Filed under: Arts, creativity, family, humour, life | Tags: fct, forth childrens theatre
Instead of doing my work this morning I made this instead. It’s an FCT in- joke but it made me laugh doing it. I hope you enjoy it.
I hope no-one takes offense. None intended.
Filed under: Arts, creativity, family, humour, Scotland, theatre | Tags: 2011 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, Bluemouth Inc, dance marathon, David Greig, David Paul Jones, fct, FORK, forth childrens theatre, grid iron, marc almond, mark kermode, Oedipus, Pink Noise, Royal Lyceum theatre company, steven berkoff, Ten PLagues, the observer, The Strange Undoing of Prudencia GHart, what remains
It may seem a little disingenuous for me to offer my thoughts on a Fringe when, like most mortals, holding down a day job makes it hard to see as many shows as the legion of professional critics get to see – and not to mention the fact that I was effectively staging my own production (as Chairman of FCT who put on ten exhilarating performances of The Chess Game).
But, if I was to use complete objectiveness as my watchword for blogging you’d all be desperately dissapointed. I’m sure my predilection for frankness makes for a more interesting read.
I read with delight an extended extract from Mark Kermode’s biography in the Observer earlier today and I realise his style is one that I aspire to. His destruction of Michael Bay’s Pearl Harbour made me laugh out loud and lick my lips.
It was a Fringe dominated by shows from the collosus of Scottish new writing; The Traverse. I saw no fewer than 6 of their shows but it should be pointed out that these threw up a wide mix of collaborators; not least my own beloved Lyceum who produced a high octane multi-character, three-hander called Wondrous Flitting which had many amusing moments and a very fine performance by Molly Inness in particular.
But their collaborations also included the NToS, Grid Iron and Blue Mouth Inc; all of which I enjoyed.
I’m desperately sorry that I missed Mission Drift which was, I suspect, the pick of the bunch but the following all inspired me;
The Strange Undoing of Prudentia Hart shows what a collossus of Scottish writing David Greig is; this site specific show, set in the nearby Ghillie Dhu pub, had both Jeana and I in stitches and full of awe at a quite remarkeable ensemble performance. Outstanding.
The second site specific show I saw was What Remains. Set in the Anatomy School of Edinburgh University, and produced by Grid Iron it was the nearest one gets to outright horror on stage. Driven remarkably by its writer, David Paul Jones, it begins with a highly intense (scary actually) twenty minute opening movement from a Concerto for piano written and performed by the aforementioned Jones. It was electric. What follows is the story of Jones’ descent into madness. Part Bella Lugosi, part Anthony Hegarty, part Luis Bunuel, part Hammer House of Horror this show absolutely blew me away and at one point a certain plot devise pretty much made me let go of my bowels. Jones is simply wonderful as he acts sings and plays the piano in a one man tour de force.
My third Traverse pick is Dance Marathon. Again Jeana and I attended and this was a joy from start to finish. Following the recent trend, it too is site specific and the action took place in The Lyceum’s rehearsal studios in which the audience IS the cast and we dance for four hours (we went to a super long performance on the show’s last night). Pouring with sweat at the denoument in which Jeana and I failed to be crowned King and Queen of the dancefloor in a dance, poetry, song and video smorgasbrod of excellent entertainment I was approached by Bluemouth’s producer who said she’d been watching me all night and declared me “Awesome and relentless”. My proudest moment on this year’s Fringe.
Lastly, Marc Almond’s performance in Ten Plagues was awesome. Very moving.
My other notable show this year was Berkoff’s Oedipus at The Pleasance which was brilliant. The Greek Chorus of mainly old and middle aged men stole the show in a way choruses rarely do. It was a little let down by the casting of Anita Dobson as Oedipus’ object of affection but it was not enough to stop tis being a top class show.
I saw FORK’s amusing Pink Noise but it fell short of completely convincing me that every sound emanating from this Finnish a Capella group was indeed man made.
