by Kirsten Page
Wind your mind back all those weeks ago to March the 17th 2019. It was a Sunday. It probably started, as many other Sundays have started, with the rising of the sun, the chirping of the birds and lots and lots of coffee. Somewhere after my second coffee and before my eighth, when I began to feel human again I realised what the day held. Or didn’t hold as the case would have it. No rehearsals, no performances. Nothing.
There was a conflict of feelings at this point there was an element of excitement of having some time to laze about at home in my pyjamas and slippers with my puppy and my partner ( who have been somewhat abandoned of late) and a heavy sadness that filled my heart and head with the closing of the show. It such a surreal feeling after spending so many months consumed with many, many things.
Casting. Lines. Set building. Blocking. Lines. Character work. Set dressings. Lines. Props. Lights. Lines. Rehearsals. Five months consumed with Seminar (probably more). Months of rehearsals with my amazing cast and my amazing behind the scenes support. Hours upon hours of set changing - the poor buggers (they know who they are, including my dad who got roped in for a rehearsal). But it was nailed. My poor partner every three minutes; what about this song? What about this throw rug? Help me make a story board...Please...Not to mention the big PRODUCTION WEEK- 7 days straight at the theatre, every waking moment (when I wasn’t at work).
And then nothing.
Okay, that’s not totally true I was off to the theatre on March 17th 2019. To take home half the contents of our house, a fair bit from my parents’ house and a few odds and ends of my brothers (which he moved when he came to the show to make prominent on the set). All these items were stolen and pilfered for the set of Seminar. The set dressings definitely came down quicker then they went up. Before leaving the set and space of Seminar I took a moment to look at the empty seats in the auditorium and the empty stage. I remember exhaling. Those four walls were home to some incredible months of hard work and just like that it was over and largely packed away.
It was hard to imagine only the night before the audience was full and my cast and crew gave their last amazing performances of a very successful season. During the final show, I got teary at times thinking about the fact I will never see that bit again or that bit. I was so damn proud. From the very first read through, I knew I had picked the perfect cast and they met my expectations and surpassed them. They put up with me trying random things (some of which were ditched prior to curtain up, thankfully). Working with such a talented group was pure joy and it was so pleasing to work in such a cooperative and friendly group.
In the land of theatre, people often refer to PSB (Post Show Blues). These hit you post a show funnily enough. I find that they are always proportionate to the amount of enjoyment you have had from any given show. And they have hit hard after this one. While, I will miss the time spent at Beaumaris with the whole team, the laughs, the picnics and the of course the wine, I have left with very fond memories, on the road and some amazing new connections.
I have learnt a lot along the way during the creation of Seminar.
I learnt actor points are apparently worth fighting for, although director points trump actor points
When actors are pulled up for certain habits they just trade them for a new habit- we got there.
Thigh slapping is a thing worth counting
The fuller your mouth is while talking the funnier it becomes
Whipped cream= hilarious
When part of Leonard’s apartment is in Kate’s apartment before the start of the show, stage management will simply pull it through the wall- the magic of theatre
The best looking stage wine is real wine
Some words will transport me straight back to the stage of Seminar ( PARTICPIATING)
I learnt we don’t need Alan Rickman for this show to be a roaring success (may he Rest In Peace) and;
(Most importantly) caramel corn is awful
I have no words, although this long winded article would suggest otherwise. No words to express how grateful I am to the Committee for having me, to those who contributed to Seminar in some way or another. Finally, I cannot articulate how proud I am of my cast and the work they put into this show. My vision became a reality and the show became more than I hoped for. I wouldn’t change a thing.