As you know Groover has been in a play recently called The Beat Goes On by A Lad In Sane productions.
Well, I have a tiny bit of the show so you can see him in action.
Actually you see more of his co-star…
My only excuse is that I got too involved in the play to remember to video later…
Doh!
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.
Courtney Sage Hart is one of the actors in the show I’m in – In a New York Minute, the Spontaneous Insanity production at the Subiaco Arts Centre.
The first three shows are sold out, and there is one extra show on Saturday night (which I am also playing in) at 10pm. Book here.
Anyway I think Courtney has got a brilliant future ahead of him in film making… check out the trailer he made above.
Meanwhile with opening night behind us – we are gearing up for tonight’s show.
I don’t know whether to be scared or excited!
Thank goodness I can rely on the rest of the ensemble.
They are amazing.
“In a New York Minute, everything can change… things can get a little strange” DON HENLEY
I’m in this Spontaneous Insanity show at the Subiaco Arts Centre and I am out of my comfort zone.
Featuring Libby, Glenn, Louisa and Shane
It is a wholly improvised show, with improvised music and improvised lighting.
Some of the cast with Glenn Hall (centre), the director.
Luckily I completely trust my fellow actors and the director.
It is really exciting to consider long form improvised theatre.
Unlike Theatresports, there are no games and the director gets more involved in the action.
Glenn, Bree and Emmet ham it up for the camera
We’re in the studio at Subiaco Arts Centre. There will be caberet seating – you know… little tables and chairs – and there will be nibbles on each table.
You will be close to the action.
This is me - all dressed up with somewhere to go
Tonight we went to the Phoenix Theatre in Hamilton Hill to see the last night of the community theatre production of “The Effect of Gamma Rays on Man-in-the-moon Marigolds” a play by Paul Zindel, directed by Jane Sherwood.
When I first saw this on Facebook I was immediately keen to go.
I was a big fan of Paul Zindel’s work as a teenager.
They are quite dark, darker in fact than I remember.
The story in Marigolds is about a young girl who is working on a science project.
It’s set in the family home, populated by her manic older sister, her alcoholic, slovenly mother and an elderly lodger who brings in what appears to be the only income.
She is the “mutation”.
Groover and I sat front row centre.
The theatre has recently been refurbished and it is a great little theatre.
The seats are the pull out kind that seem typical of community venues.
We were impressed with the set which included a staircase, a messy kitchen and newspapers everywhere.
The mother played by Cally Zanik, holds the play together.
She has so much dialogue!
I thought she did a good job.
Her drunk scene felt quite believable to me.
Groover felt she needed to be a little darker to give the play more depth.
His favourite was Tilly – played by Melissa Kiiveri – the young girl with the science project.
She did a great job as the dreamy young girl fascinated by the atom.
And as this play was written in 1964, the atom would have been front and centre of people’s minds.
Paul Zindel was a science teacher and the play won a Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1971.
We loved Nanny – the elderly lodger played by Barbara Good – who doesn’t say anything but whose facial expressions were classic.
Ruth, the crazy older sister (Carmen Miles), was good as well.
And Janice (Kat Duynstee) did a good job in her cameo role – the plate on her teeth a great addition to her character.
Overall I really enjoyed the play.
I’m so glad that we have started going to community theatre.
The standard so far has been excellent.
(of course, I’m a little biased toward Arsenic and Old Lace but it was good)
In August, Phoenix is putting on a play by Python regular, Eric Idle, called Pass the Butler.
We’re going.
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!
One of the things I like about commuting (rather than driving) to work is the feeling that I am part of something bigger.
Yesterday for example, looking up as I walked up the ramp from the station I was struck by this image of my city shrouded in low lying cloud.
It doesn’t happen often.
Even today, when it was raining, the city was free and clear.
If I had driven in, chances are I wouldn’t have noticed.
I love over-hearing other people’s conversations as well.
Getting an insight into their lives and sometimes into mine.
The other day on the way home I heard two young executive types discussing the various talk radio shows in Perth.
So weird hearing strangers talking about people you know.
(and even funnier when you agree with their astute assessment!)
Amazing what comes through on the radio – you can’t hide!
Apart from commuting the other thing that has made me feel part of something bigger is Theatresports. (can’t wait for the spring season)
The little community that has built around it is lovely – I am having coffee (separately) with two friends from the group this week alone.
And Theatresports of course has led to Groover’s Acting Debut – this Thursday at the Midland Junction Arts Centre.
Supporting Arsenic and Old Lace has led us to go to other productions that our fellow theatresporters are in which is why you found us at the Limelight Theatre in Wanneroo last Saturday night.
I was impressed with the full house and committed community theatre going public.
It’s a whole world I haven’t explored (despite reporting on it years ago on radio).
We saw Chess, complete with a live band.
It is not an easy musical, and I’ve been singing the songs all week.
Badly I’m sad to say.
For the last few years I’ve been privileged to be invited to a number of professional theatre productions, ironic then that the first production in a while that I should pay for is amateur theatre!
But bring it on.
I’ve seen first hand how hard everyone works to get these productions up – with no pay.
They deserve to be supported.
And hey – they are one of the few public places I’ve been to which supplies nice quilted SOFT loo paper.
Which just makes the experience all the better.
Only a month to go before the opening night of Arsenic and Old Lace, the play Groover is appearing in at the Midland Junction Arts Centre.
Four weeks to find out where that actually is!
Groover is the one with the bugle.
Scripts are already down and the group are doing full run throughs which I think is pretty impressive.
And I’m learning new phrases…
Like “speedlining”.
Or at least I think that’s what it’s called.
Where you go through the script at speed without the actions just to get the words down.
It also apparently has something to do with logging and is a brand of spray on ute tray liner.
I’m pretty sure Groover isn’t going out at night for a spot of logging.
His hands are too soft.
Anyway I’ve booked out tickets and – no pressure darl – but we’ll be there in force!
If you’d like to join us – you can book here.
Yes community theatre is all very well in theory – a fun time out showing off in front of your mates.
But there’s some serious line learning to be done – even if you’ve got a smallish character part.
So… what better way than to learn them and exercise at the same time.
Once at rehearsal Groover says the lines didn’t come as easily as he hoped.
Apparently that’s quite common.
I can’t remember how I used to learn lines back at uni but maybe you have some tips to share.
How do you learn lines?
Well rehearsals have started and now we are without Groover’s company two to three nights a week as he heads to Midland to rehearse for Blak Yak‘s upcoming production of Arsenic and Old Lace.
(the season is in June – don’t miss it)
This is Groover’s first foray into community theatre and he has to learn the bugle.
(Luckily I spoke to someone today whose brother is in the Navy band and plays the bugle – how cool is that!)
Anyway… he’s done Mr Cha Cha’s ballroom and Theatresports but this is “proper” theatre with lines to learn and everything.
And it’s quite a commitment – 2 to 3 nights a week and more as the season gets closer.
He seems to relish this new experience and told me over dinner tonight he would definitely look for more opportunities.
Having said that he was spotted listening to the last five minutes of the Dockers fabulous win on Sunday…
But honestly – who could blame him?
It was an AWESOME win!
