Showstopper!'s Ruth Bratt: Week Two In The West End

Week two of our ten-week run and we're getting into the swing of things. The preview week is over, we've had press night; or rather press day - unusually for the West End, we did a matinee and an evening show on opening day and invited reviewers to see both performances, just to show that Showstopper really is different every show.

There are so many theories as to how we do it, all of which ignore the fact that the easiest and best way to do it is as we say we do - we just make it up. There was a party and I got drunk for the first time in three years. All the Showstoppers were quite surprised because I don't drink anymore, but two glasses of red and a whole lot of adrenaline meant I was like a giddy pied piper leading everyone to a club post-party (which I immediately left. I am not the party animal I once was...I believe the others had more stamina).

Luckily the next day, I wasn't in the show, so my first hangover in three years was not too disruptive. I did go and watch the show though. That was as exciting as being in it. It's utterly overwhelming to see the stalls full of laughing people, and then listen to them in the interval discussing how we do it (favourite theory: we have a selection of songs and know when we're going to sing a happy song, then a sad song, then a funny song. Ooof that would be hard to do.)

There's a lot to get used to with a West End run - but most of it is really easy to get used to. Like having a dressing room - it's so nice to have a base in the centre of town that you can come and sit in for free and make yourself a nice cup of tea and have a read or do some work in, right by Piccadilly Circus. I share my dressing room with Pippa Evans and we have moved in. We have tea, mugs, a teapot, steamers, a biscuit tin, and a drawer full of biscuits and sweets and cupcakes. I've never been given so much chocolate and cake and treats just for doing a job! Having somewhere to drink tea in central London for free is the most life-changing thing that has ever happened to me. I really like tea. And I really like the Apollo. I think I may ask if I can move in there. Some of the dressing rooms have beds in them. And there aren't that many mice...

Mostly though this is just a wild fantastic ride. I even liked the press night party and I HATE parties. We have had great reviews, even better audiences, and every night I get to sing and dance and play with my friends. You can't ask for more than that. Now if you'll excuse me, I have some tea to drink.

Ruth Bratt appears in Showstopper! The Improvised Musical, running at the Apollo.

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