All things considered though my personal Fringe First goes to Dance Marathon for the most invigorating (physically as much as intellectually) four hours I’ve spent in a theatre.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: fct, forth childrens theatre, Iain MacDonald, The Chess game
I’ve spoken little on this blog (but a lot on FCT’s) about the show the young people’s theatre that I chair is putting on in the Fringe this week. However I’d like to redress that now. It finishes on Saturday night and unfortunately we have tickets left.
It’s a little known show; unknown would be a better word but we are privileged indeed to have its creator (Iain MacDonald from Greenfaulds High School in Cumbernauld) as our musical director. Alongside him are Vic Laing as director, Kirsty Shaw as his assistat (at a mere 16 years of age) and Katy Barry as our voice coach.
It has been a special week as audience member after audience member have gasped at the professionalism of the show, the quality of the production and the sheer exuberance and ability of the cast allied to outstanding and memorable songs.
Well done everyone on stage and off for the power of work you have put in and the quality of the work that has emerged.
Here’s what the Evening News (respected critic Thom Dibdin) had to say…
A JAZZY score and light-hearted banter underpin the strong and serious message of FCT’s well-judged musical offering for the Fringe.
Originally produced by the company in 1985, The Chess Game is written by their musical director Iain MacDonald. It is both a timely piece of entertainment and one which perfectly weighted for its young performers.
A collection of anonymous, white and black-clad figures emerge out of darkness. Over the musical they form up into a hierarchy, with individuals taking the roles of the chess pieces, and then the pieces take on the aggressive qualities of the game of chess, to a brilliantly twisted finale.
The older members of the cast, such as Rebecca Gilhooley as the White Queen, and the quartet of girls as the media-savvy Knights, put in strong and subtle performances.
The younger members shine too. Hayley Scott and Liam Thomson as the lead pawns trade on their strengths – hers in her voice, his in his acting – with great, heartfelt performances.
Which is what makes this production so entrancing. It entices the performers out of their comfort zones – but not so far as to leave them exposed – with strong music and great rhythms that are complex in structure, but satisfying to listen to.
Run ends Saturday
Please let me know if you would like tickets.
Filed under: Arts, creativity, family | Tags: edinburgh festival fringe, edinburgh fringe, fct, forth childrens theatre, rain, Royal mile stages, The Chess game, The fringe, Thom Dibdin, Virgin Money Royal mile event
Well, we’re three nights into our run with OK sized audiences ; good for an unknown show. But we need to up the ante on that if we are to cover our costs. So that starts at 1.50 when we preform on the Lower Stage on The Royal Mile.
It’s an open air event and this is the scene from my window…
But we will carry on regardless with 39 kids and a battery operated generator. Should be fun…
After that, a bit of flyering and back for a Barbeque at base.
The first review of the show has come in from Thom Dibdin. He was very complimentary ad even used a couple of my pictures.
Apps, Happiness, Casablanca and The Chess Game
When Two Queens Go to War… Rebecca Gilhooley and Julia Carstairs in FCT’s The Chess Game. Photo © Mark Gorman
By Thom Dibdin
Start it up and lets go! Day One of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe dawned bright and clear. No monsoon, no rain, just a crisp morning with light wind and sunny skies.
A perfect day for a play called Happiness, it would seem, at a sparkling new venue to boot: The Playhouse at Hawke and Hunter Green Room. Good timing too, for the Tron Theatre’s revival of Casablanca, the Gin Joint Cut – which arrives in Edinburgh with a slew of four and five star reviews under its belt. And to round off the day, a visit to the first Edinburgh Local Hero, with the fabby FCT’s The Chess Game, at Inverleith.
The Cast of The Chess Game, by FCT. Photo © Mark Gorman
Finally the Local Heroes, Forth Children’s Theatre. I always enjoy reviewing their productions but was slightly concerned to be there on first night of The Chess Game, particularly when the company has just said good-bye to a very successful generation of young performers.
No worries, though, The Chess Game was excellent. Not perfect yet, but the voices will mature and grow in confidence over the years, as will the acting. There are several in the company who need to learn to speak up and out, as the mumbled spoken lines into their boots. Director Vic Laing could also have improved some of the blocking. He left several of the more diminutive members of the company stuck out of sight at the back in big ensemble numbers and tableaux which should have given everyone a chance to shine.
