Sweeney Todd 2016

Hi Everyone!

I said I was going to try and attempt to catch up with blog posts so I've decided to start with the most recent events sits easier to catch up this way! SO my first fresh start blog post is obviously going to be about the production of Sweeney Todd I have recently been in at the Tyne Theatre and Opera House in Newcastle. What an experience! 

It all started in October last year when I saw an advert pop up for the auditions on Facebook and I thought, why not? I needed to start branching out and making my own opportunities so I sent an email, got all the details and audition material then started to prepare myself for the audition. The song which I chose to sing was "Green Finch and Linnet Bird" which is from Sweeney Todd and I was actually excited for the audition!

So the audition came along and I went to the theatre, started to prepare myself and went in for the audition. It was probably one of the worst auditions I had ever done and was expecting to not get in. BUT it was a couple of days later and I was on the train back from college where I got an email saying that I got into the ensemble and I literally yelped on the train, earning me quite a few odd looks from people around me. Little did I know at the time that it would be the best experience ever and be the start of me making some close friends. 

Rehearsals started straight away and we started learning the score which, lets just say, is so difficult! Stephen Sondheim, who wrote the music, is well known for having complicated scores. It was definitely a challenge! After Christmas we began rehearsals at the theatre which was for the blocking of the scenes. I have never had so much fun at rehearsals than I did with Sweeney. At the start of rehearsals I was so nervous because I didn't know anyone but that quickly past as I made some amazing friends. There were times where I was worrying that the show wouldn't come together in time but how wrong I was!

Show week was the best week ever and I haven't laughed so much in my entire life! Literally backstage was amazing and an absolute joy! We all became so close and the thought of the show was what had kept me going since rehearsals started! Even the tech runs and dress run went smoothly and stress free (which is a first for me!) The banter that went down backstage was actually award winning and was just bloody amazing! The shows were from 2nd-5th March.

The actual shows went so well apart from a few scenarios which included being groped, eating meat pie (Thanks Callum!) and missing my entrance one night!

The most amazing thing about Sweeney were all the new friends I have made who I now consider my close friends and who I trust so much! I love them all so much and even though the show finished 3 weeks ago, I still miss seeing them everyday far too much! Recently while I have been going through a crap time, these guys all cheered me up, motivated me and kept me going and I will always be grateful to them. The banter we had will stay with me forever and they let me be my true self without judgment or weird looks because we all got each other and we had a similar sense of humour.

After the show when some of us went out into Newcastle I have never had such an amazing night and laughed so much! I also didn't know I could actually drink that much either so I need to try and beat that record next time! Big thanks to Jennifer for getting us in free! (Another Sweeney Gem)

As tradition, I am going to include photos from Sweeney and I hope y'all don't mind!

 This is the Sweeney Squad (minus Lauren) who I love so much! These guys are some of my closest friends and I'm so glad they are in my life! They have made me laugh till I cry and have given me so much support! (From Left to Right) Ethan, Jessica, Jonny, Grace, Izzy, Me, Liam.

 Jessica is an actual gem who I absolutely love! The two blondies in the dressing room and we literally laughed till we cried! Jessica is a lifesaver because after the Sweeney after after party, she let me crash at hers because I had no way of getting home and was quite smashed! So thank you so much for letting me crash at yours, and the uber back to yours!

 One of the many pictures from the night out where all of us got hammered and I thought I was a top quality photographer! Featuring George and Jessica

 This little babe, Jonny, I absolutely love! He has been there for me so much recently and has kept me going! His advice has been amazing and I miss seeing this pickle everyday! I feel so lucky to have him in my life and he has been my rock! He is one of the most talented people I know and I would sell my left arm to get to be in another show with him at some put in the future!

 Izzy, what can I say? Even though we only got close at the Band Call I feel like we have been friends for so much longer and we had a right hoot backstage! You put up with my moaning and awful humour, which not many people have done! She is so talented and stunning and I know she'll go far.

 A cheeky selfie courtesy of Lauren and Ethan, the winning prostitute duo! On stage those two were an absolute hoot! Ethan put up with me just barging into his, Jonny and Liam's dressing room literally all the time and laughed at my really bad jokes! So precious and the Man Whore of the Squad (he'll know what I mean!)   

 Some of the Sweeney Squad on opening night! You literally have no idea how much I love these guys!

Another Jessica Selfie!

 This was me, Izzy, George and part of Jessica trying to be all serious and pouty! Can we all appreciate George and Izzy's nightie?!?

