Page 29 - CinemaRecord Edition 3-2002 #37

The day I stared in a show
The day I stared in a show

at the Princess Theatre
at the Princess Theatre

by Noel Kerr

A quiet entrance to a rehearsal

ome adventures have spice when Heads turned to see what the noise was time.” Time for us to go too. We
Syou have a friend to back you up then turned back to the stage. I picked started towards the same door we had
and to laugh with afterwards. “Hey!” I myself up and we walked up a side come in from when the director called
said to my friend Geoff as we walked aisle around to the back of the theatre to us and asked if we were related to
past a half open door to the Princess to position ourselves behind the group. any of the cast. When we told him the
Theatre in little Bourke Street, “I can They didn’t seem to be worried by truth he said, “Now if I had known that
hear music and wouldn’t be surprised tangle footed invaders. I would have asked you two to help
if this is a rehearsal for a new show. Leaning back in my seat and out on stage.” I jokingly asked him if it
Let’s take a look.” Geoff, although feeling kind of important, I began to was for an understudy part or for a
reluctant and sure we would be kicked relax and enjoy the rehearsals. There leading role. He laughed and said,
out, hesitated and then gave in. This were 15 dancers and singers plus the “No, just some technical support.” I
was the sixties, we were both single orchestra on stage, all in street clothes. wasn’t sure what that meant but
and this type of adventure had appeal. One chap in the seated group (who I thought that it may have had
Well it did to me. took to be the director) was not happy. something to do with being in charge
The adrenalin was pumping when He called for repeats of one part of a of drinks. The director told us that the
we stepped into the gloom. We wound dance routine over and over again. rehearsals we had been watching were
our way around dark corners until we Finally one of the male dancers yelled, for The Music Man. We now felt we
reached a curtain that blocked our “I’ve bloody well had enough!” and had a stake in the show.
entry to the auditorium. Peeping marched off stage. Much muttering Several weeks and many hours of
through the curtains we could see took place amongst the seated group rehearsal time later we went to see it.
seven or eight people sitting about six and the group on stage before he was We sat amazed by the difference
rows from the stage. Their coaxed back on. The director decided between the scene we watched at
concentration was fully on the stage, to move on to the next routine. Then rehearsal and the final ‘dressed’
the source of the music and dancing he called a break. production. I don’t know why we were
which had drawn us in. Naturally we found all this so amazed. Of course costumes,
I whispered to Geoff, “If we walk interesting –direction to dancers on lighting and sets bring magic to every
in as if we belonged and sit a couple of deportment and style and no mincing show. I needed to see the difference to
rows behind them, sort of blend in, matters if they mucked up, even the grasp that simple truth.
they will forget about us”. He wasn’t orchestra copped a bit of attention at And it’s a pity we hadn’t been told
so sure, but said that since we had times – those films of back and front to go up on stage and pull on ropes,
come this far we may as well give it a stage drama from 42nd Street onwards hold a ‘spot’, pass drinks around or do
shot. Carefully moving forward, guess seemed to have been telling the truth. something on that first visit. We might
who got his foot caught in the curtain Half an hour later the cast were have been a whisker away from
and did a Laurel and Hardy routine on told to come back next week for a something big. As I said, I nearly made
to the floor and into the auditorium? dress rehearsal and to “Please be on it into show bizzzz….!!! ★

CINEMARECORD 2002 29