That said, the young company tackled this piece about war, redemption and taking responsibility with real maturity. There are several very problematic moments which they made pass by with a natural fluidity to their pacing. Their musical performances pushed right to the edge of their abilities too – well beyond their comfort zones – and they made the tricky arrangements sound simple.
Of course they do have some cracking support, and those responsible for the wardrobe did an excellent job. The live band were crisp and supportive under the leadership of Iain MacDonald who wrote the words, music and lyrics of the show – which FCT first performed back in 1984. A thought-provoking treat. And I found myself humming the tunes on the way home.
So, come along to our venue…at Inverleith Church Hall, Ferry Road (Top of Granton Road), from August 5th – 13th at 7.30 with matinees on Saturday 6th and 13th at 2.30 pm.
Tickets are priced £12 (£10 conc). All tickets are £8 on Sat 6th Matinee.
Call the FCT Ticket Hotline to place your order on 07794 144372.
Filed under: Uncategorized | Tags: comedy on the fringe, dance marathon, dave gorman, Edinburgh Festival, edinburgh festival fringe, edinburgh fringe, edinburgh fringe comedy, fct, forth childrens theatre, grid iron, marc almond, marc almond in ten plagues, Mark Thomson, national theatre of Scotland, oedipus at the fringe, steven berkoff, The fringe, the raverse, The royal lyceum theatre company, the strange undoing of prudencia hart, The Wheel, theatre at the fringe, what remains, wondrous flitting
We saw the Wheel at the Traverse to kick off our festival and next we have the show that FCT is doing; The Chess Game. I chair this youth theatre and we have 40 excited youngsters treading the boards for the 33rd year in a row at the Festival.
Next, I have Wondrous Flitting, which The Lyceum is staging at The Traverse; The Lyceum Theatre Company’s first Fringe outing in many years.
Then there’s the shows I’ve booked so far. I’m seeing Steven Berkoff in action in Oedipus next Friday. That should be utterly sensational.
But also one of the hot tickets which I have is to see Marc Almond In Ten Plagues.
But my aching hollow in my chest is for Dance Marathon. Who will go with me to this experiential play in which the audience dance for four hours in a real life “They Shoot Horses Don’t They?’
There is more…all at the Traverse at the moment, a site specific piece in Edinburgh’s Medical Hospital which is about death and the afterlife called “What Remains” and David Greig’s reputedly wonderful “The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart” with its promising Kylie Minogue finale.
You’ll notice I am not doing the Fringe Cancer; Comedy.
I may do Dave Gorman, and I’ve been invited to The Stand opening night pre-fest jolly with CBS, but I don’t do comedy because I’m a miserable Quantas flyer.
Oh, and a snob.
Filed under: dad, family, life | Tags: charity, fct, forth childrens theatre, fundraising, peter gorman, St Columba's hospice
I’m running a sweep to guess when I will hit 1,000,000 views of my blog and the proceeds will be donated to St Columbas Hospice.
The reason I am doing this is because my blog first took off as I wrote about my dad dying whilst he was in St Columba’s.
So the deal is this. Go to this link and Pledge £10 to guess when the magic millionth reader will arrive and the closest to the time and day will win £100 and a bottle of champagne (put up by me and not taken out of the proceeds!).
Now, to give you a little help we currently sit at 964,124 views (at 8pm on Sunday November 7th). I am currently averaging 786 views a day but it has been higher and lower.
At this rate I will hit Pego’s millions in 45 days. (About 21st December roughly?)
But will it be sooner and at what time?
You can enter as many times as you like. Good luck.
Filed under: humour, life, photography, Scotland, theatre, Uncategorized | Tags: fct, forth childrens theatre, gangs
Kieran Wilson rules the roost at FCT. You wouldn’t want to mess.
Filed under: family, life, theatre | Tags: Edinburgh Festival, EL Doctorow, fct, Festival, forth childrens theatre, Fringe show, musical, The fringe
I spent most of today taking cast photos for Ragtime. Great fun and the kids at FCT were fab.
