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Savoyards - First Contact by It seems that most people I know
studied at least one of Gilbert and Sullivan's shows while at school, but I for
one missed out on that opportunity. I stumbled over the Rhos-on-Sea Savoyards a
few months ago, or should I say they stumbled over me and I am now the veteran
of one Gilbert and Sullivan operetta. On reflection I really enjoyed myself,
although at the time I wasn't always so sure. It occurred to me that there may
be a whole bunch of people just like me, who frankly don't even realise that
there is an alternative to those tediously long drawn out evenings. I do not
want to surrender to the television, but I can't afford to go out every night.
If you're up for a bit of a challenge and want to do something different, I
think I may have found something to spark your interest. Obviously, your story
would be different, but here is how it happened to me. "Hi Mike, where are you living these days?" "Just outside Wrexham still, Why?" "That's a shame, I was hoping you
would be nearer." "Why?" "Well, I was hoping you could do me
a favour?" "What kind of favour?" "Just sing a couple of songs. I need
a leading man, but there's not much to it." Just around about there I should
have realised that Brian was lying through his back teeth! To be fair, I think
he may have believed he was doing me a favour - I haven't decided yet. The rest
of the conversation went along the lines of, "I don't know. What kind of
songs?" It turns out they were from Gilbert and Sullivan's HMS Pinafore.
Anyway, I agreed to turn up at the next rehearsal and look at the songs to
determine if I could sing them. It probably didn't help my cause
that I couldn't leave work till quite late on the night of that first
rehearsal, so I arrived just a little late at the town hall. I distinctly
remember a whole bunch of people I had never seen before who were interrupted in
the middle of their rehearsal. I was made very welcome, smiles came from all
around and Brian introduced me to everyone. I was even given my own copy of the
music. It was around about this time that I began to feel I was out of my
depth. Indeed, I nearly walked out then and there! After all, I can't read
music, and I've never sung in a group. If you want my opinion, my best singing
is done in the bath! I really don't know what Brian was thinking of when he
asked me to join them. Well, for that rehearsal I think I
was a little overwhelmed, I sat and looked at the music. Most of the time I
hadn't a clue were everyone was, and I don't recall singing a note. I certainly
didn't sing a right one! I figured that I would have to take the music away
with me, find someone who could read music and record my parts for me on a tape
or something. Janice, the music director was a star. She noticed I was
struggling, and during the coffee break, that is a half way marker for our
rehearsals, explained the basics of the manuscript to me - where I would find
my lines and so on. She also volunteered to put aside an evening of her time,
just to go through my solos with me. With all the smiling faces, everyone
telling me it was fun, and that I would be fine, I found myself agreeing to try
to learn one of the songs within the week. My evening with Janice was a bit of
an eye opener. It turned out that I could sing the solos. Frankly, I was
stunned. Well, more accurately, they are within my vocal range. However, in
conversation with Janice I determined that there were currently no tenors in
the chorus. My voice matched, I would be on stage at the appropriate times, and
so would I be able to sing the tenor lines as well? I can see you grinning now,
and you're right, but I was already on the slippery path. Not too surprisingly,
there were many more than two chorus songs, and, it appeared that there were
only eight and half weeks to the final performance. The trouble didn't stop there. After
my one-to-one session with Janice I went home. My wife, bless her, had been on
to Amazon and got the CD of the show. My eleven year old son wanted to know
when he was going to watch daddy at the theatre. The final nail came the
following day from one of my work colleagues who enjoys singing with a choir.
He had found me my very own copy of the manuscript for HMS Pinafore. There was
nowhere for me to go. Everyone seemed to feel that I would be doing the show.
Everyone, that is, but me. My wife has been going back to
college and spends a great deal of time in the evenings struggling to learn new
things. On odd occasions through the preceding few months I had voiced an
opinion that she ought to have got the knack of it by now. Well, the boot was
on the other foot. My wife was continually pointing out that memorizing things
can't be that difficult. After the rough time I had given her over the past few
months I could do very little except bite my tongue and learn some songs! In
practice, I found it a lot easier than I expected. I stuck the CD in the car,
and every moment I was in the car I simply played the CD. At first I just
listened, but as the weeks progressed I was able to join in for certain songs.
