Idle, Eric The Spamalot Diaries
When it rains it pours and when you have an accomplished
wordsmith and musician who has just authored a Tony winning musical and it has been directed by Mike Nichols, you can
count on it being entertaining. His personal
diary during the creation of the musical Spamalot is a pleasant read for
anyone familiar with the show, and also instructive for folks who are still in,
retired from, or thinking of joining the theatre business. As someone who was in the directing business
once upon a time, I didn’t learn much new. There was the “two block rule.” You never
speak ill of your show within two blocks of the theatre as someone on the cast
or crew or a friend of theirs might hear it and report it to others. Then there
was a nice term I had never heard of before.
It was called the ‘Sitzprobe”. According
to Mr. Idle, it is a term in Opera and Musical Theatre that comes from German
and means a special kind of “seated rehearsal.” It is where the singers sing
for the first time with the orchestra and focuses on integrating the two groups
and getting them balanced.
If you are not at all familiar with the pattern of theatre
rehearsal, this is a nice inside look at the real dirty work of rewrite and cut and even occasionally put back in changes that always
occur along the way to an opening night. Idle is a talented and funny man. This
humorous read goes fast and you will enjoy it. Give it a 3.5 out of five.
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