 One of the many selifes of me and my pickle Lauren but if we analyse it deeply, the lack of make up on me was a representation of my life that day and how drained I was. Before going to the theatre I was a mess but going to see all my favourites and being in the theatre cheered me up so much! It also is evidence that make up actually saves me from looking like the back of a bus! 

Right, so Lauren. She's a pain in the arse.

KIDDING! I love this one so much! She was the first friend I made at rehearsals, way back in October we literally started talking while sat at the same table and we clicked! We got so close and she was literally my rock! We were the terrible two! As prostitutes we set ourselves tasks like who could make a guy the most uncomfortable, of course I won (poor Jonny!) But she is a legend and what more can I say? We have a similar sense of humour and I felt sorry for the cast having to put up with our constant giggling and arsing about (professionally of course!)

Pouting from the main prozzy's!

 Now this is one of the few photos I got with any of the principal cast! Gordon is such a talented actor  who it was a pleasure to work with! Even though we didn't really get to know each other much before show week (except getting on the same train together once!) During show week we got to know each other so well and I have no doubt he will go far in the future!

Here is Callum, and what a gem! He was so kind and  lovely backstage and constantly had my back! I'm gonna miss him a ridiculous amount. We were constantly giggling backstage and our banter was just so on flee. I have even forgiving him for shoving meat pie in my mouth during 'God thats Good'. 

 Now this is Grace who is so lush! We didn't really get to know each other until we were in the dressing room together and we clicked instantly! It was brilliant spending time to gather and in the bistro for the after party we were on the same level of tipsy! She is so talented and I would LOVE to work with her again!

 One of the only sober photos of me before we all started drinking!

George! An absolute star who put up with my sense of humour and moaning! He was another gem who kept me going through some really crap times! The amount of times he acted as a chair or shoulder to cry on was so sweet and I really miss seeing him everyday! He also has an amazing jaw line and pout!

 Now this is the other photo I got with someone from the principal cast was Will. He played Toby (Tobias) and we only really got close during Show week due to not being at the same rehearsals but we laughed so much and I think I may be the cause of his naïve view on the world being ruined! Sorry! He is so talented, like ridiculously talented and I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for him in the future!

 A partly full shot of mine and Lauren's prostitute costumes! This was the first show where I didn't have any costume changes which was pretty weird as I'm use to 5+ so I actually had time to chill in between numbers without having to worry about changes and pieces of costume being in certain places!

 Photo courtesy of Rachael but a group shot of dressing room 7 where me, Jessica and Izzy and Grace ended up quite a few times! 

 One of the photos from the After After Party at WHQ (nightclub in Newcastle!) lets say I was many double Vodka and Diet Coke's in at this point! Poor George was like my minder and kept me from getting groped that night! So thank you George!

 Some example of the banter backstage because we loved each other so much! Izzy and George showing it obviously!

A selfie from Georges phone! This was one of many so sorry not sorry for using up a lot of your storage!

 A photo of most of the cast after the last show on the Saturday! I can't believe that I didn't cry at all that night which is a first for a show ending when this was probably the biggest show I have ever done! Working with these guys was so good!

Now there are a few people who I sadly didn't get a photo with but need mentioning!

Liam (see Sweeney Squad photo) was absolutely hilarious like I would literally cry laugh at him! We had a shared interest in bitching and clicked so well! He's like a boy version of me and I miss his witty one liners to cheer me up after a crap day! I can't believe we didn't get a selfie but there will always be an opportunity in the future!

Mia, who played Mrs Lovett was one of the first fiends who I made at rehearsals and it was all down to us ending up getting the metro and train back from rehearsal and mentioning that we both were going to Durham! She is insanely talented and she's another one who I know will go far!

Thomas who played Sweeney Todd is an actual machine! Learning the entire score and book in such a short amount of time is bloody amazing seeing as Sweeney is a mountain of work! He constantly had me going 'Oh My God' in rehearsal as he blew my mind at playing Sweeney! His drawings of the principal cast were truly works of art and made me wish I was that good at drawing!

As mentioned earlier Jennifer was a gem during the show and I remember we literally just started talking at a rehearsal and he was on her laptop and we played this game (can't remember the name!) and how much we loved skyrim and the Sims. She was hilarious and is one of the kindest people I have met! And thank you so much for giving me the offer to crash at yours after WHQ!

I think thats everyone! Doing Sweeney gave me the kick up the arse I needed and has given me a right confidence boost as before doing the show I had very little belief in myself and reminded me how much I actually love Musical Theatre! 

I hope one day I get to work again with all these guys one day! Love y'all!

Charlotte x