October 1, 2012

• First Kiss

  Tonight I had my first kiss.

  Well, not the first ever, but my first stage kiss. Yesterday in rehearsal I overheard the director asking Algernon “When are you going to work on the kiss?” I was surprised since I knew nothing of a kiss. I mean, when we first got the script I saw there was kissing throughout, but the director changed them to a cheek or the forehead or even got rid of the kiss completely…  And now there is apparently to be at least one kiss. Since Algernon said “next week, after she’s no longer sick” I took that to mean that he and I would get together in a few days to talk about it, and perhaps even practice.

  Okay, I can imagine there being some jokes about practicing kissing, but stage kisses are a little different. They are more meticulous about timing and angle and positioning of the embrace and all of that because it has to look good for the audience rather than just be enjoyable for the couple. 

  Tonight we had our first dress rehearsal, so I finally had a costume… Sort of. My dress wasn’t quite finished and so I kept tripping on the hem —it was too long—plus my boot kept getting caught in my crinolines (of which I had six layers). After nearly doing more than one face plant my skirt was finally pinned up, and after my boot getting stuck in the underskirts several times --thus leaving me standing on one foot while attempting to detangle myself-- I was permitted to rid myself the two longer layers of petticoat.

  I don’t come on until Act Two, and we start it with this awesome Victorian melodrama skit that I absolutely adore. Tonight we had a couple of problems, because my knight accidentally whacked me with his sword and then he kneeled too far from my perch so that I nearly fell off when reaching for him

  The new blocking is messing me over completely. The director keeps changing things so I don’t realize a problem until I’m already onstage and don’t have the props I need.  I freaked out poor Miss P when I got up during one of her long speeches to cross the stage so that I might grab the things I require. We have it figured out now, so I only hope I can remember the latest changes! 

  Then came my scenes with Algy. Our first scene together he got rather confused with the blocking and ended up interrupting my line to sit when he shouldn't have. Our second scene was abysmal for all that we blocked it the day prior. The guy still seems a bit reticent to touch me; He said the other night he was a bit unnerved by the fact that I’m so little compared to himself. Even though I’m short, I’m no delicate flower! I don’t see why it worries him in the least.  Whenever he’s to put his arms around me in some sort of embrace, the best he can do is his hands on my waist; his arms and chest don’t touch me at all. What kind of hug is that I ask you?!?

  Oddly enough, this is when the kiss comes in. I wasn’t expecting it in the least, and not just because we hadn’t talked about it, but because it wasn’t even at the right time in the script! I had absolutely no warning, he just said his line and then swooped in to kiss me. I daresay I was in complete shock! 

  It was a decent kiss I suppose. Slightly below centre and over fairly quickly, so much so that there wasn’t the chance to participate by kissing him back or getting my arms around his neck. Nor did I have any time to enjoy it, as I had to use all my concentration not to be flustered and therefore carry on with the play. I don’t know whether to be upset by his guerilla tactics and thus the potential of startling me to the point that I was completely thrown of kilter, or thanking him for not giving me any time to fret about it before hand!

  But now that rehearsal is over and I’m home again, I’ve now the chance to completely freak out about the kiss. I don’t know if it is a good spaz or a bad one, but I know there is a hope that the kissing goes a lot better in future rehearsals. I daresay with a little practice it will be enjoyable for both myself and the audience 

  SUMR

   

  • 4:47 am
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