The key to remembering stuff seems to be repetition. Every time I ran through a
song it got easier. By the end of five weeks I was able to sing with the entire
CD (for my bits, anyway) and since I drive a lot, I found myself doing the
entire show almost two times each day. I even found that during rehearsals that
the manuscript was starting to make sense, and I could even tell when I was
going wrong just by looking at the music. It's a real good feeling to realise
that you've picked up a new skill, and seem to be pretty good at it. I still
can't sight read, but it is easier to remember the tune if you can see the
music in front of you as well as listen to it. With a month to go I was beginning
to feel quite confident. I had mastered most of the tunes, the words to the
songs were well on the way. Then came the acting rehearsals. No one had
mentioned a thing about acting! There was even more learning to do - my part
has several lines in the play. To add to my joy, I, who has one and a half left
feet, had to learn some dances! This was by the far the funniest time of the
whole production. It seems that everyone remembers different things, I
definitely don't remember dances. I wasn't alone though it seems that a lot of
us blokes have trouble remembering two things at once. Its amazing how when you
trying to concentrate on singing the correct words and notes how easy it is to
confuse left with right, and forwards with backwards. If you can imagine a
group of fifteen to twenty people all trying to move in unison, but mostly
forgetting what unison is, you'll have a pretty good picture of the regular
routine. If I have one regret from this entire experience it is that we never
recorded these rehearsals with a video camera, they were simply
side-splittingly hilarious. Of course Karen, the director didn't think so
(which made it even funnier to me). Pretty much every rehearsal would end with
her head in her hands despairing over our ever being ready. On hindsight I
really feel for her, but at the time I was simply laughing too hard to notice.
The really good bit is that everyone else is enjoying themselves too, and we
were all stone cold sober. With two weeks to go I felt it
really was all starting to come together. I had wondered earlier in the month
if I would need to book a day's holiday before the show for some last minute
cramming, but lady luck had different plans - I caught a cough with just eight
days to go till first night. It is staggering how many different remedies for
coughs and colds people know. Everyone had advice, some of which was downright
ludicrous. In the end I decided to see my doctor. I think the doctor was
bemused, after all, I generally avoid him like the plague, and then out of the
blue I'm worried by this little cough! According to the doctor there really is
very little you can do. The infection lasts between seven and ten days, but the
coughing may go on for weeks. He could give me something for the coughing if it
helped on the night, but basically the most advanced advice is lots of steam
baths. Great! About the only thing everyone agreed was that I shouldn't try to
sing as I might put too much strain on my voice. Indeed, Brian was of the
opinion that I shouldn't even talk for an entire week. So I did my best, but
hey, I am a sales man, I just got to talk to make my daily bread! That didn't
stop him from telling me off at every opportunity. In the final analysis, my voice
became just barely controllable for the final shows. I felt that I could have
done a far better job, if only my voice didn't betray me. Most people who saw
they show and knew me, commented that I was a little quieter than normal, but
everyone seemed to enjoy the show as a whole. Hey, all my notes were in tune
and I only forgot my words twice. I am told that in the past, it was very much
frowned upon to mess up the lines, but there seems to be a much more relaxed
attitude now. Indeed, in some cases the lines were deliberately changed, or an
odd line added. I did not know either W.S. Gilbert, or Arthur Sullivan - they
lived in a different century - but I am pretty sure that they wrote their shows
for people to enjoy. The shows are packed full of humour and wherever possible
the acting tries to enhance this. Our audiences certainly enjoyed the show and
we enjoyed putting it on. I can't deny that there weren't moments, however, it
is the little trials that make the victories so glorious. Personally I would
like to thank both Mr Gilbert and Mr Sullivan for their work, and I am looking
forward to having a go at the next show, whatever the committee decides. If your curiosity has been piqued,
then why don't you try joining us for a couple of rehearsals and see for
yourself. There is always a warm welcome for anyone who wants to have a go.
While we are desperately short of singers, men in particular, I mustn't forget
that a lot of organisation goes into a
show besides that which is on stage. There are publicity issues, stage setup,
lighting, sound, all manner of different jobs that are needed out of the
limelight. We need help in all areas, so if you don't think you're up to
singing, but would like to get involved, the same applies, why not come along
and see us? Details of our next production and the when/ where of rehearsals
can be found at www.savoyards.org.uk
Just one more thing to add. My first show was a little rushed, on account of the fact that I only had a few weeks. Normally we rehearse for several months. Our latest show starts rehearsals now, in July and will be on stage for the last week of November. |
