The British Theatre Guide: The Godspell Diaries 1

School & Youth Theatre

The Godspell Diaries - 1

A record the trials and tribulations of preparing a school show.

4th December
A couple of weeks to go to the end of term, so now's the time to make certain we can do the show! Rang Samuel French's Musical Plays department. As usual they were very helpful - I've read in the newsgroups that the New York branch is difficult to deal with but I've got to say that the Fitzroy Street staff have always been great.

The trouble with Godspell is that you've got to hire the scripts, vocal scores and band parts, and pay deposits, so I've had to send off a cheque for £170. Oh dear! The production account is pretty low at the moment - we'll soon get to the stage when buying a roll of gaffer tape will be a major purchase!

The paperwork arrived pretty quickly - just a few days - and although they've answered my query about the German agents (We're going to take the show to Wuppertal), they haven't send me a copy to be working on. I'll give them a few more days.

27th December
Of course, in the rush at the end of term I forgot, didn't I? So I rang them on the 23rd - no need to hurry, I said, I don't intend doing any work on it over Christmas! We'll get it to you quickly anyway, the lady replied. They once had a message left on their answering machine on Christmas day, so some people are very keen! Remarkably - given the state of the post at Christmas - it arrived the next day - Christmas Eve. I feel like writing to the Guinness Book of Records!

Thinks.... (30th December)
The trouble is, when I've decided on a show, I can't stop myself thinking about it. Whilst it didn't intrude on Christmas Day, my mind has been nagging away at it, sometimes almost without my realising it! That's probably a good thing, because until I get the basic concept sorted out, I'm not going to be able to make any progress. One thing's certain: the set has to be as simple as possible. We need something we can carry to Wuppertal in the coach and which will fit any stage area, because, at the moment, we're still not sure exactly what the venue we'll be playing in Wuppertal is like.

To be honest, we're not even sure what the venue is going to be yet!

I think it's got to be the original idea: two trestles and a table top. And I've been getting more and more fascinated by physical theatre over the last six months or so, so I'll be using the cast as set as well. That should prove interesting!

(We did a little bit of that last time we were in Germany: half a dozen of the cast made a most luxurious armchair for Potifar! Two played doors and another two a cupboard, so the kids are used to the idea. In fact, partially in preparation for this, we were playing around with bits from "The Wizard of Oz" in Drama Club last term and we had six snatch Dorothy off her feet and swirl her around the stage as the twister. It worked quite well. Is there any mileage in building the cross out of company members? It might just work!)

1st January
It occured to me this morning (well, this afternoon, actually - although it was morning for me, seeing as I got up at midday. Still, last night was New Year's Eve!), that there are 14 days to go to the first rehearsal and I've done nothing on the show at all. So I read the play through and let it stew in my mind like a pot of tea (or perhaps it's maturing like fine wine!). Tomorrow I get down to work! Honest!

2nd January
I did too! I've made the most important decision - the overall concept of the show.

I can think of four ways of playing this show:

The way it was done in the original: basically with the company as clowns;
Playing it straight: I've seen a church group do it this way, and to be honest, it was a bit flat;
Having the company behave as little children who grow up in the second half;
Play it with the company as what they are - teenagers, with all the faults, preoccupations and attitudes that teenagers have.

I must admit I like the last idea a lot but I'm still not entirely certain it'll work properly. I'm going to give myself a couple more days to think it over.

3rd January
Well, it certainly works at the beginning. The last time I did the show, I had a lot of problems with the opening - that's the bit leading up to Tower of Babble, all of those philosophers! I used the little kids idea last time, and I wasn't happy with this part of the show. (Although I have to admit that I wasn't happy with it, even in the professional productions I've seen!)

Anyway, I think the teenager idea (with all the aggression of teenagers) will definitely work here. I've prepared a special page of production notes with the ideas laid out as they stand at the moment - they're almost certain to change once I get to work on the rehearsal room floor!

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