Friday is dress rehearsal day

Friday is dress rehearsal day.

We started in our own rehearsal room with a run-through without costumes. That went okay, with a couple of notes. Then it was tea break, and we had another run. This time we had costumes. I counted them; when I am Steven/Tony I have five costumes; when I am Rico I have four. All in a forty-five minute extract. Well, if the first duty of an actor is to come on in the right place, at the right time, in the right costume, this certainly helps encourage us to learn how to do that!

We got through both runs, and had lunch. Then it was time for lunch. After that it was dress rehearsal in the threatre. My first venture on stage was as a representative of the Inquisition for Class A. I sorted out where I was meant to be with the director, and luckily I was able to sit at the back of the theatre and take lots of photos before I was needed at the very end of "The Man From La Mancha". I admit that my biggest concern was that there would be makeup running down my face after I blubbed during "The Impossible Dream". It was beautifully sung and had a huge effect on me.

After that I watched Class B perform an extract from the new version of "Kiss Me Kate" before it was time for Class C.

I'd love to say that I was perfect in my role as Steven/Tony. I wasn't. I went straight to dialogue at one point, missing a short sung section. And the dancing probably wasn't quite 100%. But I did get a wolf-whistle when I stripped down to my boxers, so it's not all bad! Overall, the extract went very well. Even one chap who wasn't convinced he'd be able to get his head around the dancing danced and did just fine!

Then dinner, then we ran the whole lot in the opposite order. My class, with me being the baddie this time (I got booed as I walked off), then Kiss Me Kate, and finally Man From La Mancha.

Then a shower and a trip to the bar. You can bet that the first pint went down a treat!