Its a wobbly feeling just like when I first left home for the big wide world - you know that wanting to be out there "living the dream" (hate that phrase), and at the same time enjoying the smell and taste of mummy's home made soup and fairy cakes? Well that sums up how I feel today, on 'Panto Grows Up Day".
Today you see is the very last day we are all rehearsing together in the studios at Arc's cosy little home at the Malthouse, full of lollies,bourbons and custard creams, a lot of laughing and sometimes a few tears. Today we leave home.
Tomorrow we move into the Theatre, which is also hugely exciting for all of us. I have been scouting over there every day and its more and more ready for our arrival. When I saw the installed staircase yesterday I jumped up and down with excitement. The line of its sweep makes your eye follow to the very top, giving an impression of height that I haven't seen before on this stage. I can't wait for the Chorus kids to see it - it'll be as good as Christmas morning, well almost.
And so to a mention of our fantastic Chorus Kids and their Mums and Dads. I have not talked about them much over the past few days, as all my focus has been on rehearsing pushing, prodding and frightening the Principals. The Chorus kids went through all that in their dedicated rehearsal time before the bigguns arrived. But last night, when I got the whole cast to come together for a quick warm-up exercise before the run through, I was struck by just how amazing our kids are. It actually felt quite emotional to watch the "Cinderella Family" working together, equally playing their part, young and old. That's community, that's love. That's the ingredient that we all want in our lives I believe, an opportunity to come together with a shared purpose and to belong.
And none of this with the kids would be possible if it were not for the love, commitment and efforts of their Mums, Dads, Nans and Grandads and the rest of their families! Parents (and mostly mums!) have all done over 60 journeys back and forth to the Malthouse so far, and have at least as many to do again when the show goes up.
Goodness knows how much that has cost them in petrol let alone time. And almost without exception every child has been on time for every rehearsal, ready and prepared, having watched the videos of dance steps on our facebook group, and listened endlessly in the car to the CD of their songs. Some of our kids (Ella, Little Freya) are only eight years old, and are putting in a full day at school, being fed a sandwich in the car on the way in, and then rehearsing full on for three hours. I know the kids can cope with it, but the demands on their parents is huge. This panto would not happen if it were not for those dedicated mums and dads. And don't think for a moment that we are under any illusion about this. Yes there are no doubt huge learning benefits for the kids, and it must be great to see how much they are loving being in the show, but its those guys that make it possible, and I want to thank them for this.
And so last night was the last time we could run through the whole show with everyone there, and sadly only with one of our chorus groups, Group Two - Olivia, Stacey, Coral, Sam, Ellie, Zarmina, Rosie and Jess. The night before however, we had managed to get through the whole of Act One with Group One - Big Freya, Little Freya, Gabby, Demi, Gemma, Brooke, Mylene and Ella. Keep going to school, eating your greens and going to bed early and being good little boys and girls for your Mummies and Daddies - the best is yet to come!
And finally for today's blog - thanks to the Tech team for a fun time over a beer last night, you really are a laugh a minute!
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