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Sunday 8^th February 2004-01-08 

It’s been a while since my last letter, but have you tried to find somewhere to plug in a laptop in war torn France…

We had two rehearsals this week, Friday night and Sunday afternoon. 

Friday we ran through Act II twice, we volunteered Act II once, but all hopes of Friday night out dancing faded as we started “From the top”; please add that to your now bulging glossary of theatrical terms (see previous Letters from Leclerc!)

"Hello chaps"

It was the first real time without scripts and it went rather well, the atmosphere was good and a lot of fine tuning was done, now the basics moves are covered, people were “Topping”, “cheating” and  “Giving Vocal Energy” all over the place. 

                 Will they ever get those books down?

A full cast was in attendance on Sunday, and we ran through Act II start to finish. It has become easier with more props and sound effects now in place, dead parrots, blow up dolls, fly swatters and flying helmet – I am assuming they are part of the play! 

It’s a miracle Lana has persevered, what with 22 people including the trusty wardrobe, technical and financial volunteers, each trying to go about their contribution in one room, with 3 weeks to go and a room full of German, French and Italian country folk and war heroes remembering their lines and coping with a bizarre collection of stage props. A one-person mime show has been suggested as our next performance! Raucous laughter abounds as costumes appear more in each rehearsal- Gestapo shorts, suspenders and Union Jack Boxers to name but a few…. 

"I just love the little swastika's on your Gestapo shorts, Herr Flick"

Scripts are now banned and people and are being creative with replacement dialogue when a particular word or phrase escapes them. Thingy, whatever-your-name-is, and-so-on, blah blah blah; to name but a few. Rene (Gordon) the unlikely Gigolo, if you have seen the TV version, now finds it easier to ravish the various female suitors who fall at his feet without the hindrance of a well-thumbed script. 

                           "He seems like a nice boy."

As tickets quickly sold out for the main nights and the two extra nights, tickets were released for the two dress rehearsals, which will surely be fun, the rugged warts and all version! Because of the unique venue of a real live café, the wonderful Seaview in Wemyss Bay, rumours for the next production included Murder on the Orient Express (on the Wemyss Bay to Glasgow train) Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller (in Pearsons Garage) and Summer Holiday (on the Greenock to Largs bus). But I detect some leg pulling there… 

Ah... it's that old "mousetraps on the suspender belt" trick.

I must go and brush up on my line, and look out my fake moustache, parrot and Candle Holder – don’t ask, come and see the play, you will soon find out…. 

Regards 

Monsieur Leclerc

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