| | One week to go and some things are falling into place. Others are not. The chorus, especially the women's chorus, are patchy in the extreme, missing entries and forgetting movements. Some of the ladies, I know, are watching me, something I have asked them not to do, again and again. It's all very well watching what other people are doing, but it's not inconceivable that I might go wrong - it has been known! - and then if that's the case that's a chunk of the chorus confused. They seem to be remembering more bits each time, but there is the inevitable, "where do I come on? Am I next to you?" each week - and when people are talking, then don't know when they should start singing as a result - honestly, they're like children in that respect. I was frustrated on Tuesday, when we were going over exactly the same moves in the rehearsal as on the Sunday rehearsal. The chorus, however, have nothing on Nanki-Poo. He is certainly at the top of my "Little List," and that of probably every member of staff. He makes it quite clear by his behaviour that we should be greatly privileged to have him with us, and that it is at great cost to him that he is taking part. He misses half of the rehearsals for one reason or another, and we have had a variety of people standing in for him. I think I've acted with him twice, or maybe three times. On Thursday, he condescended to turn up, but botched his lines, repeatedy; requested, nay, demanded, that the bench on which he woos Yum-Yum be removed from the set, because "it gets in the way." If no one else has a problem with that bench being there, it stands to reason that it is not the bench that is in the wrong place, but Nanki-Poo himself. I'm sorry, Nanki-Poo, but you have forfeited your right to complain or criticise. In addition, he has criticised other members of cast, refused to practise the parts he gets wrong, and whenever he's on stage but not actually doing anything, he stands there looking bored. And it throws everyone else. I know I felt self-conscious, uncomfortable, and unable to act around him, his bad attitude was so smothering. I had so much respect for him in Oliver! I looked up to him as a near-professional, but in The Mikado he has proved himself to be about the most unprofessional person I have ever met, even more so than the Prima Donna. My feelings towards him have gone from disappointment and disilluionment, to disdain, to utter disgust. No one else would be allowed to get away with this, but no one's said anything to him for fear that he might stomp out, or because he is the one and only [Nanki-Poo.] This has been a rather vitriolic blog, and I apologise for that. But it is upsetting that the show, and the mood, is being spoilt for everyone because of one man. If I do something, I will do it whole-heartedly, and I am always disappointed when other people don't live by the same standards. Our costumes turned up on Thursday, which I had been looking forward to immensely. In the car on the way to the theatre, we were speculating what colour kimonos we would like to wear. I suggested turquoise, because I have some lovely turquoise eye-shadow that I wanted to match with the outfit. When I arrived, imagine my pleasure when I was handed... a turquoise kimono! Along with a Japanese-style wig and two obis. The kimono is reversable; we wear them one way around for act one, when we're coming from school, and the other way in act 2, when we're preparing for Yum-Yum's wedding and the Mikado's arrival in the town of Titipu. (Yes, really.) As Pitti-Sing, I wear a burgundy-ish kimono, and wave a pretty, but fairly useless, cardboard pink fan. I'm keeping my own obi though, as I'm smaller than Pitti-Sing-1. As it is, I will need several safety pins! I was Pitti-Sing on Thursday, so I was the first to rehearse in that costume. Pitti's wig is nicer than the chorus, but it got rather scruffy after "The Criminal Cried" scene, which involves much kneeling and grovelling. I was pretty sure it was slipping by the finale. Again, many pins will be needed, of the hair variety this time. Wearing the wig I felt like an actress for the first time. In Oliver! I had great fun, stepped into character easily, but just felt like myself playing make-believe or telling a story. Looking in the mirror, with my make-up and black bobbed wig, I felt like a proper actress, in the changing rooms of 100 years ago. Jessie Bond, I think was the original Pitti-Sing. For a moment I made believe I was her. Three more rehearsals to go; one as Pitti-Sing and two in the chorus. Then Wednesday we open. I've heard the orchestra; they had their first rehearsal last Sunday. I went along, with Pitti-Sing-1, Pitti-Sing-1's boyfriend, Peep-Bo, Katisha, The Mikado and one of the male chorus members, and we all sang along. It's a fabulous, 22-piece orchestra taking up the whole space in front of the stage, and as they started up, I felt as excited as if I was watching a long-awaited show; Wicked, perhaps, or Phantom, at the West End, or when Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King came out in the cinema. It really makes it feel real. I can't wait for when we have costumes, make-up, lights and orchestra all together. Though I will only twice more be Pitti-Sing. One more rehearsal - then the real thing. I'm not ready. I know my words, my moves, my character and my harmonies - though I still went wrong on Thursday. In my recit before "he's going to marry Yum-Yum," I came in too soon, but that was a one-off. I usually get it right. I was also accused of "scooping," or sliding from one note to another instead of hitting the notes "crisply in the middle." ("That's fine for musical theatre, Katherine, but not for G and S.") Also I got the rhythm wrong in my verse of "Braid the Raven Hair." I have been practising those things over and over ever since. I think I've got it - but where the rest of the cast have three rehearsals left, I've only got one in which to get it all spot-on. Pitti-1 has got two, so even she's better off. Still, Olwen, the director, said that if I can do this, (learn two parts simultaneously,) it'll be a feather in my cap. The other reason I'm not ready is that I don't want to let go of Pitti-Sing. She's such a fun, sassy, cheeky character I don't want to stop being her yet. I've found a likeable, confident character who is not in the least like me. I had a phone call from Hannah yesterday. She and Paul are coming down to see me, which was a nice surprise. I had invited her but wasn't sure I actually expected her to come. It was a nice daydream, but it's becoming real. Judi's coming too, and it'll be nice to have some of my best friends from different places all together again. They've met once, and got on like a house on fire. Judi came to stay one weekend in Kingston, and we walked for 3/4 of an hour to the cinema in the pouring rain, Judi, Hannah, Kelly and me. And Judi and Hannah stormed on ahead and left me and Kelly, who was wearing high heels, far behind. It would have been an amusing sight for anyone who walked into the cinema Ladies' to see us all standing under the four hand driers, drying ourselves off as best we could. |
