OUR HOUSE: Happy Days!

So it would appear that four weeks have actually flown by and we are well into the run! This week has been an absolute whirlwind beginning with the technical rehearsals on Monday where we threw everything together and began to stagger through the show. This equivalated (Alexis Gerred's word not mine) to a show in its own right being created backstage....costumes being flung everywhere, props flying through the wings, piles of umbrellas, 18 actor-musicians running on stage half dressed/costumes on backwards/towel turbans on wrong (Nicola Bryan!).....hats off to team wardrobe, Donna and Keisha, who have had to deal with I don't know how many ludicrously quick costume changes....safe to say, come the end of Act Two there are a few moist brows to be mopped!

Technical proceedings were temporarily brought to a halt on Wednesday by Danni Bowen as we quickly learned that she would not share the stage with a spider. All this, juxtaposed with the monumental job of our Deputy Stage Manager Martin, who has his hands full calling over 600 lighting cues amongst a million other things and Patricia (Company Stage Manager) running about making sure everything runs smoothly and everyone's bits are where they should be, it's a pretty hectic ride!

However, amongst all the 'Madness' and mayhem, it has been an incredibly exciting week. Watching everything unfold and finding all the solutions to the moments where we all thought, "How on earth are they going to do this?!" Pete Rowe made it look like a 'Simple Equation' (!) as he ran this immense tech week so smoothly and led us into two dress rehearsals and our first shows.

'Our House' is an absolute rollercoaster of a production and it races on at such a pace that by the time the interval arrives you feel like you've been run over! Due to the nature of the show there is so much to absorb that we couldn't really tell how it was being perceived by our three sold-out audiences.

However, by the finale we could! Three shows completed with standing ovations from our lovely audiences followed by dancing in the aisles....'absolute dream!' As a cast member that is the most glorious response to a show and one can only hope that this has set a precedent for the remainder of the run.

This week did also unfold a few hidden talents as well...who knew that our Emmo (James Haggie) could bust out a mean 'Eminem' or that drummer Adam Langstaff would finally make up for 'lunchboxgate' and give a glorious rendition of One D's 'You Don't Know You're Beautiful'?! That, teamed with one of Nicola Bryan's 'Our House'-themed cupcakes....best day ever!

All that's left to say is this week has been exhaustingly glorious. A huge congratulations to all involved....team 'Our House'...we smashed it!...and particularly to Alexis Gerred (Joe Casey) who never leaves the stage and has got through this week with a constant smile on his face! Also, a huge thank you for all the good luck messages that have been passed through....they were much appreciated!

Our House is currently playing at the New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich prior to a UK Tour.

www.ourhouseuktour.co.uk

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