The Diary of a Successful West End Musical
The below report follows Saturday Night Fever from rehearsals up to opening night.
The below report follows Saturday Night Fever from rehearsals up to opening night.
Saturday Night Fever tells the story of Tony Manero, an Italian-American, who works by day stacking paint in a hardware store... but lives to dance at Odyssey 2001 disco.
The film made 23-year-old John Travolta a huge star; dancer Adam Garcia, who is stepping into his white flares, hopes the new musical will do the same for him.
Peter Bishop, 40, a former model, lands the role of Stephanie's boyfriend. He divides the cast into "grown-ups" and "young ones". One of the young ones is Simon Greiff, 21, who plays "awkward and insecure" Bobby C. Vaguely reminiscent of John Denver, Greiff was offered the job before he even graduated from drama school. "It's a boy-makes-good story," he says with a wholesome smile.
Antonio Susinni, 30, a former opera singer from Sicily, is given the part of a Puerto Rican dancer. He has six auditions for the role and gets to say just one line: "Numero uno, numero uno!" He is worried that he may forget it on the opening night and have to write it on his hand. "Or I may say: 'Number one, number one!' instead."
November
The Palladium is booked from April 1998 to January 1999. "There is an option to extend that until 2003, which would make it the longest running show ever at the Palladium," says house manager Mike Ockwell, 30.
December
Disaster. The planned set, which features a 70-tonne bridge, is too heavy. The theatre's walls need to reinforced - which means obtaining urgent planning permission from Westminster Council to make the required structural alterations to the 1871 building.
End of January 1998
Relief. Planning permission is obtained.
Monday 9 February
The cast have two weeks of intensive training at the Pineapple studios, learning how to dance "the hustle". A hustle expert flies over from America to help them.
Monday 23 February
Scripts are handed out and rehearsals begin in a converted Sunday school hall in Kennington. The script is a sanitised version of the film which scandalised parents in the Seventies with its use of the c-word, sex scenes and references to fellatio. Posters are now up all over London advertising the musical.
Friday 3 April
The cast should have relocated to the Palladium today, to continue rehearsals, but reinforcing the walls has taken longer than anticipated. The company are beginning to show signs of dissent. "There are no mirrors here, the catering's appalling and they're so slow the breaks are over by the time you get to the front of the line," says one dancer gloomily. Costume fittings begin. "Bobby C" is most impressed with his outfit, "a fantastic patchwork, flared denim suit in ice blue".
Sunday 5 April
The cast shoot a video for the single Saturday Night Fever in the unlikely setting of the rehearsal hall. The single will be released on 4 May.
Monday 6 April
The musical is now running a few days behind schedule but the cast have been told that the set is progressing well and they will be able to move into the theatre soon. However, there is now something else to worry about. There are potential copyright problems with Disco Duck, one of the songs they are recording for a Saturday Night Fever album, which features novelty quacking. Production supervisor Daniel McCormack hits upon a solution. A solicitor friend does a "superb" duck impression, and her services will be enlisted for the recording.
Tuesday 7 April
The cast stumble over their words. Adam Garcia chews gum throughout. Karen Bruce, the assistant choreographer, is not impressed. "I've seen mistakes we got rid of two weeks ago, because some of you can't be bothered. Tomorrow, we transfer to the theatre. No more fun." Dancers, in tracksuit bottoms and T-shirts, strut their stuff to Disco Inferno, under the critical eye of director Arlene Phillips. "Keep on dancing like an airhead!" she instructs.
Anita Louise Combe, who plays Stephanie Mangano, practises an intimate dance number with Richard Calkin (who plays Monty, the jive talkin' DJ). He accidentally spits in her hair. Adam rehearses with Anita, gets equally carried away, and gropes her breasts.
Wednesday 8 April
The cast finally transfer to the Palladium. "It's very different performing on stage," says Lara Costa, 21, one of the star dancers. "We're constantly being told we look minute and to make our movements bigger." David Peyton-Bruhl who plays Mr Fusco, the paint store owner, agrees. "We're like dots on stage." He can't wait to try on his "handlebar moustache and Bucks Fizz wig".
The set is impressive. As well as the troublesome bridge, it incorporates skyscrapers and a Perspex floor. However, there is an unexpected problem. "We get static shocks all the time," explains Lara. "You've only got to grab someone's hand and you get a shock." Someone is employed to sweep the floors before rehearsals to minimise static.
