Sophie's Last Night in The Sound of Music

What a night! Sophie's mum and I had not seen the show together since her first night back in November, so it was a real thrill for us to sit together once again and watch the final performance. We have both seen the show several times now, I guess maybe six or seven times each, and each time I'd sit with a grin from ear to ear, humming the tunes and enjoying the slickness of the production and the great performances. The children grew in confidence as the run went on, and they are so drilled to perfection by Frank Thompson and children's MD Ros Jones that by the time they reach the stage they are practically faultless - the timing of each move and line lands really well, you'd hardly believe that for some of these kids, like my Sophie, this is a first professional experience in a big theatre.

The final curtain call was just fantastic, we were so proud of her and all of her team who have all grown so close over the last few months. It was a truly bittersweet night - we felt privileged to be involved, albeit ourselves on the periphery, of this unique experience - the last night of a great production of a classic musical at the greatest theatre. And what with the chaos at the Stage Door after, with all of the kids who had ever been in the show, plus a crowd of adults all congregating there, it topped of a crazy and wonderful night. It's not often I buy my eight year old dinner in the West End at midnight on Saturday, but it seemed fitting to this unique and amazing time.

How lucky she has been to have this experience, and at this age. To be a part of something so lavish, with such effort behind it. I wrote recently that I had accidentally criticised this production when I had been attempting to observe that I thought the book had some issues; sitting there watching this performance with the cast on top form and the audience of 2000 people loving every minute of it I realise my huge mistake in criticising a show that has been so deftly constructed and so beautifully realised on stage by this creative team. The reason this show has survived is because it's just marvellous.

And so on Sunday morning we all had post-show blues, and I guess we still do. Something like this for someone her age dominates all our lives, from Mum, me, sister and cat, every day was planned around whether we had to get our little West End star into town for a performance, and how we planned to pick her up again at the Stage Door afterwards.

It had to end, of course, as we knew from the start. All good things do, apparently. But it was a time we'll never forget, a production that I think a lot of people will never forget, and I think whenever it happens that a producer decides to bring this show back to the West End, they will have a lot to live up to. A mountain to climb, perhaps!? Or maybe that's one dry gag too far...

And depending on when that happens, if the show were to be revived again one day, I know of a girl who will be ready to audition for Brigitta/Louisa/Liesl/Maria/Mother Abbess, depending on what year or decade it might come about! 'Til then, the wonderful show at the London Palladium will remain with us for a long time to come, and we may find ourselves traversing the country to catch the next stop of the tour, just to catch a glimpse of it and ease our withdrawal symptoms!

The Art of Writing?

Who was it who said that the art of writing is the application of the seat of the trousers to the seat of the chair? I quoted it today and completely couldn't remember. Well, Google kindly informs me that it was Mary Heaton Vorse, so my guesses weren't even close, but in the words of Leslie Neilson, that's not important right now. I have put a photo of Ms H.V. above, and as you can see, she doesn't really look like a happy bunny. Well, I guess being a suffragette'll do that.

The sentiment is of the above quote, however, is important to me - always - but I think I'd like to add an addendum, in that the art of writing is also making sure that you're not just blogging, because one's seat is firmly in one's seat, so to speak, and fingers on keys tap tap tapping away, but what are we writing? Great art? Noooooooooo! Shit art? Not even that, alas. I'm writin' me blog, mate.

I am in fact penning a quick blog because it's late, and I don't want to pull at that thread tonight, I'm trying to only work in the days now unless I'm battling deadlines because no matter what time I keep going to or decide to hang up my, ahem, pen at night my little Lottie will still be calling for me at 7:30am to come get her. She couldn't give a tiny rats ass what time I go to sleep. She wants breakfast!

But I am deeply invested at the moment in new material for the show Through the Door which I am really excited about, and about to embark upon a series of rewrites of The Lost Christmas, so there is plenty afoot on that front. In fact, I'm so excited about Through the Door I simply can't wait to continue with this piece, and for the next legs of its development. And I am very confident that its going to emerge as a really noteworthy show, something that has a long life ahead of it.

But enough of that. I have been intermittently working on a stand-alone piece, a song-cycle of some form or fashion, a musical I suppose, if you will, a folly or a fancy, call it what you will because it ain't really anyfink yet, but I was chatting today to my friend-slash-colleague-slash-manager-slash-producer-slash, well, I just call him Andy, who is an all-round genuinely good guy and invariably we find ourselves chatting about musicals, and we were talking about the "Song Cycle" as a form and how it works, and it got me to thinking again about this piece that really is just something I work on in my, ha, "spare" time and as a release or distratction from other more complicated or demanding projects.

