LEFT: Me at age 14 in December 2001, as Belinda Cratchit in A Christmas Carol.
RIGHT: Me at age 22 in July 2010, in the chorus of Cinderella.

Same theatre. Same dressing room. Same costume. Wow. Looking at these two photos is actually kind of weird. A Christmas Carol was the very first show I was ever in with this theatre company, and also the first play I was in outside of school!

I still look recognisable, but my hair is TOTALLY different. It’s at least twice as long, and I never used to wear it curly when I was younger. I hated it and wished it was straight.

I’ve also lost rather a lot of weight. I never realised quite how MUCH, until I tried this costume on again! I’m the same height though.

This post is strange. It has no point. I was just surprised by how I look different, but also the same! I wonder whether I’ll be in another show in this costume in another 9 years time! What on earth will I look like then, at 31!?

Standing at the top of the stairs by the dressing rooms, looking down into the wings. You can see the pumpkin/coach and the ugly sisters’ sedan taxi!

Funniest incident, during the pumpkin/coach/horse/ballgown/etc scene
*FG says lines and waves wand*
*light flicker*
*coach rolls out*
*Cinderella ducks into the wings and I duck out (to “double” for her – we look completely different but it fools small children, lol!)*
*FG waves wand some more*
*horse comes out*
*small child in audience looks at me*
Small child: That’s not Gavella!¹
Parent: Shhhhhh!
*FG, both people inside the horse and I are ALL struggling not to laugh*

1. She is one of the stepsisters. She is also played by a MAN, who wears a brown curly wig somewhat similar to my hair!

I signed quite a few programmes tonight, which was unusual – kids aren’t generally very interested in talking to the people in the chorus, they usually go straight over to Cinderella and the fairies and start mobbing them!

The caramel slice somebody brought into the dressing room tonight. It was AMAZING!

The King. It’s a running joke in this show that the King is very fat. He tries to eat everything he can get his hands on, and the children in the audience are encouraged to shout “NOOOO!!” every time they see him trying to do it. It’s hilarious!

Bimble and Bumble, the King’s servants.

Four shows in the next two days! Fun times!

Good audience tonight too, quite a few little kids that got quite into the audience participation part! Also, a couple of friends of mine from TColl came tonight. When I spoke to them afterwards they said they’d really enjoyed it, and one of them is now considering auditioning for the next kids show!

The Duke and the Bad Fairy.

Me with the guy who plays the other Footman. I never realised how short I am!

Cinderella and the Prince

One funny incident – when we were on stage doing the market scene, we suddenly heard this almighty bang coming from behind the curtain, where Cinderella’s kitchen was being set up again.

Before the show, the director and stage manager had warned us that the door in the set was somewhat unstable, and that we should be very careful not to knock it over! So of course that was my first thought. Oh no. The door has fallen over! Thank goodness it wasn’t the door, it was somebody in the crew tripped over something in the wings. Our set will live for another day.

I did take quite a few pictures tonight, here are a couple more from backstage…

Here is the adult chorus. Yes, we are all women. The are ALWAYS more women than men in community theatre! Apologies for the graininess of this photo – not sure why it’s turned out like this!

The whole cast. It was taken slightly from the side because the person I gave my camera to wasn’t standing in the middle, but it’s the only one on my camera where I have my eyes open, and am looking at the camera!

Funny story, I have worn the grey dress I am wearing in this photo before. In the same theatre. When I was 14. I have a photo of myself on my laptop too, so a post about “The Grey Dress” may also be forthcoming shortly!

Have another show tomorrow. 13 more shows in fact!

Standing at the top of the auditorium looking down towards the stage before our tech rehearsal started. The girl standing on the stairs in costume is Cinderella.

Same again, with a random chorus member walking downstairs.

Miscellaneous people in the dressing room at interval. Mother Hardup (who is actually rather young, considering the ugly sisters are supposed to be her daughters!), a chorus member (eating cake because it was somebody’s birthday) and the Duke (who, we have all decided, looks like Mozart!)

Bimble and Bumble – the King’s servants.

Cinderella with Bimble and Bumble…with a special guest photobombing appearance by the King!

That’s all with the photos so far, but as I take/get more I will post them here! If you’re in Christchurch and are interested in attending this show, BOOK HERE!

Heheh! Am I not completely awesome!? Create your own one here if you feel so inclined!

Dad went out to collect the mail, and came back in holding this shell. He looked at it and asked mum if she knew who might have put a shell with our mail that said “Susan” on it. He then put it down on the table and went away.

Mum came and picked it up and immediately said ‘What? It doesn’t say “Susan”! It says “Jesus”!”

So it does! If you look at it one way up, it says “Susan” – the other way? “Jesus”!?

How utterly bizarre is THAT!?

Btw, we still have no clue who left it! We did have a visit from some Jehovah’s Witnesses a few days ago, and they left us a magazine, so I guess it might have been them, but still, it’s very strange. Surely they wouldn’t just leave it there by itself without identifying themselves in any way…?

Mysterious.

I wouldn’t say no to one of these!

Met my friend’s Cockapoo yesterday! Seriously, could not be any cuter if she tried! I don’t think my cat would be too thrilled though, and nor would I after the novelty wore off.

Nope. The puppy is cute…but I think I’m still a cat person.

Dogs? Cats? Horses? Birds? Any preferences?