John Stacey, who plays Frank Junior, sums up the company's mood. "I think potentially this could be huge," he says. "It's just a question of will it come together in time?"
Monday 13 April
Auditions are held to find six additional disco dancers. Emma Stanworth, 20, who is one of the chosen ones, is measured for her costume - "thigh-high silver boots and hot pants". A lighting technician, who shall remain nameless, loudly describes the show as "naff" to his mate and speculates on the sexuality of the male cast members. I introduce myself and ask for a comment on the show. "I think it'll be excellent. Very lively," he says nervously.
Friday 17 April
Chaos. "It's been a bit manic here, after our late start, but it's settling down now," says Daniel, rushing past me back stage. Three women, huddled together, go through a prop checklist. "Pasta, pork chops, the photo of Al Pacino needs to be framed." A lime-green chest of drawers is wheeled in. "Shit, isn't it? Like the rest of the stuff," says a cheerful heavy. Julie Long, a prop maker, is peeling off stickers from an authentic Seventies hi-fi. Julie reveals a few tricks of the trade. Everything that is not going to be moved has to be stuck down. Pizzas and napkins are glued to the trolley.
For Jem Hodgson, whose job it is to attach wires to performers, this is a "very boring" production. Normally, his job allows performers to "fly" around the theatre. For SNF, Jem's only responsibility is to ensure that the actors don't topple off the 8ft-high bridge. It is time for a tea break - as usual, overseen by Peggy Tortora, 59, hot beverage maker to the stars. The SNF dancers, she reveals, "all ask for low cal". She has made tea and coffee for "all the shows" for the past 26 years. Liza Minnelli is her favourite. "Princess Diane [sic] was lovely too."
Back on stage, Lara is hoisted into the air by her partner, who uses only one hand. She is spun around dangerously near the floor. The movement is repeated, again and again, as she keeps slipping through his grasp. "I leave rehearsals covered in bruises. I have them in the weirdest places," she says.
Lara tries on her iridescent catsuit for the first time. "It's very revealing," she says cautiously. "My father will have a heart attack."
Theresa Burke, 32, who fits the outfit, and describes herself as "a mere pawn in a big cog", says they are sometimes given no more than 10 seconds for a costume change.
Although cast members seem tense, the Palladium's manager Mike Ockwell, is in buoyant mood. "You can't get a ticket for a Saturday night until August," he boasts. "There's a very, very positive vibe about this show."
Ockwell assigns jobs to 40 new attendants who will be selling tickets, programmes and ice creams. He says one girl from Milton Keynes applied but they had to turn her down. When her train fares were taken into account, she would have ended up out of pocket. "We asked why on earth she wanted the job - and then discovered she was an Adam Garcia groupie and had seen every show he'd been in."
Tuesday 21 April
First night of the previews
The performance starts with video projections of traffic moving along the bridge. Within minutes, the man in front of me nods off to sleep.
The dancing is spectacular - although Lara's worst fears are realised when the one-handed spin is fluffed in front of 2,325 people. In another scene, Stephanie's skirt rides up to her neck as she is whirled about the stage.
In the interval, audience reaction is muted. "I really like Seventies music and I expected to be blown away, but I wasn't. I know it must be hard for them, because everyone knows the songs so well, but I didn't really like the new arrangements," said Sarah Bowers, 27, from Croydon, as she waited in line for the toilets. "I thought it would be more wham! bam!"
"Where were the Seventies disco sounds?" asked pensions adviser Lindy James, 27, from Upton Park. However, after a more confidently delivered second half, the audience seemed to warm to the show. By the end, the director Robert Stigwood was shimmying along and the audience leapt to their feet for an ovation.
"Isn't it amazing that you can't hear them panting? They're so fit," said David James, 43, from Chiswick. Lesley Pamment, 38, a physiotherapist from Farnham Common, was also impressed by their stamina. "They must be exhausted!"
Alison Sainsbury, 40, an image consultant from Maidenhead, enjoyed the entire SNF experience. "It takes me back to the Seventies. I used to have one of those Lurex dresses. The singing was a bit weak, but I guess the dancing was more important. I was watching out for mistakes, but couldn't find any," she says. "I actually came up to see Grease, but my friend bought tickets to this by mistake."
April 1998 - April 17th 1999
Adam wows audiences and the show is an absolute success
April 19th 1999 ongoing
The new cast takes over with Ben Richards in the famous white suit.