by Priscilla

May.29, 2009, under Producer's Blog

It’s early morning and the Priscilla team assemble at the stage door of the Palace theatre, most are bleary eyed and tired. They are not used to being up this early after finishing the show at 10:30pm the night before.

The wardrobe team have assembled the dazzling array of costumes to be worn on the Paul O’Grady show as everyone slowly mounts the bus. Who takes up the most space is a close call between the personnel and costumes!

Priscilla's rehearsal on Paul O'Grady

The cast and crew start to chat as the coffee they’ve had just before getting on the bus takes affect. Their alertness is further increased when the bus is temporarily grounded on the pavement when turning off Cambridge Circus. By the time we all arrive at the London studios everyone is talking animatedly and singing along.

We are escorted to the dressing rooms where the cast have a short time to get ready for the dress rehearsal of the Paul O’Grady show. We are performing two numbers, Colour my World and Finally. The cast had spent the previous few days rehearsing the new routines in Pineapple dance studio under the expert tutelage of dance captain Will Peaco and under the ever watchful gaze of resident director Graham Hubbard.

More coffee is had and the cast assure us that you can never have too much. We make our way down to the Paul O’Grady set. Some of the cast are in full costume, others are partially changed or have make up on and a few have only managed to drink their coffee. They have however given their full assurances to Roger, the company manager, that it only takes them ten minutes before the show to be ready. Roger’s well rehearsed look tells its own story.

On our way to the set we walk through the canteen, much to the amusement and stunned awe of the diners there. When you see these amazing costumes every day, you forget the affect they have on people that have never seen them. The reaction of the crew when we get on set is very similar.

Paul O'Grady with the cast of Priscilla

The cast then perform the routines as the cameraman synchronise the camera moves to what they are doing on the stage. Soon you can see the cameramen and the rest of the crew tapping their toes and singing along with Jason, Tony, Oliver and the rest of the cast. After four or five run throughs, the cast and the Paul O’Grady team are prepped and ready for the show.

We then return to the dressing rooms, where lunch has been laid on for us, it soon becomes apparent that a lot of six foot dancers need more food and further replenishment arrives. The rest of the cast get dolled up in their sequins and make up as Paul O’Grady comes to chat to everyone in the dressing room. He graciously autographs books as he enters into animated discussion about the pain of wearing high heels.

Finally we are ready for the big show and everyone troops back down to the set and onto stage. The reaction from the audience is amazing as the cast sing and dance their way through the two numbers. At the close of the show the crew bring out a machine, which fires thousands of pieces of confetti above the cast and Paul O’Grady. No one has ever seen so much confetti and by the time they stop it’s an inch deep on the floor.

We pack up quickly and head back to the Palace for our day (or should I say night?!) job. What a day!