After spending 3 months doing the show of Peter Pan, I came
home and thought it'd be nice to have a few days rest. Little did know It'd the
second day back and I'd be off to watch 2 days of panto rehearsals for ... (you
guessed it)..
Peter Pan!
I got to sit upstairs with all the techies and watch what they do to make the show the best it can be.
I think everyone underestimates how much goes into the lights and sound of a show. I never thought it was that complicated but I was so oblivious as I just didn't know how busy the lighting guys were. Every cue is programmed in and there can be so many in a short space of time. So many different names of lights and they all do different things! You can put them all at different colours, percentages and all sorts. The lighting desks look so complicated.
I also sat in the auditorium with the DSM while they ran a few numbers and got to see her at work. Again, another job that I think I've been underestimating. Every light and sound cue she would call through a head set. Constantly reading a script that would be covered in scribbles while watching the stage to make sure things are going to plan.
It was really interesting to see how a professional panto manage things the day before opening day. Everyone seemed so calm but as I was watching I couldn't believe they had less than 24 hours. I thought the dances were really messy. The singing wasn't exactly tuneful. One of the main characters was behaving really quite strange. He refused to fly on the harness and would only mark the singing and text. And once he did have the harness on he was fidgety and didn't sing while in the air! A bit of a diva really. But I guess that's show biz!
It was really interesting to be on the other side of the stage, watching, instead of performing. As much as I would've loved to have got up and taken over the role as Tinkerbell myself!
Peter Pan!
I got to sit upstairs with all the techies and watch what they do to make the show the best it can be.
I think everyone underestimates how much goes into the lights and sound of a show. I never thought it was that complicated but I was so oblivious as I just didn't know how busy the lighting guys were. Every cue is programmed in and there can be so many in a short space of time. So many different names of lights and they all do different things! You can put them all at different colours, percentages and all sorts. The lighting desks look so complicated.
I also sat in the auditorium with the DSM while they ran a few numbers and got to see her at work. Again, another job that I think I've been underestimating. Every light and sound cue she would call through a head set. Constantly reading a script that would be covered in scribbles while watching the stage to make sure things are going to plan.
It was really interesting to see how a professional panto manage things the day before opening day. Everyone seemed so calm but as I was watching I couldn't believe they had less than 24 hours. I thought the dances were really messy. The singing wasn't exactly tuneful. One of the main characters was behaving really quite strange. He refused to fly on the harness and would only mark the singing and text. And once he did have the harness on he was fidgety and didn't sing while in the air! A bit of a diva really. But I guess that's show biz!
It was really interesting to be on the other side of the stage, watching, instead of performing. As much as I would've loved to have got up and taken over the role as Tinkerbell myself!
