Snakes and Ladders

My main focus for the last year and the work I have done for this show have been centred around one night. Friday 2nd December 2005.

It was the second Friday of Treasure Island's two week run and I was playing the principal boy, Jim Hawkins. I had a fantastic day as I had spent it with approximately 18 of the cast at Browns restaurant in Windsor celebrating my birthday, which is actually December 3rd but as it fell on a Saturday last year and we had both a matinee and evening performance to do, the only celebrating I was going to be doing that day was on a stage. I have to say - there is no better way to spend your birthday than being on stage surrounded by some of your closest friends.

The production team of which I was a part had already spoken as unfortunately we had only sold THREE tickets to that nights show. We can seat 134 at capacity. Despite numerous competitions and attempts to get last minute block bookings from corporate groups, nothing was forthcoming so we made the decision, in advance, to pull the show without telling the cast.

The three tickets were moved to another night, the cast arrived and were told to wait in the hall just in case we suddenly got 30 people through the front door as walk-in's and could put on a show. It didn't happen. We got two and they were given free tickets to another night. It's very hard work having a very small audience and takes longer to 'get them going' but however demoralising a small audience is, it was nothing compared to this.

The youngster's all played giant Snakes and Ladders on an empty stage whilst the rest of us ran bits of script and choreography. Some opted for an early night and others of us headed off for a curry and talked some more.

I cried buckets in an empty dressing room that night. I was so disappointed and I resolved that if I had anything to do with it, we wouldn't ever have to cancel another show in the same way as it was heartbreaking.

Lyric of the Blog: " Empty spaces - what are we living for. Abandoned places - I guess we know the score. On and on, does anybody know what we are looking for... Another hero, another mindless crime. Behind the curtain, in the pantomime. Hold the line, does anybody want to take it anymore. The show must go on, The show must go on. Inside my heart is breaking, my make-up may be flaking, but my smile still stays on " Queen