Recalls...

As I mentioned in my last post, the standard of auditions last week was phenomenal. Last night was no exception. The energy was electric. I think we were all so glad we weren’t in Pippa and Rebecca’s position because we genuinely wouldn’t have been able to cast the show.

We started off with the Buttons recalls. Each different auditionee really had their own take on the role. One minute we were ‘awww-ing’, the next we were crying with laughter. Next we moved on to the Ugly Sisters. There were six sets of sisters: some vulgar, some thick, some overtly sexual, some crass, some TOWIE, but ALL hilarious. One of my favourite moments was when Justin Jeffreys (Oscar, Sweet Charity, Shaw Theatre 2012) looked at Pippa and Rebecca and said (in a camp but evil Only Way is Essex accent) “What I want to know is why we’re standing here auditioning for these parts when we’ve got two ugly sisters sitting right in front of us… What? Think you’re too good to get up and audition do ya?…  Cat got your tongue?… dya know what? At the end of the day, whatever.”

The brilliant thing about the ugly sisters was that despite the fact they had been given a script, everyone was ad libbing like divas and so there wasn’t a moment of boredom. This did also mean that the recalls took longer than anticipated! The fairy godmothers were next and they ranged from those with a broad Yorkshire accent, to motherly, to street, to posh, to a Welsh Dandini, to a forward rolling Dandini and a thigh slapping Dandini, to a soul Wicked Stepmother, to an alcoholic Wicked Stepmother, to a scathing cow. No two auditions were the same. And I loved watching every minute of it!

In the words of Anna Bosanko (Charity, Sweet Charity, Shaw Theatre 2012): “Honestly I haven’t laughed like that for so long!!!! At one point I nearly choked on my own tongue I was laughing so much!!!! Hilarious!!!!!!!”

I’ll be keeping you updated on panto progress, but in the meantime, put it into your diaries now.

15th and 16th December.

Have you written it in there yet? Hmm?

Dya know what? At the end of the day, whatever.