I have been thinking about writing a blog for some time but couldn't really think of anything interesting to write about so I have resisted until now. I did write a one off MYSPACE blog whilst I was doing the tour of Starlight Express about the day when Kris and I were Gay Bashed by a couple of 10 year olds in between shows in Sunderland, Yes, 10 year olds… However, I reckon I now have a decent enough subject that both me as the blogger and you as the reader can really get stuck into.
For those of you who don't know, I am currently on tour with Cameron Mackintosh’s new production of OLIVER! So, I have decided I am going to take you on the road with me and document my trials and tribulations alongside 2 Fagin’s, 2 Nancy’s, a Dog, 11 cities and god knows how many kids. I am Children’s Resident Director so it’s my first none performing role, a role which I love, a role which is challenging and a role which is insanely rewarding.
My Oliver! Story started whilst I was still in Les Mis. I was Dance Captain and swing, covering 11 parts including understudying Thenardier. Having done 3 years in the show I knew that it was time to move on and gain experiences elsewhere. I knew that Oliver! was going on tour when it finished its run at Drury Lane and I thought back then how I’d love to be involved with it. My original thoughts being as a swing with a possible dance captain responsibility and an obvious second cover, which was the direction my career appeared to be heading. I had been a swing on other shows and I loved the challenge, the variety, the playing 4 roles in one show and obviously the tutting and shoving from the unforgiving ensemble types when your stood in slightly the wrong place!! So being in Oliver, which was one of the first shows I saw back at the Palladium when I was still at school was definitely something that appealed to me. My lovely friend and the person who I should thank for all of this, Adrian Sarple, was my resident director during my second year at Les Mis and who is now Les Mis Associate Director had mentioned to me that they would probably be looking for a Children’s Director and that it was something I should pursue, but I never thought I would ever be considered for it. Plus was I really ready to give up performing?
I ended up auditioning for the show and was given Mr. Bumble material to read and sing. MR.. FRIGGING.. BUMBLE!!!!????? I remember the days when I was auditioning for young, athletic roles.. Anyway, after my recall I was asked to wait outside while they had a chat, so, off I popped into the waiting room and waited for what felt like half an hour. Well, they all came out with their bags, I didn’t know what to do, had they said, “Thanks that’s all we need for today”? Had they said to “Wait outside while we have a chat”? or, had they said “Go to costa and get the coffees in”?
Oh god, I was sweating.
It was at that point Trevor Jackson (Executive Producer and Head of casting) said, “Lets go to the pub”!
WHAT??????
“LETS. GO. TO. THE. PUB”???????!!!!!!
So there I am stood in the pub with Trevor Jackson, Laurence Connor (Director) and Geoff Garrett (Choreographer), THIS WAS RIDICULOUS… These people employ me and I’m stood in a pub talking with them about my role in Les Mis, colleges where I teach and MY EXPERIENCE WITH KIDS!!!!!!!
Was this heading where I thought it was heading?????
It was all a bit of a blur and to be honest I spent the whole time looking at the frigging clock coz I had to get back to Les Mis to do the show set up… Bloody hell!!!!!!.
Anyway we chatted, what about, I aint really got a clue and before I left Trevor asked me to attend the Dance Calls the next morning with Geoff at Pineapple so I could get a feel for the choreography etc…
Anyway, to cut a long story short I attended the dance call the following morning,, got a feel for the choreography then didn’t hear anything for two months…..
I thought this opportunity had passed me by. I knew that it would be a gamble employing somebody with not a great deal of experience, plus I’d never worked with Laurence or Geoff so I’d told myself that I hadn’t got it. They probably had a huge list of people they’d both worked with and trusted who were up for it too. My twelve years of working in the business had taught me that and I was getting pretty good at getting on with my life and forgetting about auditions. So that’s precisely what I did, I got on with things, I finished my contract in Les Mis (which was emotional to say the least) and I put the Oliver! business to the back of my mind.
It was two months later during a tap class at LSMT that I found out I had been offered the role. When I saw BBA (my agent) flashing back at me the last thing I expected was any news on Oliver. However, this was the general gist of the conversation :
Bronia:
“Darling, you have been offered Children’s Director for the tour of OLIVER!”
Me:
“WHAT?… Shit!! … REALLY?”
Bronia:“Yes darling, it’s going to be a challenge, but I’m proud of you and I think you should do it”
Me:
“Ok, I’ll do it”
We opened in Manchester at the Palace Theatre on the 25th January. Manchester has been interesting! Since opening we have put the new local kids into the show, I have done the auditions in Edinburgh and Southampton, rehearsed the local kids from the next venue, auditioned a new set of boys for our June cast change, put on an Oliver and a Dodger cover, lost our amazing Oliver, Gwion who was an original Oliver at Drury Lane, promoted a current gang boy from Spider to Oliver, Emma Dukes fell through a Barrel during Oom Pah Pah, Sir Cameron offered Sam Barks the role of Eponine in the film of Les Mis during the curtain call, I have laughed, been stressed, been proud, been angry, been drunk, gone through nine notepads and cried numerous times all at the expense of these wonderful kids I am so lucky to work with.
The top and bottom of it is, this job is amazing and ‘I’m bloody loving it’.
See you next week for all things Birmingham, the amazing team I’m working with and some hilarious quotes direct from the kids.