Well we ran off about 400 photos this afternoon at Newhaven Harbour and The Botanics. Here’s just a few as a wee taster. You can find them all on this Flickr link…
The New Rochelles were shot in sepia to reflect the stuffiness and formality of the time and their super wealth.
The Immigrants are shot in a blue duotone to represent the cold misery they are about to face in an America that ain’t gonna welcome them.
Filed under: Arts, family, life, music, stories, theatre | Tags: EL Doctorow, fct, forth childrens theatre, Ragtime
FCT’s next show is Ragtime (an adaptation of a book by E L Doctorow) and Ria got a chorus part after auditions on Monday to which 100 kids turned up for 45 places. We’re all really pleased for her.
Last night was the after show party for the FCT cast which I kept 100% sober (I had to drive) but still managed two whooping full on rave renditions of We are the Children of the night (even sober it was a hoot!) Ria didn’t know where to look though. Poor lassie.
Filed under: Arts, dad, family, life, theatre | Tags: fct, forth childrens theatre, ya beauty
What, only five starts from the Evening News? Now, I have to say I’m getting fed up of being called old. First ‘pops’ then an advertising veteran and now an actor ‘no longer in the first flushes of youth.’ Is it a conspiracy?
Last night was an immense experience culminating in a standing ovation. Really, you had to be there… And you know what? We’re sold out (apart from a few tickets left for Saturday afternoon).
FCT: Ya Beauty *****, Churchill Theatre
KIDS get short shrift these days. It’s almost as if the rest of society wants them to loiter in bus shelters, just so they are to able to say those immortal words, ‘I told you so’ whenever things go wrong.
If today’s teenagers are often singled out as being lazier, less educated and ruder than any generation that came before them, anyone sitting in the Churchill Theatre last night may beg to differ on the evidence presented by the Forth Children’s Theatre as they staged their 30th anniversary show.
For any criticism of modern youngsters would be to pay the hard work, tenacity and talent of the kids in the FCT a complete disservice, particularly when some of their choral numbers could only be described as West End worthy.
To celebrate three decades of song, dance and youthful enthusiasm, the FCT have brought together a 70-strong cast, made up of children and music from every generation of the company, to perform an assortment of their favourite show tunes.
While some of the original children, such as Mark Gorman, son of late FCT founder Peter Gorman, and Geraldine DePonio may no longer be in the first flush of youth, they certainly made up for their relative decrepitude with a host of nostalgic on stage antics.
Sadly, however, the age and experience of a misspent adulthood proved no match for youth and exuberance though, and the group’s teenage members left many of their elders in the dust.
While seasoned actors Greg Sinclair, as an adorably geeky Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors, and Kerry-Ann Rae, as Annie’s devious Miss Hannigan, showed the young upstarts how a few years of further education will help develop a gift; It was the 10 to 20 age group that really dazzled on the stage.
Displaying a worrying lack of first-night nerves, the cast launched into a diverse blend of big numbers only minutes into the first act.
Covering some of musical theatre’s most challenging and popular songs they deftly worked their way through Jekyll and Hyde’s Façade, The Boyfriend’s Never Too Late and Oh! What a Lovely War’s emotive and moving Keep The Home Fires Burning.
Ensemble piece, The Ballad of Sweeny Todd, showcased superbly the ability of the group to utilise the vocal and acting ability of adult cast members while enticing excellent performances from the younger players in the chorus.
With a large female cast, many of the set pieces were designed specifically for several outstanding young sopranos.
Not to be outdone, the boys surprised with mature and expressive performances, Matthew Smith and Ronan Radin standing out.
An honourable mention must also go to Andrew Dyer’s Lucio from Romeo and Juliet. His was a lesson in introducing Shakespeare that many English teachers might wish to take note of.
A directorial team, taking turns in directing and choreographing each sequence, kept the segments of the show flowing effortlessly into one and other, although an obvious lack of rehearsal time in the auditorium meant that the some of the opportunities to use the space more effectively were lost.
Let’s just hope that none of these kids get their big break too soon, thus depriving Edinburgh’s amateur theatre of some wonderful up and coming talent.
