alan_potter
6th of November 2009 (Fri), 18:34
I've been having a busy time shooting amateur theatre groups recently, but things have quietened down a little and I'm glad to be able to share a little bit of what I've been doing.
First show is Summer Holiday by Theatre Guild, Glasgow. This is a stage musical version of the Cliff Richard film, and if you have a strong male lead is a great show. Theatre Guild did indeed have that, and indeed all of the principals and chorus were excellent. I have had the privilege of shooting their previous two shows, and have never failed to enjoy one. But this is the first one where I could imagine the aisles being full of "ladies of a certain age", having had a glass or two of sherry, and dancing in the aisles!
Anyway, on with the photographs.
1. We open with a ballet, themed around the weather. Everywhere in Europe is enjoying a heatwave, but in Britain, it's rain, rain, rain
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2727/4080961197_23355bcf4f_o.jpg
2. The "boys" persuade their employer - London Transport - to lend them a bus. They're going to investigate the feasibility of bus tours as a way of holidaying to Europe. The company says "okay", so long as the boys get their friends to help them get an old bus into decent condition
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4080961469_26af631d50_o.jpg
3. They get their way, get into the bus and drive to Europe. This is where they sing the title song, Summer Holiday
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2497/4080961363_c7dfcece09_o.jpg
4. They meet a wannabe girl band whose car has broken down. Maybe they'll be kind and offer them a lift?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2718/4080961647_bdf31e63cc_o.jpg
5. A quick vote and the decision is made
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/4080961869_e43c98ab2a_o.jpg
6. Okay, time for a parallel plot to appear. A beautiful girl, daughter of a very pushy stage mother, runs away and stows away on the bus, dressed as a boy. She becomes friendly with everyone on board, especially the Cliff Richard character. So while he has a shower, he explains he'll always be a bachelor (singing "Bachelor Boy"), and inadvertently embarrasses her by wearing less clothing than would normally be considered proper.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/4081722488_6a73bcb72c_o.jpg
7. There's a dance, and huge flarey skirts abound
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/4080962505_0fcbf73b3f_o.jpg
8. The stowaway is revealed to be a girl, and she and Cliff sing a love song
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2529/4080962265_479de5aed9_o.jpg
Crikey, her hair didn't look like that last time I looked - maybe I over-sharpened it when resizing down to 1024.
Some other stuff happens, but there is of course a very happy ending and lots of great fun music!
Equipment: Canon EOS 350D and 24-105mm f/4.0L. And lots of running all around the auditorium!
Something has changed on the board recently and I can no longer type BBCode in directly, so these are all stored in the flickr set http://www.flickr.com/photos/atp/sets/72157622749423814/
regards,
/alan
First show is Summer Holiday by Theatre Guild, Glasgow. This is a stage musical version of the Cliff Richard film, and if you have a strong male lead is a great show. Theatre Guild did indeed have that, and indeed all of the principals and chorus were excellent. I have had the privilege of shooting their previous two shows, and have never failed to enjoy one. But this is the first one where I could imagine the aisles being full of "ladies of a certain age", having had a glass or two of sherry, and dancing in the aisles!
Anyway, on with the photographs.
1. We open with a ballet, themed around the weather. Everywhere in Europe is enjoying a heatwave, but in Britain, it's rain, rain, rain
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2727/4080961197_23355bcf4f_o.jpg
2. The "boys" persuade their employer - London Transport - to lend them a bus. They're going to investigate the feasibility of bus tours as a way of holidaying to Europe. The company says "okay", so long as the boys get their friends to help them get an old bus into decent condition
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2689/4080961469_26af631d50_o.jpg
3. They get their way, get into the bus and drive to Europe. This is where they sing the title song, Summer Holiday
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2497/4080961363_c7dfcece09_o.jpg
4. They meet a wannabe girl band whose car has broken down. Maybe they'll be kind and offer them a lift?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2718/4080961647_bdf31e63cc_o.jpg
5. A quick vote and the decision is made
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2518/4080961869_e43c98ab2a_o.jpg
6. Okay, time for a parallel plot to appear. A beautiful girl, daughter of a very pushy stage mother, runs away and stows away on the bus, dressed as a boy. She becomes friendly with everyone on board, especially the Cliff Richard character. So while he has a shower, he explains he'll always be a bachelor (singing "Bachelor Boy"), and inadvertently embarrasses her by wearing less clothing than would normally be considered proper.
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3154/4081722488_6a73bcb72c_o.jpg
7. There's a dance, and huge flarey skirts abound
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2634/4080962505_0fcbf73b3f_o.jpg
8. The stowaway is revealed to be a girl, and she and Cliff sing a love song
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2529/4080962265_479de5aed9_o.jpg
Crikey, her hair didn't look like that last time I looked - maybe I over-sharpened it when resizing down to 1024.
Some other stuff happens, but there is of course a very happy ending and lots of great fun music!
Equipment: Canon EOS 350D and 24-105mm f/4.0L. And lots of running all around the auditorium!
Something has changed on the board recently and I can no longer type BBCode in directly, so these are all stored in the flickr set http://www.flickr.com/photos/atp/sets/72157622749423814/
regards,
/alan