My Lord, Grand Duke, Farewell...

Monday mornings should be made illegal; I think if enough people were to lobby the government to extend the weekend even just to Monday Lunch time, thus affording a well-needed lie in to start the week, life would be a much happier place. I also think we should be actively campaigning for everyone involved in amateur dramatics to have at least one week free holiday to spend recovering – perhaps realistically we would never win that one, but imagine how amazing it would be if we did…it would certainly be easier to get men involved with Gilbert and Sullivan then…

As is to be expected, severe post-show blues are tramping around all over my life today, wearing stiletto-heeled welly boots covered in mud. If anyone had suggestions about how to combat these uninvited pests, that would be great; currently I am sat, still wearing my outdoor coat and scarf (two hours into the working day) staring blankly at the computer. I am not going to lie to you, this recovery tactic does not seem to be working. Perhaps if I had an interesting job, throwing myself into menial daily tasks might help a little, but this is more of a muscle-memory-monkey job and so affords one’s brain far too much wandering time.

It’s hard to explain post-show blues to people who don’t partake in the am-dram world. I think the best I have managed so far is the striking similarity to the vacuum created in life when you break off some sort of romance; something which monopolises your thoughts and creative energy so much that when you remove it, the gaping hole takes a good long while to fill up, and you can’t motivate yourself to proactively try and fill it. It seems unhealthy to actively encourage this sort of feeling, and apparently it was certainly unwise to throw one’s self into two shows in one month; being careless with one’s own emotional stability and stage/life boundaries in such a way should, in future, be avoided. Although to draw on the positive side, to be lucky enough to perform twice in such a short period was an amazing experience.

(Several hours later..)
It is inherently easier to live once Monday morning is over. That is definitely true. Although, I am still sat with my outdoor coat on.

For anyone interested, The Grand Duke was a success. Audience reactions were positive, cast slip-ups were few and it seems everyone enjoyed themselves! Now, onwards and upwards…

Come, walk up and purchase with avidity!

Once more inspired by perusing other blogs, it occurs to me that I would like to actively promote NUGSS performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Grand Duke" - come one come all!

Here is me actively promoting the show in my office at work:



The Grand Duke is one of the least popular Gilbert and Sullivan Operas, though to be quite honest after prolonged exposure to it through rehearsals for the last six months, I don't quite know why it should be so! It is true that many of the tunes lack the memorable punch of shows like Pirates or Pinafore, but they also contain some of the more enjoyable harmonies (and most difficult alto lines)in the whole cannon - not to mention two great dance numbers. It seems Gilbert was experiencing a satirical peak with the sheer amount of industries and themes he takes on within the plot, and the marriage of character to music is incredibly aptly executed. There is a good amount for the chorus to enjoy, and some of the lead female characters challenge the usual boundaries of their set (ie. Lisa, Julia, The Baroness)to an extent which proves a refreshing change for the actresses involved.

This particular production benefits from the entire cast being made up of students; Gilbert and Sullivan can too often suffer from a largely aging cast - here, as in many University productions - from the sublime to the ridiculous, the oldest member of the cast of The Grand Duke is merely 25. Though this has its inconveniences (in lines which highlight the elderly state of certain characters) it makes for an energetic and enthusiastic cast, perfect for tackling the unfamiliar, and great for persuading the audience that one does not necessarily need to know the music to enjoy the show.

The best way of getting to know the Grand Duke is to see a production; come along this week (Thursday 24th, Friday 25th and Saturday 26th February) to the Royal Grammar School Performance Centre in Jesmond, Newcastle and support the youth of the UK Gilbert and Sullivan scene!

Blog Jealousy

In discovering that several of my friends and relations persue the interesting hobby phenomenon known as 'blogging', it occured to me that I was suffering from an accute over-interest, motivated by mild blog jealousy. So here I am. Now, my only difficulty is that I have nothing of value to write...