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

Ouch. I can definitely sympathise. I have not had that happen to me, but have been the person used to bolster and it was very awkward all round.

To quote my KMK character:

Mud in your eye! Break a leg! !

Hope it's a flaming success.

Tuesday's tech took us from Engagement Party to end of Act 1. It is believed that act 2 will be more straightforward after Murder Murder is out of the way.

Mostly I sat watching. We started by rerunning Engagement Party we finished with on Monday, so it was worth arriving on time and getting mic'ed up. My next scene on stage was the end of Act 1. I assisted in providing backing vocals in Alive with the rest of the cast offstage, clustering around a colour cctv monitor below a rifle mic. Another brief bit of interest was provided by a circulating black-paged album in which the cast were asked to write (in silver ink) a message and signature, as a gift for the director. After the dress rehearsal each page will be filled out with a photo. I wrote "It's hard to write with both hands behind my back" in reference to his repated requests for such a posture in Board of Governors scene.
The Asst Dir'r let everyone know (after one person had been seen sipping from a can on Monday night) that alcohol was strictly prohibited during performances.

A moment of amusement occurred in the brothel/pub scene when the alternative Lucy, who otherwise plays one of the ladies, split her jeans during their dance, and after a couple of minutes offstage returned with her trousers 'invisibly' mended with two-inch white gaffer tape. It was suggested that females in the cast wear costume skirts for the second act, which will both avoid this and enable problems in movement to be gauged.

Eventually got to my death scene which was fairly straightforward. As I expected it took a few runs to determine the correct places to finish my crawls so I could roll safely on being struck. On first run I rolled off raised stage onto lower strip at fron (about a four-inch drop); in a later run did the last fall too far upstage from the step (and thus from the fire strip). The fire strip box is located where the footlights would be if there were any (about a yard downstage of the step onto raised staging). This means it is closer to the Musical Director conducting than to my prone body. It was a bit of a shock for him when it first went off In later tests he ducked down I can now say that from my position it is similar to lying near a three-bar fire. Not too uncomfortable, but from now on of course I'll never see it, as I always have to fall facing upstage.

There are other less drastic flame effects seen in Jekyll's lab, when a lab desk is brought forward through rear doors and contains several Bunsen burners and bubbling glass retorts. The Bunsens flame more violently when Hyde strikes the desk.

Now Friday afternoon. Been a bit busy on a course, and with rehearsals in evenings no time to blog.

So Wednesday was a third tech, Murder Murder and rest of Act 2. Alternative Lucy was embarrassed by a group of the male cst who appeared all sporting wite gaffer tape decoration to their trousers in conscious emulation of her style setting on Tuesday. Harmless ribbing.

For a change had no criticism of my performance from director. This isn't to say my performance was perfect, more that the errors I made were not large enough to figure on his radar. We used the actual newspaper props -facsimile broadsheet of the outer sheet of an issue of The Times from 1834 rathr than ad hoc current broadsheets, all to often inappropriate for large glaring colour images. Some of the entries in old paper were quite interesting, but obviously short on illustrations.

Thursday was first dress rehearsal, this one for the alternatives, who also had their wigs and make-up. For the rest of us it was only costume, but nevertheless highlighted some crucial assistance needed for quick-changes. Ladies were ordered to find someone who would assist them with tightening their corsets in quick changes, as it almost impossible to do it effectively alone.

I gained almost all my costume. I still lack a hat for the Bishop, and a crucifix to wear around my neck. I improvised and wore my monocle around my neck as indicative of the missing jewellery.

The costume wearing also meant the first time working in th dressing rooms. There was a little jostling for position, mostly resolved amicably on a first come first served basis. Due to expectation of delays I turned up soon after 6pm, for a 7:15 start, and didn't have to rush much. Tonight I also have to fit in a vocal warm-up at 6:30 and hat fitting at 7:15 with other men who are currently hatless (Women at 7pm).

Before trying my costume last nght I ate my supper - a chicken sandwich, with a cup of coffee - recalling the stricture not to bring food anywhere near costumes. Then I sought waistcoats, and was given two to try, as well as a working man's belt. Pulling on my Bishop's shoes I tore out the tongue of one shoe entirely , and discovered it had only been lightly tacked in place before. That took a few minutes to restore Of the two waistcoats I ended up wearing the tighter fitting one, as to my initial confusion the larger waistcoat couldn't be fastened together - there were buttons, but they were sewn into the buttonholes, with the side they should have been attached to bare of any fixtures. With velcro something could be done, but velcro was not immediately an option.

I look quite smart when dressed as the Bishop - black shoe, trousers, waistcoat, frock coat; purple bib beneath waistcoat and white collar held with a collar stud.

