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

I am now a critically-acclaimed actor! OK, it might be just one critic in a student magazine who has sung my praises, but hey, it's the principle of the thing that counts. After all the years I spent as a music journalist reviewing other people's performances, it cheered me up no end to have someone else write about me and my friends and say that we were good, our show was good, and I was especially good. You can read the review here: http://www.kineticmag.com/reviews/46/ (and for anyone who doesn't know, my RL name is Dave Jennings. So the sixth paragraph is the personally significant section. )

Emboldened by this success, I am making my debut as a song and dance man on Thursday in 'Scratch Express', a simplified version of 'Starlight Express', taking place at the Theatre In The Mill, Bradford at 7:30pm. I play Prince of Wales, the English Train, and get to sing on three numbers and take part in two fairly carefully choreographed dance routines, one of which involves some vigorous high kicking. I've booked a massage for the afternoon of the show in an effort to help my creaking old frame keep up with all the people half my age who I'll be performing with.

If you'd told me ten years ago that in 2006 I'd be a University student singing and dancing to Andrew Lloyd Webber songs in public, I'd have been incredulous and probably outraged. But what the heck - the show may be pretty silly but it has some good tunes in it, and it's all fantastic light relief from the rigours of my final year at Uni. Will the press and public me this time? I'll soon know!

Well done Ormy!

Ah, the roar of the greasepaint, and the smell of the crowd.

I'm sure you'll go far. Though, of course, I have no idea in which direction.

And other such corruptions of theatrical expressions.


Geggs

Excellent review !

Yay!!!!!!!!!!! Great review, Ormy.

Hey there Little Red Riding Hood.....Hum, mumble, can't remember the words.....You're everything a big, bad wolf could want.

a fellow thespian

I'm happy to report that 'Scratch Express' went very well indeed! We got a near sell-out audience who seemed to enjoy it a lot, and nothing noticeable went wrong. I got my dance steps just about right, didn't injure myself or anyone else doing the chorus-line kicking, and sang out strongly. I also finally mastered the Royal wave as part of my characterisation - it's a lazy circling motion with the upturned fingers of one hand, as if you can just barely be bothered to acknowledge the presence of the general public, and I was coached in how to do it by other cast members who are more interested in the Royal Family than I am. I went for an aromatherapy massage (a £12 bargain for students at our Sports Centre) in the afternoon, and I think that was a really good idea - not only did my back feel fine, but I was unusually relaxed before the show. Even our Musical Director, who is difficult to please, said she was really happy and that every one of us in the cast had done well. So I have slain another of my personal s - I no longer have a fear of choreography!

Afterwards, Omar's of Bradford enjoyed a sudden surge in custom as 36 members of BUSOM plus guests turned up for a celebration curry, and there were plenty of group s and after that. So now it's onwards to our next show in mid-December: a concert featuring songs from the early years of modern musical theatre, from the 1920s up to 'Oklahoma!'.

The strange thing is that despite repeated washing, I keep finding specks of stray glitter on my hands. It wasn't part of my stage make-up but it was worn by a couple of other cast members, so I can only think that I picked it up by touching them in the post-show group s. It's as though I've been touched by the Starlight Express, and now its influence won't leave me!

Bravo! Sounds like a glittery evening.

Omar's. Someday I'll make it in there when my taster is working.