Confusions

If you read my earlier post you’ll know I was waiting for the post-panto blues to kick in and deliberating over whether or not to go for a part in the next HTC production.

Well, I’m pleased to say I managed to successfully stave off the blues, through a combination of keeping busy, writing, running and eating healthily.

As for the next production, the Wednesday audition for Confusions came and went without my participation. As the Saturday audition approached, I was still in two minds about whether or not to go for it. Part of me wanted to do it, for the experience if nothing else. And, since part of the audition was to prepare monologues in the part of two of the characters, that would have been good creative writing practice too, wouldn’t it? A lazy Saturday morning seemed to have scuppered my chances of taking part, but a last minute burst of enthusiasm saw me speed-read the script and bang out a couple of speeches for Stewart and Arthur, before hot-footing it off to the audition hall.

It was very different to the only audition I’ve previously been for, for Franky Panky - it felt more like a drama workshop. We had to warm up by walking round the room and staring each other out. Then we had to do our first prepared part, without notes, walking around the room, in front of everyone. Then we sat in a row and each read a part from the final act, A Talk in the Park, again, in front of the other hopefuls. After the break, we had to prepare and present a short mimed scene in pairs (all will become clear if you read Between Mouthfuls from the play) and then do our second prepared part. Rather than read it straight off, we had to do it this fours and question and answer each other, in character, based around our prepared piece. It wasn’t really what I expected at all, and it was nerve-wracking, challenging and enjoyable in equal measure.

So today was the callback/first rehearsal, although it actually turned out to be more like another audition/casting session. After more drama workshop style warm ups, we did a complete read through of the play, alternating parts, sometimes just reading around the table and sometimes up on our feet acting the parts out.

I wasn’t convinced by the play on first read, but once we started reading it out aloud, getting into character and acting the parts, it really jumped up off the page and came to life and I now believe it is a genuinely funny and moving piece of work. The director has some great ideas for how it will be set too, recreating the 70s look and feel, making full use of the performance space and making it as interactive with the audience as possible.

It’s also exciting to be working with a new group of people. I was expecting most of the Franky Panky cast to be auditioning for Confusions, but in fact very few of them have gone for this one. This new group of people are very diverse in age, background and experience and are clearly, even this early in the game, another very talented bunch.

After the read through came the moment of truth. Who was in and who was out? Who got which parts and who missed out on their dream role? To be honest, I’d enjoyed the audition experience, but wasn’t really expecting to make the cut, and would have been ecstatic with any part. So I’m delighted to announce that, come 15-18 February 2012, I will once more be treading the boards, this time, sadly, minus Viking helmet or lederhosen, and will be making the roles of “Waiter” (in Drinking Companions) and “Arthur” (in A Talk in the Park) my own.

And so it was an excited cast that adjourned to the Welly for a hard earned drink and discussed the rollercoaster that we will ride working together in the months ahead.