It was the big night last night. Euphonix Choir sang at the Rose Theatre, Kingston. We were all a bit nervous and when we arrived we had to go in via the stage door and then we had a quick warm up in the room we were escorted to. We then left all our belongings in the room (which was then locked) and filed down the back staircase and into the theatre. We saw the end of the Rose Scratch Choir finishing their rehearsal and then we lined up to do our rehearsal and Timothy West came in to say hello! If you don't Timothy West he is a Shakespearian actor and he has been in lots of TV programmes including an episode of Tales of the Unexpected many years ago. He is a great supporter of the Rose and I've seen him and his wife (Prunella Scales - who was in the sit-com Faulty Towers as well as many other things) before. After rehearsals we had almost an hour to kill. We (about 80 of us) went down to the bar/cafe to get drinks and whatever food there was (hardly any!) but it gave us a chance to socialise and have toilet breaks! My voice was already suffering, probably from overuse at all the carols services I've been to since I had my cold. It felt dry and I have a little ulcer right at the back of the roof of my mouth, almost into the throat!
We were led on to the stage at 7.20pm to find our seats and our first song (Ulele Ioila - Finish Reindeer Calling Song) came after Timothy West reading Christmas by John Betjeman. Our songs were then interspersed between the Rose Plus (Scratch) Choir, Timothy West reading poems and anecdotes and someone called Harry the Piano who was very funny. Richard Stilgoe was due to be there but he had just had an operation so couldn't. He sent a really funny poem about his 'op' which Timothy West read. There was a interval and then it was back for the second half and we ended with everyone singing Hark The Herald Angels Sing. Our 'set' included Blue Christmas, California Dreaming, Rockin' around the Christmas Tree, Baby it's Cold Outside and It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year. My voice by the end when I was talking had dropped a notch or two in pitch and felt very sorry for itself but now all the singing is over and I can rest it until next year. It was a wonderful evening singing to a packed auditorium (about 900 people). The songs were still going around in my head when I went to bed last night.
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| The guinea pigs have found the Christmas tree! The box at the back has the presents in - they have to out of the way of nibbling teeth! |
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