So moving to Aberdeen was a huge move. And my tutors at university asked us to 'go out there and try and see as much theatre as you can!' Well I would have loved to but unfortunately it all costs money, and time and that was a tight thing over the past four months. We moved up in April, but unfortunately we couldn't get the house we originally wanted, so we ended up staying in holiday cottages and cabins for three months but moving about every week. We finally got our house we have now and we were able to take more advantages and explore a little more. So as a surprise my parents had booked tickets to see 'Strictly Confidential' which I LOVED! and you can read more on that here.
Well, I decided to book something I had never heard about before. I though the concept was interesting, and on some level didn't quite believe it. A 24 Hour Musical? Could that happen?? Well apparently it can, and it can go really well. I have experienced working as part of a theatre group for 6 years and we lucky enough to be able to direct five nights of performances. It was only an amiture theatre group but to be able to direct was a dream I had ever since I went to my very first show by the very same group, which I later joined, once I built up my confidence to join of course.
So the group I was apart of took all summer to audition, learn more about the characters, learn the lines, rehearse in the auditorium, build and paint the set, collect together the casts costumes, and of course find the props. That is just the things the older members of the cast worked on, the directors had to deal with buying the scripts, raising the money for the renting of the rooms, learn the locking up and of course design, order and pay for the programs. It was quite a big thing for me, I really enjoyed it and looking back I can't believe myself and my co-director did all that at 17! Again I repeat this took an entire year to organise and a summer to rehearse and perform to a paying pubic!
Well this 24 Hour Musical... After talking to the director of the group I found out, the cast learnt the name of the musical at 7:30pm on the 9th of August 2013, rehearsed all night and right up until 7:30pm on the 10th of August! To think that a lot of the cast probably didn't get much if any sleep before the show, and it was a 2 act performance, I felt the cast did extraordinary well! The first act was really good, and enjoyable, the introduction to what they were performing was made (High School Musical by the way) and of course I grew up with HSM so naturally, I knew all the words haha (should I be ashamed? It was a good film for my age when it came out! & who doesn't love Zac Efron?)
The cast definitely had the adrenaline and so did the audience! There honestly could not have been a better vibe in that auditorium. The second act held a few pauses, a few forgotten lines but it just made the audience laugh, it was accepted, which it should be with only 24 hours practise.
The dancing, the singing, the set, costumes, everything was well done, even down to Sharpy's pink locker. I haven't anything horrible to say about the entire night! Well, ok I have one thing... unfortunately it was the last 24 hour musical that the group are doing. I wish I moved sooner! I am a bit gutted that I never got to see any of the other performances of 'Anything Goes', 'Grease', 'Oklahoma' or 'Hello Dolly'.
I enjoyed the whole experience, would love to sit down and enjoy another one, and I think the idea of a '24 Hour Musical' is fascinating. If another theatre group start doing this kind of thing anywhere else in the country, I would definitely consider going and watching it!
The picture is not my own.
Lottie xo
