Monday 21 September 2009

The Quest for Stardom

It was about a year ago that I had my showcase at the end of my time at drama school. Lots of things have happened - maybe not as many big things as I would have liked - but lots of things. I found something i wrote at the time that makes me realise thank God I'm not back there again:

It has been three days since I had my London Showcase – symbolising the end of my acting training and the start of my career. I am back in my home town; at the first theatre I ever performed in dressed in a colourful ‘Andy Pandy’esque outfit with brightly coloured make up sat at the side of the stage wondering if this really is: ‘showbiz’. I have been a children’s party clown for years and years: a fun Saturday job for my teenage self and now a suitable stop-gap whilst waiting for my ‘big-break’. The company also puts on theatre shows and I have been roped into performing in an anniversary performance under the slight pretence “all the old guys will be back”. A grand total of two out of approximately twenty have turned up and I am left wondering if I’m a bit soft...

Until 5:40pm yesterday I had not a single call from an agent and I was feeling pretty worried. Other members of my group (generally male) had various calls as soon as we had come of stage, yet all I had was a concerned feeling as in my head I had thought, “I am AWESOME, people will be clamouring to sign me if these other guys are having interest”. Thankfully an agent I had met previously as a mock interview through my drama school the previous month was still interested and wanted me to meet them again the following Tuesday. Of course since then I have been worrying that the other agents will wait until next week to get in contact and I will have already given this one an answer! I have luckily since snapped out of it, realising that firstly this one hasn’t actually offered as yet and secondly, the phone is not ringing...

Sunday 20 September 2009

Clueless

Working with kids is a weird thing as, despite only being in my early/mid twenties I start referencing pop culture from when I was a teen and I get blank faces from the teens I'm teaching. I never got it when adults would roll their eyes when it was me not getting the reference and now it's happening the other way around a bit too quick for my likening. I've just watched Clueless again and I'm shocked to see it was first out 14 years ago. Yes 14 years!!!! I know that the rest of my life now is going to be full of weird moments like this and I don't like it....

M x

Wednesday 16 September 2009

Sister Act:: Rise of the Understudy

On Monday Night I saw Sister Act the Musical. It's good. Not amazing, but good fun. A very expensive looking pantomime really. But Debbie Kurup who was on for Patina Miller (who I think is on holiday) was AMAZING! I've seen Debbie in all sorts of shows before and she is always a stand out but she was just fantastic in this. Thankfully they didn't bother doing the announcement at the beggining that Patina wasn't on as I cannot stand the obnoxious groan and moan you hear from the general public in the audience (notice how I distance myself from them lol). Google Debbie Kurup everyone - she's fab.

M x

Temping Tuesdays

ARGHHH teaching is not my calling. It is not to say I'm not good at it or indeed I don't enjoy it sometimes but it is not what God put me on this earth to do. I actually treat my teaching as not 'just a job' but something that I feel is worthwhile - until yesterday.
I teach all ages acting and singing after school but yesterday not only did I have a parent moaning that she didn't understand why they need to warm up before singing but I had a group of 14 -16 year olds that admitted that they probably couldn't find 15 minutes during their week to look at lyrics of a song for the following class... WHY DO WE BOTHER?????!

The End. Now I have to go and work with 1 year olds at a creche...

Monday 14 September 2009

A Little Rant...


This week I have admittedly watched a lot of E4, which as we know results in watching the same American dramas all day on a loop. It does also mean that you have to listen to that dreadful announcer man who thinks it's hilarious to use the word 'ruddy' in every sentence but this week he didn't just take the biscuit - he took the whole 'ruddy' tin!

Background info:
I am absolutely mad about the American series, 'How I Met Your Mother'. It's tag line is 'A Love Story in Reverse' and so you are watching just that - the lead character, Ted, telling his children in the fututre how he met their mother. It's very cleverly written as not only can you watch any of the episodes as one off funny programs- if you watch all the episodes from every season they are intricately weaved together so, for instance, something mentioned in season one may now be explained properly until season three. A normal sitcom can't do this as it would have a pool of writers and different director each episode - this doesn't happen with How I Met Your Mother as it's always the same team.

Why am I furious?
WELL. The stupid advert for How I Met Your Mother is a ridiculous negative advertising ploy to say that 'it's just like Friends' and you've seen it all before. Firstly this is not true and Secondly why on earth do that think that would make people watch it- if they have spent money on buying the program in for E4, why on earth demean it with it's advertising??? I wrote to channel 4 yesterday and gave them a piece of my mind on it and aparently the email will be passed to the appropriate people. They are such IDIOTS!

Mx

Tuesday 8 September 2009

The Quest for Stardom

My word I have become Slack Alice. I apologise for not writing for ages then I follow it by not writing for ages. So what's been going on?
I attended a course on new musical theatre which was really good, I directed Little Women the Broadway Musical in a week then went to visit Bath and Cornwall and now I am back and about to record a demo CD. Thunderbirds are GO!

Bath is amazing - I just hope the next time I am there it is because I am filming a period drama! And I hope Rupert Penry Jones is near by....

Talking of which he was in the dire 'Match Point' last night - for ONE whole scene! Oh Rups!! Mind you I think i would take a part with one scene to be opposite the beautiful Johnathan Rhys Meyers. Although I would have to hold back the laughter from the terrible acting. Shouting does not a King of England make.

Anyway enough of this nonsense. Everyone must take notice of a fabulous young composer called Michael Bruce. He worked with us on my course and he is destined for great things - there is a concert of his work in London on November 1st which I won't get to see as I'll be in Norfolk working but please go!!

New headshots came through this week - I'm really happy with them but my word where are I finding the money??? Becoming an actor is so expensive....