing of the things I'm doing. One isn't for ages, the other is in a couple of weeks (which concentrates the mind ). When at one rehearsal one's mind is on that one, and recalls the stuff neccessary for that one. Have you not similarly found things easy to recall in one location, and not even thought of elsewhere - I often plan something at home and completely forget to even consider it at work, and vice versa.

As far as characters it might be tricky if I had large parts, demanding large amounts of lines and cues to be learnt (chance would be a fine thing ), but the roles I have at the moment are pretty two-dimensional - existing to give the main characters something to talk to, and to have to react to *their* eloquence.

This evening's rehearsal went over several scenes repeatedly to allow the director to tweak where it was not quite how he wanted it. One scene involves me and a lady (and four other couples) waltzing around in a circle while supposedly humming the Merry Widow waltz. It is quite tricky (for me anyway) to get the straights and turns in correctly, and keep position with the other couples.

Monocle admired by a few of the cast (last night it was only principals who saw it). It stayed in fairly well, and I found the first point I wish to deliberately drop it out in astonishment For information it is a plain glass disk rimmed with a gold-coloured metal which has two curved supports sprouting from it, top and bottom. These supports are what fit into the eye socket, resting on the cheek and below the eyebrow ridge. Without these the glass would have to be even closer to the eye. As it is the eyelashes tend to brush against it and smudge it. There is also a narrow black velvet ribbon which goes around the neck and is attached to a small ring on the edge of the monocle.

The director was amenable last night to doing the one part I am in (the septet) out of order, to allow me to get away to another rehearsal. We went over it several times. It is getting better, but some parts are a little sloppy still. Each move or action is quite simple, but remembering the order they come in, with large amounts of repetition of choruses is a struggle.

Next rehearsal tonight, then one Sunday evening (after having had an afternoon with the first blocking rehearsal for J&H)

Skipped out yesterday after only the first act done to go to J&H first blocking rehearsal. I had said I couldn't make the rehearsal at all, so better than nothing.

As mentioned in J&H thread the size of the rehearsal room is critical. The Gilbert and Sullivan society tend to rehearse in one church hall, which is more than wide enough, but not quite deep enough. It is a constant struggle for the musical director, who repeatedly has to point out that he is conducting from the middle of the stage, and finds the cast have drifted well away from the centre line. Another drawback is the fact they can't mark out the stage on the floor, so entrances and set are indicated by chairs. These are a little too liable to be misplaced (often making the width of stage too generous), removed to mark something else, or just for someone to sit on

Yes, not being accurate about rehearsal space can cause problems when you get into the theatre - especially in scenes where there is a lot of 'business' and people moving into positions at specific times. We found this in the opening scene of Half a Sixpence - the 'shop ballet' - where virtually everyone in the cast (apart from one principal, I think!) was onstage moving in and out and through the shop. I'd say chaos, but that doesn't come close...

Slightly rehearsal last night. Although rehearsal dates had been given out in September for most of October, an oversight meant that Monday and Tuesday dates didn't have a valid rehearsal venue. So on Friday's rehearsal we were told there *would* be a rehearsal on Monday, but the venue would be announced on Sunday once somewhere had been found.

Fortunately my week of intensive blocking rehearsals for J&H was due to finish on Sunday, going back to Tuesday to Thursday rehearsals. So the J&H rooms would be free on Monday evening. A fellow Merry Widow cast member and lapsed committee member of the J&H group arranged to use the J&H rooms.

So we ended up rehearsing one show in rooms far more familiar to me for a different one. I was able to assist due to my familiarity with the rooms - how to turn on extractor fans (when it got a bit hot), turn off push button tap, use water heater, find tea towels. As the only cast member in both shows I ended up being given the keys to the rooms to do the locking up and return to the chairperson of J&H group tonight when I rehearse J&H after I've picked up and tried on my costumes for Merry Widow ('only' a costume call for MW tonight, though I have volunteered to take an emptied costume container down to the theatre too)
After today it will be Merry Widow only until the end of the month. We had the stage manager present during rehearsal, and he was quite firm about keeping schtum when offstage, having seen the amount of chattering going on during rehearsal which was making Director's efforts to direct more difficult to get across. People wouldn't be politely asked to keep it quiet, they would be more likely to get a slap from him or the ASM. "Start practising silence now" he said. Good to hear it said with no shilly shallying. doesn't cut it if used repeatedly.

