Tripping the boards

Well, we had our last dress rehearsal on Wednesday and it went down without a hitch (yeah right!).

First let me explain - we have Hamlet's dead father played as a ghost - how does COMMUNITY (read low budget) theatre make a ghost - that's right - throw a sheet over him. This was the very very first time that we had a sheet for Rob (who plays the ghost). Just a a side keep in mind that (a) the sheet is long and (b) it is really difficult to see through. As he is leaving he.... yes you guessed it... he trips and falls in sloooooowwwwww mmmmooootttiiiooon down the three steps at the side of the stage leading into the audience and lands in a heap. Our director comes running up and miracles of miracles Rob escapes unharmed - however as soon as Douglas (Hamlet) heard he was alright she (yes -she Douglas is trans) bursts out laughing...on stage.

Second incident was the very last scene where the King and Hamlet sword fight - these two have practiced and practiced this until it has become a finely tuned dance...or so we thought. Hamlet takes a swipe over the Kings head and catches his crown with the tip of the sword. The crown tilts and Douglas and the king lose it. A full 5-8 minutes later the scene finshes with Douglas uttering her last line "to HELL" all the while laughing which causes everyone on stage to crack up - never mind that 50% of the cast on stage are supposed to be dead.

Oh well, the show must go on and at least we hope we can entertain people if not with the play then by watching the cast corpse!