Dress Rehearsal – The Event Horizon

Tonight’s Anthem: ‘Stuck In The Middle’ by Stealer’s Wheel.

After Sundays marathon tech-setup, there was only time to run the first half before being booted out into the street to wander home in a daze, not ready for work on Monday at all. So Monday saw us dive straight into Act 2, without taking a breath in some cases.

After Act 2 was done, Debs gave us some ‘notes’. This is a gentle way of telling people how completely wrong they are playing their part, and it is basically a way of letting of steam for the director. Care must be taken though. Taking the noble tradition of ‘notes’ too far can lead to trouble. It is well known that the First World War started when a Serbian Nationalist critisised Archduke Ferdinand of Austria’s timing on his entrance, and the way he read his speech earlier in the day. Notes before Dress Rehearsal is also a great time to add new stuff.

Then off we went. While hiding behind my curtain, I tripped over a ladder which someone had kindly left, so had to wait for my entrance balanced over a chair on one leg, so as not to make a noise. This gave me a chance to wonder how the yellow gunk in my hair looked – do I look like George Michael circa 1983? Or not? My scene with Ruth went well, couple of minor word-stumbles, mainly due to trying to remember my freshly-taught dance moves. Got them just about right, and managed not to take any furniture out.

You remember what they say about working with children and animals? So do I.

How did the Dress go in the end? Well, Jethro smacked Jayne round the face, Katy got Mike T round the ear’ole, Mike N-S threatened Alison with a stick, I forgot my child in the pub and broke my back, Kate tried to glass Ian then had a breakdown and of it all, Ian said, “Tough”.

I think Debs was pleased in the end.