Filed under: Arts, dad, family, gigs, life, photography, Scotland, theatre | Tags: 30 years of FCT, acting, am dram, Bugsy, children's theatre, fct, forth childrens theatre, Jeckyll and Hyde, Little Shop of Horrors, musicals, My FaiR lady, peter gorman, Sound of music, sweeney Todd, The Wiz, theatre, ya beauty, young talent, youth
The day has arrived.
We took ownership, however briefly, of the Church Hill Theatre tonight and had our first run, in the studio theatre. Tomorrow we do our technical run at 10.30. Dress at 2.30 and open at 7.30. We’re ready. The rehearsals on Sunday, last night and tonight have all built on each other and started from a good place. It’s getting pretty tight all round I have to say. (Although one of my numbers – Get me to the Church on Time from My Fair Lady happily calls for rumbustuousness and a lack of overall discipline!)
The show with the exception of the Sat Mat is, to all intent and purpose, sold out. As I predicted. And the Saturday matinee is half sold and will no doubt fill up quickly now as the latecomers realise that when we said we thought the nights would sell out it wasn’t just us making it up.
If you’re lucky enough to have a ticket (and believe me you will count yourself lucky) you are in for a spellbinding evening’s entertainment.
I count myself blessed and privileged beyond belief to be part of this. Felix McLaughlin who just came up from Cardiff on Sunday to join the final rehearsals was dumbstruck by the depth and quality of talent on show. I’m not talking about me and my generation here I’m talking about the current and just ‘graduated’ cast who have talent in extreme. And the directing team, choreographer and musical direction team have to be seen to be believed.
The impact this show has had on me will never be repeated in my life. I feel sure of that because it is truly a one off, truly a labour of extraordinary love.
My father would not only have got ‘the tingles’ as he called it. He would have been swept away in a tidal wave of emotion which is exactly what will happen to our audiences because, on the whole, their lives have been so positively influencd by the wonderful work of FCT and this is, after all, the best of FCT.
I keep coming back to the greatest thing of all; membership is a mere £3 – for the year – which includes the opportunity of being in a 10 night run on the Fringe PLUS a show like this and we’ve never had even so much as a penny of public sector funding.
FCT is immense and this joyous photo from the rehearsals sums it all up for me.
This is FCT!
Filed under: Arts, life, Scotland, theatre | Tags: fct, FCT 30th anniversary, forth childrens theatre, lyceum youth theatre, nick drake, success, The Lyceum, The lyceum Theatre
No, not that Nick Drake, the contemporary playwright.
I took Ria to see the opening night of LYT’s contribution to The National Theatre’s New Connections festival of new youth drama. And damned fine it was too.
A cast of 19 on a tiny Trav 2 stage put on a fine performance in a space that was frankly too small given their energy. It’s a highly choreographed show drawing on pretty much every theatrical trick in the book and it works very well.
It’s not quite an ensemble piece because three principals stand out; Nick (the devil?) played with aplomb by Steve McMahon to the point you would happily punch his city spiv character (how appropriate in these times) hard in the face and the two romantic leads Tom (an outstanding and likeable Hector Brown) and Lucy (the lovely Kim Donohoe).
The theme is about the pursuit of money ending in tears and is a morality tale for our times with real resonance. Money indeed cannot buy you love it seems in Drake’s eyes. It would have been easy for the script to cross the line into cliche and clunkiness but it avoids this at all turns and the performances of the ‘chorus’ hold the show together crisply and engagingly.
It’s the first LYT show I’ve seen and just goes to show that FCT (biased as I am) do not have a monopoly on brilliant young people’s theatre in Edinburgh. Joking aside these are very different companies and LYT’s take is very much more adult in theme and tone.
You’ll be lucky to get a ticket, but if you can. Do.
Filed under: Arts, family, life, theatre | Tags: fct, forth childrens theatre
At today’s FCT rehersal we blocked and performed two numbers that had me frequently on the verge of tears. It was a war section of the show segueing ‘Keep the Home Fires Burning’ from WWI and a song from the Vackees - set in the Blitz of WWII.
