The Production Week

It is a hugely challenging task to produce a Christmas show in just 14 days!

But after 10 days in the rehearsal room and then, in just 4 days, much plotting of lights, radio mic machinations, sound effect decisions, a multitude of stage manoeuvres, set dressings, costume tweaks, three technical rehearsals, three dress rehearsals, 32 actors, a handful of challenges and much laughter, the first performances on Friday and Saturday went down superbly.

The ease with which this is all possible is down to two things: an incredibly dedicated, professional, creative crew and stage management team at the theatre and the humour, imagination and creativity of our actors. 

Initial audience feedback has been excellent; it is always crucial with these types of shows and performance processes to approach members of the audience after the first couple of performances to properly gauge response.

Three members of our adult audience (randomly approached) said that they loved the fact that it was not a Disney version and that the mix of the traditional and the new was brilliant. They all loved the play-within-a-play idea and the design; said that there was a good amount of audience participation; and that the balance was just about right between the scary and sympathetic aspects of the Beast's character. Phew! However, a fourth lady, having admitted she hated pantomimes and Christmas shows, said she hated it all! Three out of four isn't bad...

As for our young audience, some did find the Beast scary but this did not seem to stop them kissing the actor in the foyer afterwards - without mask, of course - and many wanted photographs with Beauty and her sisters, too.

There is an important tradition at South Hill Park (started by Dominic Barber back in the 1980's) whereby, after all Christmas performances, the company says goodbye to the audience in the foyer. This is a wonderful opportunity for audiences to meet everyone in person, shake hands, kiss, have photographs and even sign autographs. The kids love it. The festive and communal atmosphere created is a wonder to watch.

Just seconds before the start of our first performance on Friday there was an eight year old in tears in the foyer because he thought he was going to be too scared to see the play. However, having seen him in tears, and having chatted to his teacher first, I explained to him that theatres can be very dark and noisy places but that there was nothing to worry about. 

I then asked him if he liked Batman and Spiderman, which he said he did, and told him that the Beast (in our play) wore a mask just like Batman and Spiderman and that he was a good person just like those superheroes. This certainly allowed him to stand at the back of the auditorium for the start of the show and then take his seat during the opening number. Afterwards, he shouted thank you to me as he left the auditorium.

It was a wonderful feeling... theatre is a wonderful thing...

Having now given notes from two performances to two of our teams, it just remains to do the same on Monday for the last team of young actors and then head back to Jersey and the Jersey Arts Centre.

I have learnt a great deal during this working holiday and will perhaps articulate those experiences and thoughts when they have properly developed and defined themselves.