Jessica Harper An Actors Blog

Fourties To Noughties, Show Diary

Strange I know, but . . . I am going to write about all the shows in one post. This way you don't miss out on anything :-) No having to go back to older posts or missing anything! This is going to be quite a long post but . . .  One full of fun and it will be great to read I'm sure. :-)

Thursday 25th March (Opening Night)

Ok. So we were all a little nervous. Un-suprisingly, this was partly to do with the style of theatre. Everything is so close at the Arena Theatre. It's almost a studio theatre. You are literally dancing on the front row. Wonderful theatre though. Right . . . Nerves pushed aside, we were all excited to. Opening night is always a thrill. Opening number could have gone better I will be honest. We sort of stammered and stuttered our way into that one, quite noticibly too but, we got through it. after a shakey start things really started to pick up. There was a wonderful energy all through the night with big smiles on stage and big voices off ( We had to sing side of stage you see!) Overall, It was a good opening night. I enjoyed it very much plus my parents were in so it had to be a good show! haha

Rose, Chantelle and I in the Tilstone studio just having a quick re-hearse. Chantelle? Put your face straight!

Friday 26th March

Sometimes you do one show and you get a bit over familiar and don't push yourself as hard the next time. It's sort of because you already think you know what you are doing and that you have got it in the bag. Which is not the case at all. You always need to be on the ball and give 100% it really dosen't pay to be lazy. This is kind of how Fridays show felt. We had a few slip ups that could have easily been avoided, people lost concentration I think. But . . . They were things that the audience wouldn't notice, just more of a personal critique. So it was ok, we got away with it! Mr Karl (My fiancee) watched this show and he thoroughlly enjoyed it. So all good news. And, of course we went out for a few bevvy's after the show to celebrate a brilliant show week!

The dressing room crew. Myself, Rosie, Chantelle, Katie and Jess. Now was this before or after the Champers?!?

Saturday 27th March (Matinee)

Blimey! I did have a bit of a rushed day on Saturday. In the morning as some of you may know, "The Saturday Morning Drama Club" had there show at 11.30 so it was a bit hectic. (This reminds me I will write a post up about that show for you all to catch up on) The matinee started at 2.30 and was a real good fun show. We seemed to pick ourselves back up for this show and I really enjoyed my self. Me and Chantelle nearly wet ourselves in the finale as we thought a lyric that went "Lift your elbows" went "Lick your elbows" Silly I know but we just couldn't control our giggles. We had to pull ourselves together when we got on stage though. I think I had the biggest smile due to this in the finale. Once the show finished we hit nandos, where I indulged in a EXTRA HOT chicken breast in a pitta with chips. Ohhhh Yum!

Now now Jessica, this is no time for fun and games!

Saturday 27th March (Evening show)

The final show! Oh no! It's been too much fun to just come to an end. At least we had the after show party to attend but more about that after. Honestly, this was our best show. The audience just seemed to love it. They were laughing, singing and clapping along to everything. It was a really good night. Had a propur feel good vibe to it. Everything seemed to go to plan and we all had a laugh and a giggle. I managed to squeez a "Sing It Child!" into Little Shop Of Horrors again.

So the show was over it was done and dusted but, that didn't mean the fun had to end there. We had an after show party to attend. And, attend we did. What a brilliant night. I had loads of fun and a bit too much to drink. But it is a party so whats a bit of drunkness between friends! (Blushes) We did boogie on down and sing aloud. I'm sure at one point Kate was wearing a bra over her jumper. Craziness!

I told you the after show party was a crazy one. Apolagies for the strangeling Chantelle.

Overall, I had a fantastic fun filled few days performing "The Fourties To The Noughties" at the Arena Theatre with SSMTC. I am really looking forward to re-hearsal starting for "Boogie Nights" in 2 weeks time. Everyone did so well this week. We really pulled together and delivered a wicked show. Weldone to you all. You should be very proud. You lot made my week super special.

My best bud with her Champagne. Check us out in our posh frocks ;-)

Top Ten Memories from "The Fourites To The Noughties"

1. 2 bottles of champage exploding in our dressing room frightening the life out of us.

2. Discussing the Foriegn body in my ear. Loong story but to cut it short. I had a rubber stuck in my ear when i was little.

3. Rosie constantly being in the wrong costume and having a made rush to get out of it and it to the correct one.

4. "LICK YOUR ELBOWS" The lyrics are actually "Link your elbows!"

5. Rosie getting changed in the shower and getting snapped by the camera in the nudey

6. Re-hearsing "Anything Can Happen" with Chantelle and not having a clue where we were meant to be.

7. The man on the front row, far left loving "Cell Block Tango!"

8. The after show part. Dancing away

9. Katie hairspraying the ladder in her tights especially the one on her bum

10. teaching Chantelle how to special dance

Rose, Me and Chantelle trying to be super models I think. What a bunch of posers!