Guest Blog: Actor Charlie Guest Talks ROOM ON THE BROOM LIVE

I have always wanted to join the cast of Room on the Broom. It's a brilliant piece with catchy songs, a lovely storyline and host of brilliant characters. It really is a great show for everyone to enjoy.

My training is mainly in musical theatre. I attended the Guildford School of acting, and my career so far has allowed me to be a part of many different types of shows. If my experience has taught me anything it's that there are always new skills to learn, and Room on the Broom is no exception.

Having previously worked with Tall stories on The Gruffalo in the West End and the UK and Asia tours, I had a good basic knowledge of their unique style, but there has still been a huge amount to learn.

The show is a fun-filled adaption of the bestselling picture book by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler. It follows a witch and her cat as they travel on their broomstick. Along the way, they pick up some unusual hitchhikers: a friendly dog, a beautiful green bird and a frantic frog.

But this broomstick's not meant for five and - CRACK - it snaps in two... just as the hungry dragon appears, who happens to be partial to witch and chips! Will there ever be room on the broom for everyone?

In the show, I am lucky enough to play the Dog and the Frog. Both of these characters are represented by puppets, and puppetry is a new experience for me.

Rehearsals have been very in-depth and incredibly detailed to make sure the show is up to scratch... and, of course, a lot of fun! We look deep into the characters and their physicalities to make sure we're telling the story in the best way possible.

The biggest and most exciting challenge for me has been learning to operate the puppets. Not only is it extremely physical, it's also fascinating to find ways of making them show character and emotion. Each puppet has its own unique style and a very different accent.

We've spent lots of time as a cast in front of mirrors working out how all of the animals move. We aim to make them look as lifelike as possible, and to create characters that the audience can engage with, relate to and sing along with all the way through.

I've been lucky enough to join a wonderful cast with a vast array of experience. Most of them have performed in the show before and their guidance is invaluable; it's been a really collaborative process.

Considerable time and care has been taken to allow us, as actors, to develop our own characters and explore every possibility before deciding on the best one to drive the story forward. That's why I love Tall Stories! They always go above and beyond in the creation of their shows.

One of the best things about performing to this age group is that many of our audiences are visiting the theatre for the first time - that makes it extra special. To have the opportunity to be a part of creating a new generation of theatregoers, while bringing some of their favourite characters to life, is amazing.

Room on the Broom Live at Lyric Theatre until 13 January, 2019

Find more Christmas theatre recommendations here

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