Paper apples, broken mics, silver wigs and face paint

We Will, We Will Rock You - yes, this was our school show this year. Yes, I was in it. I was a gaga girl, which, if you don't know the show, is the smallest possible part, and, in my school's version, required you to wear an uncomfortably short skirt, granny plimsolls, a pink lightening bolt painted on my face, and a shiny silver wig.
 On my ratings of 'The Worst Parts I've Played', it comes second only to the Year 5 school production when I was nine, and we did The Wizard of Oz. My best friend and I were cast as the talking trees, with three lines each in the whole show, green face paint, papier-mâché apples to throw (In one performance I threw mine with such strength I managed to make the scarecrow double over in pain - purely accidental) and raggedy green t-shirts.
 Then again, Potiphar in the all-female Girlguiding Centenary production of Joseph was also pretty bad. To this day I do not understand why they chose a practically all-boy musical for a load of girls to perform, or why they gave my thirteen year old self the role of Potiphar - an elderly Egyptian businessman and slave owner who buys Joseph and then throws him (Or, in our production, her) into jail when he catches him in bed with his wife. A few things to things to clear up:
1) I have no idea why they chose that musical for us either
2) In the story, Joseph isn't really sleeping with Potiphar's wife - but it's all based on the Bible so you might already know that
3) My line count in this was also pitifully low - I got two lines when I bought Joseph, a scream that doesn't count when I see Joseph and my 'wife' together- all they did was stand next to each other in our version, in case you were wondering - and two when I send Joseph to jail. And on the actual performance night they didn't turn my mic up in time for half of them.

All in all, I must concede that the top three worst stage roles I have ever performed are, from least bad to worst,

3) Gaga girl in We Will Rock You
2) Potiphar in Joseph
3) Tree in The Wizard of Oz.

So having made that comparison, I look back on my week a lot more favorably now, and because I realise this post has contained a lot of complaining, next time I'll post it's antithesis - the three best role I have ever played. Have you had any acting nightmares? Comment and share xxx

Solidarity forever...

Musical theatre has always had a huge impact on my life, ever since I was nine and I went to see Mary Poppins for my birthday. I think it's amazing how musical notes, lyrics and harmonies can make someone feel every emotion under the sun.
 It's a tradition now that every so often my Dad and I go and see a show together. I love these occasions and  feeling like a kid again, and over the years we've seen all sorts of musicals, from Chicago to Matilda to South Pacific to Wicked. A couple of weeks ago it was the latest of our theatre trips, and we went to see something my Dad wasn't so keen on, but that I had wanted to see for years - Billy Elliot.
 Now, to cut a long story short, it's about a boy who loves dance and is exceptionally good at it, but struggles to succeed in the face of the British Miner's strikes in Newcastle in the 1980s. It made me laugh, cry, and give a standing ovation at the end, along with many others. And it also made my Dad, who hadn't been too sure about it, walk out of the theatre practically singing it's praises. I was once again inspired by the power of theatre.
 Have you seen Billy Elliot? In London? The film? What did you think?

For me, it was absolutely electrifying - (yes, spot the not-so-obscure reference) - and it made me wish I was a twelve year old boy, which is something I've never wished before.