Fantastic First Night

Well, that's it...first night over, and what a night! Everyone was so ready for it...so excited to finally have an audience - there was such a great atmosphere, it was amazing. Everyone was really kind - I got loads of cards and some really nice gifts...shame I'm not so organised, but there's still time!

Waiting in the wings to come on for the opening, it suddenly dawned on me what I was about to do. After all the months of rehearsing, after so many years of dreaming about it, I was actually going to go on and do this part. How lucky am I? And the auditorium was full - on a Tuesday night, this is incredible.

The audience went silent as Keith struck up the band - that guitar line has to be the best opening to a show anywhere! - and out we went, through the audience, gathering up more followers as we went. Round the auditorium and onto the stage as the final guitar slide leads up to the triumphant "Superstar" melody on the horns. Absolute bloody magic.

Then it was all down to me. This was what I had waited for, and I think I did well. My voice was holding up better than at the dress rehearsal, so I gave it everything I had. The big round of applause afterwards made it all worth while.

"What's the buzz" was fantastic - I could see that everyone was really giving it everything. I was a little bit more mocking than normal in "Strange Thing Mystifying". It was good to have a bit of a smile, even if it was a sarcastic one!

"Everything's Alright" sounded great - could really hear the chorus parts this time - and I hit my "feet and hair" without any problem. Then just time for a quick drink & gargle, then back on to watch "Hosanna". This looked fab, and reports from the audience said that it was really effective.

I love the lighting change into "Simon Zealotes"...it's only a few bars of music, but I think it sets a mood which I try to mirror in my expressions from the balcony. When the band kicked in with the driving rythm of the main song and the lights started going crazy at the top of the stage, I just thought "Wow...this is one hell of a show". And a big "Well done" needs to go to Julie for putting together such fantastic choreography - everyone I spoke to from the audience said the movement was amazing. The audience went wild after this one, with lots of whistles and whoops - you can always tell when there are friends and family in the audience!

Poor David sang "Pilate's Dream" really well, but it seems the audience didn't know whether to clap or not, so he went off in silence! Then on came the Temple. The lighting worked well on this one, picking out each side of the stage in turn, and the chorus sounded great - we seem to have got over the problem of not being able to hear the band, thanks goodness. And I love the lepers...the green lights give them all a very sickly look, and again, it sounded great.

Caroline pulled out all the stops for "I don't know..." and it sounded lovely. I have to remember to keep looking miserable through this as it's easy to get carried away listening to the song! I tried to be the most menacing I could in my slow walk across the top of the stage and down to Caroline's side - love that bit too!

"Damned..." went well...the Priests are great in this - stony faced and miserable - really intimidating. I managed to kneel in what I hoped was the right spot for the bag of money - I could see it coming down (phew!), so I took it and went to stand against the red light, where I waited for what seemed like 5 minutes (!) before it faded to black. Finally, the audience could appluade.

"The Last Supper" sounded really great - the Apostles make a lovely sound together - and Pete and I really went for it in the argument. Good stuff.

What can I say about "Gethsemane"? I have run out of superlatives to describe Pete's performances of this, and last night was one of his best. Geoff, Emma and I were stood just in the wings, listening and willing him hit each big note well, and he did - every time. Absolutely bloody brilliant Mr Finegan. You are a star. Unfortunately, as I expected, those in the audience who didn't know the song started clapping in the short break after "See how I die!". It kind of spoils the mood a little bit, but I guess it's understandable as it does seem like the end if you don't know any better. Never mind. He still got a huge clap at the real end of the song - well deserved indeed.

"The Arrest" went well - the "Tell me Christ..." lines all managed to keep in time, which was good.

I missed "Pilate and Christ" and "Herod's Song" as I was off psyching myself up for the hanging. "Could we start again please" was superb. Tom and Caroline have such fantastic voices and they blend so well.

I decided to come on through the front steps for "Judas' Death", but perhaps I should have scouted out the route before I tried it for real as I nearly ran staight into the bank of speakers! I finally found my way onto the stage and did my thing. Everyone asks "Are you nervous about the hanging?" but I always feel excited about doing it. It really is my favourite part of the show, and I just can'twait to get up there and hang! I seemed to be hanging for ages last night, and spinning round and round - not ideal with your eyes shut! I was eventually got down and ran off to pick myself up for "Superstar". I think I know now that the hanging is very effective, although I think I need a black sheet or something to be wrapped round me as I am taken off - the audience could clearly see me being unhooked and walking down the stairs thanks to my white robes. I'll mention it tonight.

So, on came the legendary suit - keeping my head mic on this time to help pick up the sound as I dance about the stage. There were one or two slips ups in the number (Mandy - keep singing love, you're not done yet! ;-) ), but I think we got away with it on our "attitude"!

"The crucifixion"...I don't need to say anything about this. It was what it was...what it always is. So moving. The cast all in tears. The audience in stunned silence. What a show.

As the last note finished, Keith walked off. The audience seemd to sit transfixed for an eternity, before the house lights came on and people got the idea that this was it - the end. There was some mix up over when Pete was to be brought down - some people were still in the audience and Geoff wasn't pleased, but I guess tis won't happen again.


So...that was it. A dream come true. I can't really believe it happened. It all went so quickly, and so well, but crikey, it was so amazing. It sounds like David Peasgood was in doing a review for the Telegraph, so we will all be waiting to see what he has to say about it.

We all went to The Lynton for a drink and a buffet after, which was really good - a fairly quiet affair, but it was nice to wind down after our first successful performance. Here's to 5 more!

If you've got any comments about last night's performance that you want to share, click here to add them, or email me.