So here it is, the actual full sized blog that I have been trying to find time to write all week.
I am sat in my flat in London (thank goodness) so nice to be back here.
Heading to Wolverhampton on Tuesday until Saturday so get your tickets all you brummies in the midlands!
Manchester was a great week. Probably one of my favorite of the tour. Having had sunday night and monday at home with my family in Wales I was slightly refreshed from a manic few weeks. Opening night was great - lovely audience (and it remained that way all week-great), then myself and about 6 other people from the company had a big night out, and as I've written in the past, I don't go out and get drunk with the responsibility of playing Curly in Oklahoma! but I had the whole day set aside to recover if I needed it. But after drinking a large amount and dancing for approximately 3 hours solid (no break at all-seriously, I think I sweated out all the alcohol, i looked a state) and eating a not very meat looking meaty pizza at 3.30am, I managed to get up at 10.30 the next day, do some shopping, a good two hour workout and then met up with Joe and Ben from the cast for coffee and a wonder around town - the show was a delight that night. I have to admit though it did catch up with me on the Thurday though. We had two shows and my body was aching so much from dancing like a fool all night on the Tuesday. Ha
Good times though and definitely long over due.
So I had a call from my agent on Wednesday saying I have been asked to go in for a meeting for something new - by the way the one of the few things I will never talk about in my blog is what auditions/meetings I'm in for, it's just a boring topic of conversation and it's not exciting basically 'cause it's just something actors do to get jobs and we do SO MANY and most of the time you probably won't get it for so many reasons so it's just not really interesting, unless something funny happens that I feel you should know of course, like if I witness someone dancing so vigorously that her boob pops out (I say that because that has happened in a meeting I was in once- she popped it back in as and carried on without even blushing - now that's a pro)
Anyway reason I was telling you this is because my agent gave me the glorious news that I would have to choreograph a dance solo displaying two very distinct styles for myself to perform to the panel. My agent and I were laughing at the thought of me doing a 'Flashdance' style routine in a pair of hot pants and ankle warmers - fear not I am not wearing that.
So I hired a studio (Sunshine Studios on Newton St in Manchester is very reasonably priced if anyone ever needs a space to rehearse by the way) and Alex Grierson from the cast came to offer her opinion on what I was putting together and basically told me when things looked naff and suggested alternatives - Which is funny in itself because towards the end of the week in Manchester she was playing Aunt Eller in the show as Marti Webb was unfortunately unwell, so on friday she was Choreographer by day and old woman by night - that's versatility for you!!!
I chopped off a considerable amount of my hair toady. I was getting sick of it, it was too long to curl properly for the show (for those of you who have not seen Oklahoma!- because of the character name Curly I have my hair curled for EVERY SHOW!, which involves using dainty little lilac and pink curlers and popping them in my hair which takes Laura our wardrobe mistress 30 minutes beofre I'm actually due to be at work, then go to physical and vocal warm up with a hair net and headband on before taking them out 20 mins before curtain up - EVERY SHOW!) - so I had to chop some of it off 'cause it was a mess. The guy who cuts my hair is one of my closest friends Wayne Fitzsimmons who is known in the West End as 'Hair Dresser To The Stars' - he's a very talented West End performer who happened to train and work at Tony And Guy in Birmingham before he trained in musical theatre so he's everyone's friend in showbiz and we go back about 5 years now - top bloke. So that was nice to have a good old catch up over breakfast and a barnett recovery! Then I came back to my flat and knuckled down to learn some lyrics for a concert I have in Cardiff next Sunday. I am singing four sings and I have a busy week this week between the show and other things so need to make the most of any free time.
But now I am sat down ready to watch the X-Factor before having an early night.
Don't forget folks, these are our last six venues with the show - Wolverhampton, Edinburgh, Bradford, Rhyl, Londonderry, and Trieste in Italy.
This Saturday matinee in Wolves is our 200th performance so that's how many times you've missed the show if you've not made the effort so far, so get your tickets booked folks. 6 WEEKS LEFT!!!
Hope all is good with you all and you're all well and happy.
Please keep your messages and facebook comments coming in - it's great to hear from you always.
Happy Sunday
Love your lives
Mark
ps X-Factor has started so I ain't gonna read over this again so apologies if some of it doesn't make sense but as you know by now I just write what's in my head and hope you enjoy readin it.