I know it works, because really Tomorrow Morning began in this way... the germ of an idea that takes root and ferments. Can a germ ferment? I don't think it should. But still, whatever this idea is, and however many times it gets pushed aside for other projects that charge ahead, take precedent or ultimately pay the bills, sooner or later I'm going to give my song cycle an airing. After all, it must be less complicated than a musical, mustn't it? What d'you need? A concept or theme, a handful of singers who are nice to look at and listen to, a room with a piano and an audience of some kind. Easy, done, book the theatre.

Oh, hang on. Songs? Done deal mate, got them comin' out me arse - I've been writing them for donkey's years. Curious expression. So what's this song cycle's theme? What's it about Laurence? Let me guess, time travel and infedility? Actually neither. It's about ... hmmm, how best could one describe something like this, about a blank canvas of musical theatre potential...?

I think it's going to be about those things that keep me awake at nights, those things in life that you know you've got to get right, that if you screw it up it's not even you who has to bear the consequences - I think it's about being a Dad or a Mom and raising a child, or two, or three, and about watching that kid try to find it's own way in the world. It's about trying to show the world that you are a normal family, when inside you're secretly deeply concerned that your domestic world is chaos. (And simultaneously secretly proud of it - whoever wanted to conform anyway!)

Because that is my world! One of the things that I am grateful for in Sophie finishing The Sound of Music is that we can get back to a normal life... ha! Who am I kidding???

Sheet Music

I'm getting quite a lot of emails asking for Tomorrow Morning sheet music. That is very fine by me, I really want people to be singing these songs, so I thought I'd write a quick posting on the subject, since it's still a little up in the air about when this show is actually going to be published, and when a proper book will be on the Dress Circle shelves and suchlike.

The answer to both questions is: I don't know! The publication of Tomorrow Morning in the U.S is all down to when and how the proposed off-Broadway production happens. Obviously, I am not rushing to a publishing deal prior to this now if the show does have an NY run, it'll be much better placed to then hit the market for regional productions in the States and elsewhere, and then the publishing of the printed sheet music is kind-of a given.

The question really is whether we move towards trying to release the sheet music earlier than that, which is something that is being looked into.

In the meantime, there are songs from TM that people are wanting to do for auditions and to sing at college and in concerts, cabarets etc. So, what I think may happen is that there may be some kind of digital publication whereby artistes can buy the sheet music online like with any number of websites, but paying via paypal or suchlike, then download (or get sent) a PDF of the score for the individual song, rather than having to purchase all the songs. I am working on getting this facility available for at least the most popular handful of songs.

This way, I'm hoping to be able to satisfy the requests for sheet music in advance of whenever the show actually gets a book printed, which I hope will be this year or next. Therefore, please keep an eye on the website for how and when these things are happening, and in the meantime if you seek TM or any other of my sheet music (ie Through the Door or The Lost Christmas) email info@laurencemarkwythe.com and the request will get to me, and I can let you know how it may be possible to get it. I may even just send it to you, as I did the other day for someone who wanted a song, The Girl in the Mirror, and I was feeling particularly generous that day!

Theatregoer's Choice Awards

I'm sure I mentioned before in my old blog that I had been lucky enough to have the adorable and immensely talented Suranne Jones - she of Corrie and other TV fame - playing the role of Mum in the West End showcase of The Lost Christmas last year. And anyone who follows my progress will know that we were lucky to have the also adorable and equally talented Julie Atherton - she of sticking her hand up a puppet's ass in Avenue Q fame (sorry, Julie, just kidding!) - creating the role of Charlotte in both the workshop and the showcase of Through the Door.

I am delighted to say that both will be singing a song from each of those shows, respectively, at the Theatregoer's Choice Awards at the Prince of Wales Theatre on February 15th. Suranne is singing her showstopper Action Man, and Julie will be performing The Window.

http://awards.whatsonstage.com/

Blog

Well, here we are in 2009, and I have decided ultimately to relocate this blog directly to the website, since the other hosting site doesn't like long gaps between posts, which is my 'style', and likes to delete blogs in revenge. So this is the new blog, and I'll try to avoid this pitfall in future!

Which I should be able to do, since I have promised to keep up to date and to be more thorough in keeping up with contacts and replying to messages and so on, here and through Facebook, so I'm turning over a new leaf! What my daughter would call a New Year's Revolution.

So I shall be posting info here about how the plans for the off-Broadway production of Tomorrow Morning are going, following on from the show's great run at the Greenhouse Theater in Chicago last year.

I shall also be posting updates on stuff that will be happening in the UK this year with the new show Through the Door and my new family show The Lost Christmas.