Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Acting, but Were Afraid to Ask, Dear by West End Producer

Author:West End Producer [Producer, West End]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Performing Arts, Acting & Auditioning, theater, General
ISBN: 9781848423473
Google: y5d5ngEACAAJ
Publisher: Nick Hern Books
Published: 2013-11-15T23:31:43.898183+00:00

Press nights are remarkable affairs. They are what the actors and production team have been working towards for the whole of the rehearsal period, and with them comes immense pressure – they are the one night when it is essential not to fuck it up.

The smooth running of a press night is usually handled by a PR company, who will have been employed months in advance to help with the whole marketing aspect of the show. They will be in charge of media, interviews, press, invitations, posters, images, social media, websites and John Barrowman’s teeth.

It is absolutely vital that actors learn their lines by press night. There is nothing worse than hearing an actor shout ‘Line’ in front of all the critics and invited peers. It is such a fundamental mistake, and one which is often forgotten by some of our leading actors. It is not acceptable. Particularly when they’ve had the whole of the preview period to learn them.

Because of all the extra excitement on press nights, actors often overcompensate. I have seen actors down large amounts of Red Bull before heading on stage – which has caused them to tremble throughout their entire performance. This is how the actor playing Alfie, the old waiter in One Man, Two Guvnors, perfected his shaking. It was nothing to do with physical practice, it was just Red Bull shakes, dear.

It is extremely important that you look good during the curtain call on press night. Recently there has been a trend for photographers to take photos during it, and the following day you don’t want your sweaty, rouge-smudged face appearing all over the internet. It is advisable to double-, triple- and quadruple-check before gliding onto the stage for your applause. Also, at the party there will be lots of press and photographers vying for your attention, desperate to get a marvellous shot – again making it essential you look immaculate. But as well as looking good it is wise to make sure you stand out. I suggest ladies wear a revealing dress or stylish onesie. And gents wear a tight suit that elegantly shows off their package.

The greatest moment about the press night is, of course, the party. These are usually lavish affairs that take place in wonderfully expensive locations where wine and beer is free-flowing and the nibbles are expensively inedible (unless you are doing a small-scale tour – where the party will be a pint of lager and bag of nuts in Wetherspoon’s).

In honesty, I much prefer going to other people’s press-night parties than my own. At my own parties I am forced to hang around the bar making sure that greedy actors and naughty front-of-house staff don’t nick all the free booze. These affairs are always ridiculously hard on the wallet, particularly when Louie Spence swans around, sipping free champagne and gorging on nibbles and nipples all night.

I love nothing more than searching through my wardrobe before a press night. It takes hours of grooming and several costume changes

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