Although (as previously advertised) I’ve never been homeless, I did once escape from workhouse servitude only to fall in with a criminal gang, involved in all sorts of felony, and even (to give the game away) picking a pocket or two.
In other words, in my dim and distant past there has been the occasional Christmas thesp, and in December 1984 our school put on an over-ambitious and under-rehearsed production of Oliver! From memory, and for those of you who love numbers, it ran for Four nights with Two Olivers– and I was One of them!
To be tediously pedantic, I was a back-up Oliver, a Spare Twist, until one dropped out. (Gruel overdose I believe). I was easily able to meet the requirements of being small and pathetic-looking, but there was considerable debate between the music and drama departments about my lacking the traditional blond hair – there was talk of either bleaching or a wig but ultimately neither option was followed up on and I simply played it as a brunette, with my own then-black now-grey hair.
The first act, which was heavily rehearsed, was considerably better than the second, which… wasn’t. Not that any of that bothered my English Teacher. He was playing Fagin with only a very distant relationship with his lines, so he was already in improv’ mode.
I’m not sure I saw any reviews, and I certainly didn’t see any share of the Box Office takings, but I do remember having an awful lot of fun and, for all its dim and distant past-ness, it remains a memory of a very pleasant time with in particular two or three very good friends. But that was pretty much it for my theatrical career.
After seeing me as Oliver, apparently nobody wanted to have some more.
Andrew Curnow's Ramblings 