An advantage to being in J&H rooms was the stage was the right width and depth, so more realistic spacing could be adopted. We also had opportunity to practice a short waltzing scene and adapt it a few times for the revised entrances decided on, and spacing the director wants. Though I was hopeless the first few rehearsals my partner and I can now waltz so that it is almost enjoyable We both get a bit dizzy by end of sequence though (it ends with us spinning around to an increasing tempo )

Stage Managers are good for things like noise control and general scariness.

They slap people? They can get away with that? I really want to slap noisy library patrons.

The warning is usually sufficient to curb the behaviour. I haven't seen it carried out (yet)

Last night was the costume call. I turned up at the wrong place I knew it was in a church hall, but assumed it was the same one I'd been to before for costume calls. First time (at 5pm) I just thought I was too early and returned home for half an hour. Second time I made sure I had my mobile and contact numbers, and when I realised I must be in wrong place called up chairman and he told me where I should be.

The costumes were laid out on rows of chairs in the hall, with a small paper label pinned to top to indicate member they were intended for. I, like most of the cast, had to try on two costumes so Wardrobe mistress and director could see effect, and identify early any problems that needed sorting out. First costume was white tie and tails with blue sash, second 'Pontevedrian national dress' - read 'colourful peasant costume'.

The costumes provided are not the same ones I wore for the photo call in June (or whenever it was). The black evening dress trousers could have fitted a *considerably* more portly gentleman. Naturally I had neglected to bring a pair of braces (or cufflinks) so my appearance was not as dapper as I would have liked.

The upshot of the outsize trousers (it never seems to make much difference what dimensions are measured by Wardrobe earlier in the year that supposedly are used to order the correct size of costume) was that I was recommended to wear my own trousers from my DJ suit. The male cast are already wearing their own wing-collar shirts and providing their own white gloves and black shoes. I am also opting to use my own white bow tie rather than the pre-tied rubbish that came with the costume. oh - and the monocle is my own too.

So, of the evening dress costume supplied, I will only be using the tail coat and white backless waistcoat.

I wear the same black Oxford shoes for the Pontevedrian costume, but disguised as boots by using cunning knee-high black-leather-effect leggings that rest over the shoes, with a flap covering the laces. The rest of the costume is not so subtle . Above the boots are hugely baggy black trousers, a loose off-white smock (with baggy sleeves), a brightly embroidered blue long quilted sleeveless jacket with small furry white pompoms, all topped with a brown furry brimless hat - the kind of shape you'd get by cutting the pointy bit off a cone and wearing the remainder so the flat top is bigger than the bit being worn.

"small furry white pompoms"

Do it yourself costuming for evening dress is often the best option!

Last principal rehearsal was tonight. I was a bit late as I'd had to pick my parents up from the airport, and their flight was delayed. I'd let the Chairman and Director know, and it was

Re-reading the blog I realise I've forgotten to mention that I've changed how I wear the monocle. Using the riboon over the neck often led to it being pulled out unexpectedly when turning the head, or to the ribbon being pulled across the cheek. I think the correct way to wear it is to have the ribbon attached to the chest, not over the neck. It works much better buttoned to shirt.

Went over the septet several times. It will be a miracle if we all do all the right steps at the same time, on any night.

Which reminds me of the cutting remark made in the last J&H rehearsal about the G&S group by the musical director of my other group (who is local and prolificly used as a musical director by several different groups, including the G&S). He has seen a Merry Widow rehearsal, and in order to encourage the J&H ensemble who were getting fidgety with the Assistant Director's attention to detail, told them that this pernicketyness did pay off. He said that they ought to see the G&S dancing to appreciate how good Jekyll & Hyde was going to look. While he did admit G&S singing ws excellent (particularly main soloists), he is right that the direction of choreography does tend to be more general and hopeful, than explicit and demanding. s the only person at the J&H rehearsal in the Merry Widow it did come across as a bit of a dig at me, and one chap gave me a commiseratory

Have a from me as well.

Much travelling yesterday . The rehearsal (that word is really irritating me, I so often mistype it ) took place the other side of the Island (as we have an arrangement to use a secondary school's main hall there for a couple of nights before we start at the theatre, which is needed when we want to have the full orchestra playing and enough room for the cast to do the singing, acting and dancing).


I took the day off work to help my wife. She usually runs a stall selling her bread at an organic market one day a week, but yesterday needed to do more baking for an evening 'International Food Festival' a school was running. Mrs Pimms dropped me off with the bread and took the car back. I sold out everything soon after lunch, and coerced my mother (similarly helping out, but in her case assisting my brother who sells organic herbs) to drive me back to her home and lend me her car, so I could get to my home and have the vital second car to enable me to get to the Merry Widow r thing, while Mrs P went South to her festival.