Keep the Home Fires Burning starts with a female solo for the first verse then the female chorus does verse two, then the male chorus takes over for verse three, before the full company combines for the concluding verse. There’s no harmonies, just a gradual build from a gentle hush until the second half of the last verse which is sung in full voice and it was quite simply magnificent. Seriously the hairs were standing up on my neck. I was gobsmacked by it. Joyce and Catriona’s handling of it all was nothing short of perfection.
The song from the Vackees is slightly more complicated but no less affecting and again builds to a stunning climax.
Honestly, I count my blessings to be a part of this thing with youngsters that are so talented: it’s awe inspiring.
Every single member of the directing team (musical, movement and acting) are due my unrequited thanks for this.
I know, I know I’m getting all Kate Winslett on you. But you have to be there.
You will not regret a penny of the ticket price when you come along. And you WILL be coming along.
Filed under: advertising, family, humour, life, Scotland, stories, theatre | Tags: fat, forth childrens theatre, ghost stories, ghosts
I never got back to you about the show we did on Saturday night did I?
Well, the first and most amazing thing was, come the time, I was quite calm. However, as the hall filled and the tension mounted we realised that the thermostat was set at 30 degrees and over 100 people were in a small space. Consequently it was hot. Really hot. Really, really hot. Sweaty hot.
Nonetheless, I managed all of my duties, including the rendition of a newly composed Trinity ghost story. I’m pleased to report that the jump at the end was carefully orchestrated so that the older members of the audience failed to have heart failure and the youngers succeeded in emptying their bowels.
Result.
Filed under: Arts, family, life, Scotland, stories | Tags: amatuer dramatics, fct, FCT's 30th anniversary, forth childrens theatre, theatre
For those of you that know my father you will know that he used this expression a lot when describing events and moments that hit the spot and created a real emotional resonance. Today I had “the tingles” as we completed our second rehearsal for the FCT 30th Anniversary Show.
We’d learned the words and melody of “With This Life of Mine” from the Matchgirls on Friday night and today we blocked and rehearsed the movement (really exciting stuff from Jill) and brought the whole thing together.
It was really quite superb, particularly with singing coach, Joyce’s, interpretation and rigour, and her addition of harmonies
Then a new dimension was introduced.
Liam Sinclair, one of the directors, made us think about the point of it and where it fitted into FCT’s huge canon of work. The 20 minutes he took at the end of the rehearsal turned something that was great into something that is, and will be, utterly compelling, truly moving and peerless.
The way he did it left me breathless.
Be warned. There will be tears. (Especially from my sister Jane.).
Filed under: Arts, humour, life, Rants, theatre | Tags: auditions, fct, fear, forth childrens theatre
So, I got called back for a second audition at FCT today. “Read nothing into it” they said.
I wasn’t really sure what the experience was going to entail so turned up relatively carefree, and a bit late as it turned out, which was a pity because the assembled kids had been taken through two songs, Fagens’s “You gotta pick a pocket or two” and a negro spiritual.
I missed the practice totally.
Half an hour later I was called with four other guys, all of whom could have taken lead roles at the Royal Opera House, to make a complete and utter tit of myself.
In turn, we had to sing two verses from each song for which I was more or less completely unprepared and talent-free.
It was probably the most terrifying ten minutes of my life (although it felt like several hours).
As Pavarotti, Domingo and Careras strutted their stuff I evacuated my bowels. And then I had to sing this spiritual number that would have challenged a Castrato; the objective being to check out our range, (Well, I’ll tell you now I ain’t no Tenor, I’m a baritone!)
The only thing that shook more than the paper in my hands containing the words was my voice. Which trembled like the World Trade Centres on 9/11.
I tell you, I was completely and utterly petrified. My stools were fluid. My life unliveable. My shame unparalleled.
I was not good.
In fact I was not even bad.
My dancing experience, yesterday, suddenly seemed bearable.
I think I might be psychologically scarred for the rest of my life.
Filed under: Arts, family, humour, jokes, life, Rants, Scotland, stories | Tags: children's theatre, fct, FCT 30th anniversary, forth childrens theatre, theatre, Youth theatre
Please note this image has been retouched to protect the innocent behind me...
