The Irresistible call of live performance: Director's Blog 20

Good morning! Something is up - I only got 141 pageviews on my blog yesterday! My smash-it rate was 423 on Sunday November 18th. Mmmm......... what to be done? People are so fickle. Mumble.... mumble.

I have to admit to a secret addiction/pleasure at the end of every long day, which is to look at my blog traffic statistics, not from a narcissistic desire to find out who's reading me in Australia of course (There are a couple actually!), but to see what stories from the Panto shenanigans appeal most to you,dear reader. Apart from the stats its a bit of a guessing game. So to ensure that I am not simply spouting  out into a black hole in the universe it would be wonderful if you felt moved to let me know what else you would like to hear about from CInderella World. I can't promise I will know the answer, but will do my utmost  to investigate - and to encourage my trusty Team Cinderella to snitch so I can get the gossip out there too! 

Talking of Black Holes, this neatly brings me to a thought that will resonate with Trekkies, and which I find mildly amusing, ie; the similarity of the title sound of my Daily Director's Blog to the daily recording to be found in Captain Kirk's Log.

Captain's Log, stardate 54342.8.  Sociologist Xontel has been temporarily incapacitated. In pursuing the creature, he and his men somehow managed to cross the place where Mr. Spock's trap was set just as he completed the corrections to it.  The trap was sprung, and all four of my men were suspended for a moment in mid-air, puzzled, just before they fell into the cage we constructed.  We are now trying to  release them with phasers, as the lock was inadvertently smashed by the impact from Sociologist Xontel's foot as he fell.  I consider this a major setback.  Mr. Spock considers it "fascinating."

Thanks for that momentary indulgence! Well it is my birthday today.  Hopefully the TC is well primed to bring on the pyros!

Yesterday  however I felt the excitement of being a child on Christmas morning. The Principals arrived in the theatre at 9am and were warmly welcomed by Andy Knight, the Council Officer who is Group Manager for the Leisure facilities in Barking and Dagenham. This was followed by the obligatory Health and Safety talk from my stalwart Lieutenant Chris Musgrave, our Operations Leader who fortunately knows his stuff from having worked as Venue Technician at the theatre for the past four years. 

After that it was dressing up time. The tradition of the "costume parade" is a serious matter but also great fun, and means that the Designer and I and the rest of the team got to enjoy the actors parading in front of us on stage as Chloe and Cat plotted the lighting states which added incidental colour to this cat walk. It was fabulous to see all the costumes appear and the characters to transform in these brilliantly designed costumes by Ian. I cannot stress either how none of this would be possible without the work of the costume making team, Zoe Baron and Alison Jacobson.I am in awe of their ability to sew and stitch things as well and find and adapt the over 50 costumes for the show.

Our audiences are in for a treat! The Ugly sisters had me rolling in the aisle! Well that was also partly because I fell down the stairs and pulled my back. Not going to tell you anymore about costumes though as I don't want to spoil it for you!  Notice an absence of rehearsal photos today - that's why, some things just have to be kept secret.

Our kids will be coming in today and tomorrow and they too will delight us with their costume parade. I really can't wait. Technical rehearsals today, lights, music and sound in concert I hope! 

There really ain't nothing to compare with this live performance thing. I'm up

for the advances of technology, and have it on good authority that  this will be the first ever web streamed panto. So check out the dates on the Broadway Website. For me though there will never be anything that remotely compares to being in the auditorium at a live performance where cast and audience come together in a shared experience! Bring it on.