acting

Stage kissing – not a guide

by Cellobella on Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Backstage at a New York Minute

So as you know I have recently been in a play – a wholly improvised play – at Subiaco Arts Centre, and Saturday night’s performance took me back to an audition I had when I was about 15.

15 and NEVER been kissed.

In the audition piece I had to kiss my lover.

WTF

Well having NO experience in the matter – such an innocent – I delivered a rather chaste little kiss on the lips of this much older man.

No no no! Said the director…

Kiss him like you mean it!

Needless to say I didn’t get the part.

Now, you would think, me being much older and more experienced in the way of kissing, if the situation were to happen again I would be fine.

I know what to do right?

Well the other night I watched my fabulous colleague – one who can actually act pucker up and ravish all the leading men – boy can that girl deliver a believable snog.

And she says to her on stage lover that he has to do the same to me.

Maybe I would have been less apprehensive had I no warning.

This poor boy, twenty years younger than me then has to kiss me and I…

!!!

I don’t know what to do.

I am 15 again.

As awkward as a teenager on her first date.

Luckily I have a blue feathered fan to hide behind.

A shame really.

It’s not often one has the legitimate opportunity to snog a young man…

Despite my parents sitting in the front row, I really should have taken advantage.

The reviews are in

by Cellobella on Wednesday, June 30, 2010 · 5 comments

Not that I’m biased but I do agree with this particular review of Groover’s first ever stage production (with lines and everything) – Arsenic and Old Lace:

Within this set we meet Joseph Kesselring’s bizarre characters, all of whom are presented by well-chosen actors, but one must say that the standout character of Teddy Brewster/Roosevelt is played in a manic, no-holds-barred fashion by Groover. He brings a new dimension to the term ’barking mad’.

Einstein: My how I’ve changed…
Teddy: Well, you see, that picture hasn’t even been taken yet…

A classic moment.

Teddy:  I’m President Roosevelt.

Charge!

Mortimer:  Good news Mr President, your term of office is over.

Teddy:  It’s out of my hands.  He’ll have to be told.  Army regulations you know.

Teddy:  When the President of the United States can be treated like that, what is the country coming to?

Teddy:  So that’s it, a nature faker!

My thespian

by Cellobella on Monday, March 8, 2010 · 3 comments

No.  These fellows in the pool are not thespians.

Well… they might be… but more likely they are miners.

I’m in Karratha and that is the pool at the caravan park where I’m staying.

And yes.  I did slip into the water in my bikini.

I stayed up my end though. :)

Last night I was in Frenantle at the Victoria Hall on stage.

Yes it was my first Theatresports performance.

Groover was on first and you know what?  He is a natural.

First up he led his team in a children’s television style impro – very funny.

Then they sang a tribute song – a la “We Are The World” – to the audience suggestion of the cause of flatulent children.

“The Wind in You” was fantastic.

I was offstage wetting my pants laughing.

But not for long because then it was my turn to be on stage.

I was lucky to be paired with a seasoned theatresports pro and a drama teacher and they were brilliant.

It was such fun I wanted to keep going.

After the interval we were heading back upstairs for the second half.

Groover had a glass of wine and when we heard a woman say “Excuse me…” we both thought she was going to tell him off for taking it into the theatre.

But no.

She was trying to get his attention to encourage him to audition for Arsenic and Old Lace.

“Can you do accents?”

Can he do accents?  Of course.

How groovy is that!  After only two performances in his life!

We went upstairs to watch the second half – all the really experienced players do the second half and it is awesome – and Groover had such a big grin on his face.

If you live in Perth and want a fun night out – trust me the second half is hilarious – come down to the Victoria Hall – performance starts at 6pm and it is all over by eight.

More info

Meantime I’m in sunny Karrachi (as the locals call it).

I’ve played some social tennis tonight and tomorrow night we’re heading out to Dampier for some Chinese food.

Sounds like a plan to me.

Not acting anymore

by Cellobella on Wednesday, December 3, 2008 · 6 comments

Isn’t it interesting that when you let go of something, the something happens!

I’ve been appointed to the job I’ve been doing for the last year (after acting for two years in a similar position the years before).

My boss wrote a lovely affirming email and sent it to my colleagues and today has been very pleasant getting lots of kind supportive emails congratulating me.

The thing is about a month ago I decided that I didn’t care anymore. 

The acting thing, which used to frustrate me, I turned around in my brain as my “get-out-of-jail-free” card. 

You know, if it all got too much I could say “I want to go back to my old job” and walk away.

I dropped the “acting” from my signature.  I figured that I was actually doing the job.  It had been over six months.

It’s not like you see the actors on stage whisper to the audience now and again – don’t worry I’m just acting – in a dramatic moment do you?

And then I was appointed.

It occurred to me that I did the same thing way back in 1992 when I was living with Groover in Subiaco.  (that’s where today’s photo comes in *wink*)

We’d been going out for a couple of years and it seemed to me that he was “the one” but as yet he had not raised the subject of marriage or future commitment.

Again, I decided to turn that into a positive.  My get-out-of-jail-free card again!

The next month he came back from a holiday with his mates and proposed.

A life lesson learned?

What else can I apply it do…