Microphone Madness

Well, last night was quite an experience! We started half an hour earlier as Geoff (director) was coming. When we arrived, we were in the main hall (as opposed to the side-hall that we normally rehearse in), and there were 2 microphones set up. "Right," says Geoff, "I want to run through the whole show without stopping. Principals grab a mic when you need it. Lets go."
Well, I felt like I was back in auditions again. My voice had been pretty crap all day after have a cold on and off for the last few days, and this news just made it dry up even more. Of course, I was up first as well...argh!

So I grabbed a mic and tried to get into the groove of "Heaven On Their Minds". I wasn't very good really. I have never sang with a handheld mic before and wasn't really sure where to position it, how loud to sing or anything. So, I managed to hash my way through the opening number OK, straining and screeching like I'd never sung it before. Afterwards, Gary (Annas) took me to one side and gave me a quick pointer on how to handle the mic. That was much appreciated.

"Strange Thing Mystifying" and "Everything's Alright" were also dodgy, but at least people could hear me. As "Damned For All Time" drew close, I felt myself getting more and more tense. This song is really my nemesis...if I'm not on form it sounds totally crap...and last night I was really not on form. It wasn't good. The situation wasn't helped by having only 2 microphones to share between me, Caiaphas and Annas. Much swapping and changing at one point led to fits of giggles.

Anyway, 1st act out of the way, I settled down a bit. We moved staight on to act 2 - no break! I felt happier to be in the second half as it's an easier sing for me. The Last Supper went OK - it was good to have everyone standing up and to be able to actually "do" the argument with Jesus.
Then I think I peaked with "Judas' Death" (a bit late you might think, but better late than never!). It was pretty good I think, especially being "on stage"...I could fall to my knees looking crazed, stagger round the stage in despair and climb the steps on "My mind is in darkness now!". Good stuff.

Then "Superstar"...this went well. I got Pete to sit on the floor, where he had been left by Pilate, so I could sing "at" him. It felt pretty good. My only worry with this is that the coreographer is going to have to try to get me dancing properly! I have a long-standing arrangement with my feet that they will only have to do so much in the way of co-ordination. This could get interesting...

So, having run through the entire show, Geoff said he was very pleased with what he saw and heard. It's a shame I wasn't on better form. If he had heard us all last week, I think he would have been even more impressed.  He's coming back mid-September to start floor rehearsals - can't wait for them. On the subject of hair, he wants beards (for the men only, this isn't Life Of Brian!) and longish hair. Pete gets to wear a wig so he can go get his hair cut, lucky sod!  Goeff suggested I should keep growing my hair, then wear a headband tied around it for the show. Oh, and a bit of a beard as well - that's good news as everyone seems to like me with a beard (which I shaved off a couple of nights ago - we're off to a wedding on Saturday and it was getting a bit bushy. Hopefully it will be back to a neat little growth by then)

After all this, we discussed the Carnival. We're meeting at Sydney Park (where's that?)  between 3.30 and 4pm. Then its 2 hours on the back of a lorry, trying to sing over the sound of the team of majorettes in front of us! Should be fun.