The rehearsal went well, though I was a little peeved to be picked up on something I was doing differently from the others in the septet. It transpired that at some point when I was not present since the dance was originally set one move had been changed (from a throwing of the head sideways to indicate a slap to the face, to using one's own hand to demonstrate the slapping action). I wouldn't have argued but, being at the end of the line I can't see any of the others at that point in the number, and no one had *ever* pointed out that I was doing something different before

We do the whole thing again tonight at the school, as far as possible in costume too. It should throw up a few difficulties.

The weekend is over. Since I last wrote we have had the second r thing at the school, and the first tech r on the theatre stage.

Today I found out from one of my fellow cast members that she has been reading the blog (and the J&H one) with interest Possibly a rash move on my part to let people in the show know I am writing a blog. My veiled criticisms of unnamed persons will be all too plain to someone intimately involved.

Ho hum. I don't think I've said anything too unforgivable really. She is probably a little puzzled why anyone would want to read someone else's theatre diary if not for gossip about people they know. Maybe I'm making her appear a little too prurient - you know who you are.

Anyway. The first costume rehearsal identified three problems for me: my cossack hat was a little too loose (it came off when jumping on the spot in the septet); my cufflinks were a little too fiddly; and my tailcoat was so malodorous it felt like I was being followed by a tramp who hadn't washed in a year.

These initial problems were resolved by swapping hats with someone else, changing cufflinks once I'd got home, and searching out a dry cleaners on Saturday morning for same day service. The hat swap has provided me a hat which I'd say is now a little too small . I can get it on my head, but after ten minutes or so it has left a red welt so I resemble a Slitheen in a body skin about to unzip my forehead (for those who've seen Doctor Who in the last year)

For some, Sunday started at 10am at the theatre, after the request for all cast who could to assist in the set-building. I held off until 2pm, partly to assuage my wife (who has missed out on a lot of quality time this month, and enjoyed a riverside walk with me, the dog and my daughter on her bike), and partly in the hope that they might have finished by the time I arrived Faint chance. The set building was compared to buying a flatpack house at IKEA and not being given any instructions. Nearly all parts were labelled, but these numbered and partly named parts could only be put together by reference to a couple of floor plans and pictures of models of the set which did not refer to the piece numbers on the flats. In addition it transpired that some parts had been supplied as alternatives which could be used on a smaller stage, (not that this had been made clear on the pieces themselves or in any notes) and were thus superfluous. Identifying the right pieces to use was thus problematic (particularly with the grand staircase). Further problems (fairly easily resolved) were caused by loose and missing hinge brackets. Some parts of the set were constructed like a jigsaw, turning flats around to try and match up the brackets

After much of the set had been variously constructed and moved around it was time for the talk by the sound engineers to those going to be using them on how to use the radio mics. Old news to me

Previously the G&S have not used mics, relying on normal voice projection. Easing into it slowly the mics are only going to be used when absolutely necessary - whenever a soloist needs to be heard over the orchestra or other singers. This means that dialogue won't be mic'ed unless the orchestra is playing underneath, and that I for instance only require a mic because I have the odd word sung solo in the septet "Women Women Women" (mostly the word "Women" surpringly ) After that my mic pack is given to one of the Grisettes (Jou Jou) for their Act 3 number.
The Grisettes (Cabaret Soubrettes / burlesque "Can Can" dancers) had an upset when they saw their props. The director had been assured their canes were going to be belly high, and they had practised with cut down broomsticks. The actual props supplied are black poles taller than the girls are, with a silver doorknob on the top

After the mic talk I realised I had brought all my costume down tot he theatre except my shoes. I couldn't wear my brown boat shoes with white tie and tails! A speedy rush home allowed me to pick up the shoes, some pate and crackers for a snack, and to return to discover my convenient parking spot had been filled in the few minutes I was away

My tailcoat is still somewhat fragrant, but it can be imagined that this is just a pungent floral scent, rather than that something had died and been stitched into the lining of the underarms.

The tech rehearsal went quite well, running smoothly apart from a few hiccups, such as the need to provide foldback onto the stage. The musical director was temporarily irritated by the inability of the cast to keep in time with the music, until it was pointed out we couldn't really hear it. It is surprising, when used to listening from the audience, how much the acoustics on stage differ. The MD thought we should have been able to tell how fast to go from his conducting (relayed to a colour monitor in the middle of the dress circle), but without hearing the music he was just waving his arms.