Legally Blonde Rehearsals – Week 2

David Harris exclusively takes us through week two of Legally Blonde rehearsals, Sydney. 

Well if week one went quickly and we accomplished a lot, week two was no different.

As the schedule predicted, on the 8th day of rehearsal, the Director said “Let there be a run of Act One” and it happened!

Monday and Tuesday were spent learning any remaining scenes and music yet to be completed, as well as revising all the material we had learnt the previous week and on Wednesday the cast and crew ran act one. It was great to see the entire act in sequence and get a flow of the show.

I know I am biased, but it is a great fun show, having at the centre of it and steering the ship, our fabulous leading lady, Lucy Durack, who only leaves the stage to complete her very quick costume changes. She realised – thanks to a very dry mouth by the end of the run – that those brief moments whilst offstage changing will be the only chance to steal a mouthful of much needed water before returning for another routine, scene or song!

This week was dedicated to getting our accents correct thanks to our dialect coach, Hamish. We all had sessions with him to go over any tricky lines we were having trouble with. I seem to have a couple of tricky sequences of words that are proving tongue twisters to get my American accent around. Why couldn’t Emmett work for an easy law firm to pronounce? Instead, I work for “Stidwell, Zyskowski, Fox and Callahan”. Really? At the moment I can only get those words out by staring blankly at Erika during the line as I concentrate on getting “Stidwell, Zyskowski” out correctly. I am fortunate Emmett doesn’t have a lisp as well or I would be in serious trouble!

It was another week working with our canine stars to get them used to the action. The chihuahuas are going to be scene stealers and are very cute, already barking on cue. Even the bulldogs who have serious case of slobber are cute. Luca, the older of the two, doesn’t like me picking her up yet as she is set in her ways a lot more than the younger one, Annie, who is very happy and excitable.

This week also saw the appearance of the dreaded ice packs! The sore body parts from a week of hardcore daily skipping and dance routines are now starting to show but fortunately we also have Marko, our brilliant physio on board to prevent and nip any niggling injuries in the bud. A couple of people have had colds and typical winter bugs which are occupational hazards for singers.

I don’t think people really understand the enormity and impact a common cold or virus has on a performer. It’s hard work trying to sing or dance through a cold and sometimes quite simply impossible. And with only one day off a week, performing eight shows, sometimes nine, it can take so much longer to recover and get the voice back to elite show fit level. Of course, different shows require different levels of vocal ability and stamina, but most musicals are mighty tough things to do when struck with the dreaded cold or flu. In any case, we are fighting through and we are already preparing to run act two by the end of week three.

We finally got to welcome our final cast member, Mike Snell, who joined at the end of his I Will Survive adventure now making the Legally Blonde gang complete. And I have to say, it’s is a damn fine looking gang! Not only a talented bunch, but a very good looking bunch to boot! Most girls have already admitted to finding “Professor Callahan”, played by the dashing and truly nice guy Cameron Daddo, “hot”. Not to mention, that the same girls that are saying that, are themselves stunning.

Here’s to welcoming week three and a week closer to opening! For me, it’s back to “Stidwell, Zyskowski…”