Second act working man costume is more drab - fawn frayed trousers, brown scuffed boots, brown leather belt, rough scratchy shirt, brown bowler hat, dark brown scarf knotted round neck and tucked into collar, and fingerless wollen gloves. Fortunately thebelt gives me soemwhere I can tuck the newspaper, as tucking into the tight trousers with no pockets would have been very tricky.

Numerous lenghy pauses to adjust lighting cues - it was a tech/dress rather than a full dress rehearsal. Aferward notes several times included the worv 'imploded' to describe how lack of energy from cast had resulted in drastically plummeting entertainment for audience. We must be sharp on cues and in our actions, energetic, stay in character constantly, and ensure we get the story across by clear diction (finishing words).

On the whole it was a successful rehearsal, but it has been performed much better in earlier rehearsals. We have to work past the difficulty of acting under a weight of costume on a more complx stage than in the rehearsal room. Got home and into bed just before midnight.

Tonight the final dress rehearsal. ...

Oh oh oh There has been an unexpected reversal. I am not certain of all the facts but the upshot is that I won't be getting set on fire.

Subject to correction what happened was broadly this: the society asked the theatre some months ago whether we could use the gas flame special effects (as used in the professional production) and the theatre representative gave the The effects were organised with a Special Event Effects company at a cost somewhere over £2k. When we got into the theatre the flame specialist installed, tested and taught the use of the effects to the society backstage crew. The effects (not just my immolation but also those used in Jekyll's lab - Bunsen burners) were used in the tech rehearsals and the tech-dress on Thursday.

Then the Theatre manager became involved somehow and the oversight was brought to light that a policy exists forbidding use of gas cylinders within any government-run leisure facilities. Since the society stage manager is a fireman (and in addition so is one of the principals) various calls were made to see what work arounds were possible. The only way around would be to have a CORGI registered gas-fitter to plumb the cylinder in from outside the theatre. However at one day's notice this was not feasible. Curses

So the second dres rehearsal (with all in costume and make-up and using main principals) was perfromed on Friday sans gas effects I believe strongly-worded complaints are going to be made by the society to the theatre.

It is now Sunday, so first night has passed off, and matinee performance is going to start in a few hours. No time to update blog until later. Great responsive auudience gave standing ovation (though by no means a full house). lighting cue mishap at end of first act will be discussed when I get a chance.

How disappointing. About the gas. But at least we don't have to worry about an accident, now.

Glad opening night was a success.

So now matinee is over too.

On Friday night I started in earnest to be dresser for General Glossop, our elderly patron, who spends most of his time during the performance sitting on a stool to side of stage. In the couple of minutes between Facade and Engagement Party he needs to have his 'outside' cloak and Napoleonic/Beadle from Oliver style hat removed, and his inside cloak hooked on. He also loses his staff and (from Saturday) a pair of gloves. The 'outside' scenes have all men wearing hats. So I acquired a top hat for my costume, for Facade and my murder scene. In the murder scene I have to be careful to ensure I lose the hat to th side of the stage when I am attacked. The beating would be less effective if the hat didn't come off at all, or embarrassing if it came off and rolled to front of stage and couldn't be retrieved before the curtain came down.

Oh yes, the first night error at end of Act 1. In the rehearsals I have been expecting a black out after the murder. However on the first night there I was lying prone (no flames ) with Hyde in a frozen pose behind me, and the stage remained lit with blues. Hyde soon ropped pose and stode off, leaving me in a qunadary. I had been warned I needed to move to avoid being struck by gauze when it flew in, so when I heard it coming down I abandoned my dead position and rolled upstage a couple of feet before resuming stillness. Eventually the iron was dropped in (the iron curtain is dropped to protect the audience from fire, and as a precaution is dropped in every performance to show it is effective) and I was able to get offstage. My movement caused a titter from some of the audience.

It appeared later that what had happened was an unintentional slip on part of lighting technician, who skipped too quickly to next cue, so blackout was all but unnoticeable. I was told that if it happened again trust the backstage crew not to lower gauze on me, and wait for iron to come in, or manual blackout to be performed by stage manager.

On the Sunday matinee the blackout was longer, and my instruction was to roll as before, resuming still position in the blues until the iron was in. It worked fine

- joins in the standing ovation

Shame about the fire thing - particularly as it cost so much. I would expect that the treasurer has steam coming out of his ears at the moment.