Today I did something I haven’t done for over 20 years.
I auditioned for a show. With FCT (Forth Children’s Theatre) to be precise.
I was in the first ever cast as a 16 year old, 30 years ago, and the show that FCT is putting on next spring (Easter 2009) is ostensibly a “Now that’s what I call FCT” pick of the last 30 years.
So, all current and past cast and crew were called to Leith Academy at 9.30 this morning where we played a game of zip, zap, boing as a warm up, engaged in some improvisation and then learned a dance, correction, the other 50 learned a dance.
I crashed and bashed about like a fool.
I was surrounded by kids from aged 10 through their teens and a bunch of adults who’d come back for this show and every single one of them picked the dance up more or less effortlessly, so that made my abjectness all the more awful and apparent. And the worst thing was that none of them knew me well enough to jeer, send me home packing or make videos and post it to their friends.
For those of you that had to endure this dreadful experience I unreservedly apologise. (It might have scarred some of them for life.)
To say I had seven left feet would be a huge and unneccessary compliment. I know I was rank. Nevertheless, the dancing was part of the audition. Thereafter we learned a song from The Matchgirls – an FCT classic as the Director, Vic called it – and we then had to both dance and perform the song in small groups of 8 to an X Factor type auditions panel.
Well, the judging panel must have thought someone had cross-bred John Cleese with Mr Magoo and thrown in a bit of Dumbo for good measure. I was utterly rank. I was as graceful as a Hippo giving birth, having just been dropped on a trampoline from the top of a tower block.
I truly underachieved.
But, you know what, I think it went quite well, considering.
My singing was OK, although it felt like I had ingested three packets of Imodium 30 seconds before I was due to sing. I had forgotten quite how stomach-churningly terrifying auditions can be, but hey, it’s the same for everyone I suppose.
Anyway they called me back for a second audition tomorrow.
I think there’s a part for a clown going.
Filed under: Arts, dad, family, life, Scotland, stories | Tags: best musical, Claire Stewart, drama awards, Edinburgh Theatre Arts, Evening news drama awards, fct, forth childrens theatre, Jeckyll and Hyde, musical
Winning production
FCT’s production of Jeckyl and Hyde has won the award for best Musical in the Evening News Drama Awards. My review of the show here was hugely complimentary but sparked a deluge of debate regarding whether or not the choice of show was appropriate.
Obviously winning an award does not seal the argument but it is yet another fantastic achievement.
My father would have been mightily proud.
Congratulations also to Edinburgh Theatre Arts for winning the best Drama Award for Blue Remembered Hills.
Amateur drama in Edinburgh desperately needs the sort of filip that this sort of recognition provides and so we must thank the Evening News for their recognition.
Filed under: Arts, dad, family, life, photography, Scotland | Tags: burt bacharach, elvis costello, fct, forth childrens theatre, peter gorman, sylvia morrison, theatre royal bar edinburgh
The anniversary of my dad’s death looms large and as a mark of respect my mum and dad’s dear friend Sylvia Morrison cooked up a plan some time ago that came to fruition tonight.
She and her husband Gagy used to have
the occassional snifter with my mum and dad in the Theatre Royal Bar of an afternoon. Next to the Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre, it features a host of Playhouse performers’ signed and framed photos.
Sylvia felt my dad, as a ‘Local Hero’, should take his place for immortality, among the greats. And so plans were set in place to gain him a berth on the walls.
My pal, Jim Downie, beautifully designed a tribute to him and whilst this photo can never do it credit it might give you a wee taster to have a look yourself.
On the night over 100 people showed for a fantastic get togetherof family, friends and FCT.
It was magic.
We toasted Pego with an oggy, oggy oggy.
Oy, oy oy.
Yah beauty
A nice plus was that his picture replaced Burt Bacharach’s so, by way of an apology to Burt I think we need to enjoy some of his wonderousness.
For me, his collaboration with Elvis Costello is peerless.
Here’s a wee bit…
On the way home we collectively had our first ever Deep Fried Mars Bar. Ria loved it. The rest of us were less dismissive than we should have been.
