LOVE NEVER DIES Blog: In rehearsal with our Assistant Stage Manager

Hello again! So we're part way through week two of the main rehearsals for Love Never Dies. I've been working on the new show for nearly three weeks now and am still not used to the early starts! Things will only get harder though as when we move to the theatre we can expect to be doing 14 hour days to open the show. Showbiz is glamorous isn't it?!

We ended last week by running the opening 25 minutes of the show which was a great achievement considering the short time we've been working. We're progressing steadily through the first half - working on staging, choreography and vocal elements separately and then joining them together in our main rehearsal studio. Fittings are still taking place for costume, wigs and make-up - who now have their own room (taking our total room count outside the theatre to 6).

As a team, we started looking at how we will achieve the scene changes when we arrive at the Adelphi in 2 weeks. Some of the set elements are quite simply massive, so planning how everything will fit and be used will take a while. As it's a new show, we're not even sure how big some things will be as they are still being designed. The coffee runs continue and occasionally include full lunch orders while creative meetings are taking place - fortunately, there's an M&S close by!

It's not only the cast who are learning new things while mounting the show. As I'm sure you're now aware, the show involves circus skills which for many of us are new elements to be putting on stage. Throughout, it is part of the stage management teams' job to ensure that all of these skills are learnt and executed safely, along with our Circus Skills Consultant Armando. Without giving too much away, there's been plenty of ensuring that none of the cast unceremoniously crash to the floor.

Our props team have been steadily providing us with either rehearsal props to represent items on stage, or the actual show props which you will all see when we open. They are chasing an ever-moving target though as new props are required (or old ones cut) as each scene is rehearsed. Once in the rehearsal room, we can then get the actors used to using them and work out where each prop will be stored. By the end of the week, the aim is to be able to run the whole of the first half which will very exciting to see and be a part of.

I'll let you know how we get on in my next blog. Until then, take care (and buy tickets!)

Duncan.

From the LOVE NEVER DIES Blog at www.loveneverdies.com