When I arrived for the matinee this afternoon I discovered my origami book at my place on dressing table. I had mislaid it a day or two ago, and hadn't realised it was at the theatre No one let me know they had found it and returned it today, so I will have to thank the anonymous person tomorrow at the vocal warm-up. I finished off the zebra I had started (which was still acting as a bookmark in the book) and I popped it into an envelope. Frenchbean I haven't forgotten my promise to send you an elephant, but the zebra is for my great uncle, and I am trying to send him something every few days as he is not long for this world

Today was the turn of the alternatives, and despite some misgivings about Jekyll/Hyde, all three were as magnificent as the main principals they covered. At the end there were some tears of elation shed It was a good show

I flubbed one of my solo lines in Board of Governors , but my tongue twisting was not remarked upon - one of the tricks to good performance is not to react to errors which merely highlights the mistake to the audience. Jekyll admirably ignored my error and the rest of the number went smoothly.

He also had a tricky moment in my murder scene, when he let the last phrase of his line come too soon and then continued to with the earlier part. Fortunately I was able to return sensibly with my line, and the scene went like clockwork from then on

On Saturday night one of the male ensemble (MB) was unable to locate his white bow tie for the engagement party. His honest attempts to locate it prevented him from the underhand swiping of someone else's, which is probably why his one disappeared. I haven't been to most of the other dressing rooms, but I can imagine they are as chaotic as our one. I always try and keep my area clear, and costumes hung up in the same place, and even collect together the shared make-up to ensure it can be found on the next occasion. However not everyone else shares this approach... I promised MB to bring in a white bow tie of my own for the matinee but totally forgot I'll do it tomorrow, even though I noted he was wearing one this afternoon.

I am still picking the odd bit of spirit gum out of my hair. It doesn't come off easily .
I hadn't mentioned the first night party, which took place in a bar a short walk from the theatre. Not much to say really. I went, ate chicken wings had non alcoholic drinks (as I was driving), looked over someone's shoulder at the completed album given to the director - photos on a website apparently - and then left early (before midnight). If interested try this link (it may not work in a few weeks, albums have a limted shef life on Keigs server) http://keigs.photolist.net/index.cgi?ac=fs&gal=4532 Gosh hundreds of photos my firs is no 13, then 55 is similar, both from Facade. If you go far enough you'll see me without sideburns in Murder Murder in my brown costume. No image of me lying dead apparently.

Good photos, Pimms

I'm very disappointed about the flames Was looking forward to seeing photos of it and hearing how it went.

Don't rush with the elephant - I am a patient Fb

After spending a little more time looking through the photos (over 700 of them ) I found one, out of running order, of Hyde standing over me dead (60-741). In the album they had some shots from the previous dress rehearsal with the flames. Unfortunately these shots have not been uploaded for perusal to Keigs server. For those who wish to spot me in my unassuming working man costume look out for 60-438

Sent out another email to colleagues urging them to go to the show, and selling its quality one more time, and feedback from audiences.

Monday night a pleasant surprise Pyrotechnics have been arranged While not a patch on the flame bar they at least provide a couple of seconds of spectacle. There are three fireworks in a row in the position the flame bar was, each one in a cylinder about the size of a baked bean tin, set off by a button pressed by the stage manager at the cue of Hyde throwing the match down at my body. I saw one tested and it gives off a short- lived bright orange flame a couple of feet high.

As far as my performance went I think it was the best so far (which was good as my parents and wife were watching). Afterward my wife said that I appeared to scrunch my face up on stage . Whether this is an effect of the sideburns or something I can alleviate consciously I don't know.

I know it's not what happened, but I now have an image of baked beans flying 2ft into the air as you die

Bad scrunching of the face, or good scrunching?

As long as you're not gurning (there's one chap on the local amdram circuit who really seems to be going for gurning awards on stage) you should be OK.

I'm glad you have some death spectacle back.

225 on Tuesday night (first night with no reductions 3 for 2 etc.) - smallest house so far (1/4 full), but advance sales looking good - increasing from now to Saturday. Good show.

Again had to rush my line in Board of Governors . I had mentioned it to Asst Drr, and she said it was due to previous speech of Jekyll's being a trifle slow, and lack of score for Orchestra to vamp before starting crescendo when Jekyll sings again.

Managed to make right decision when quick thinking required. As Hyde strangles me in murder scene his hip flask fell unnoticed by him from his pocket. This prop is essential if he is to sprinkle me with 'oil' before setting fire to me. I gathered the flask up (surreptitiously) and crawled to position of first strike, dropping flask upstage of me for him to pick up. He noted it then and was able to use it effectively Apparently only two of the baked bean cans went off.

Two of the cast in our dressing room tend to have showers at the theatre immediately after the show, returning to the dressing room in only their towels. Both take great pleasure in shocking the ladies of the company by letting their towels slip I caused some hilarity by using the brush-off line I read somewhere that what they were displaying *was* recognisable "...like a man's prick, only smaller"

They were slightly chastened by this comparison

They deserve chastening for such rude behaviour!