Oh, Dear Diary... Today has been very much an eye opener. I am told that all actors have self-doubt, but I've never personally experienced it until today.
Rehearsals this morning were trundling on, as usual. We rehearsed my Tammy Wynette number, and I can safely say that yes, Tammy, sometimes it IS hard to be a woman!
All was going so well, the cast were as reverent as ever to my vocal agility ("It's amazing how you get that natural husk in your voice, Felicia!" - it's not natural, dears, it's 20 Marlboro menthol a day!) and all was jolly. And then, we moved on to Addicted To Love, the entrance of the character Miss Hot Stuff. A very timid girl, who in all honesty I thought was part of the technical team, popped up to the microphone, and the intro started.
Now... Some people hide their light under a bushel! I have no idea what a bushel is, but I DO know that Hollie Cassar's bushel is massive! I could hardly believe my ears.
Honestly, it is very rare that I am speechless. But what I heard coming from the throat of that timid girl was... well... I wouldn't go so far as to say excellent (she definitely has rough edges that need a meeting with the steam iron), but very, very, VERY impressive.
She finished the song, and everyone clapped and hollered away. Hmm, I thought, she's kept that one quiet.
At lunch, I strategically placed myself within chatting range of Hollie. She was nibbling away on some sort of falafel and mung bean wrap, and so I casually popped in a compliment...
"Not bad, dear. You must be very pleased."
"Oh... Thank you, Felicia," she stammered. "It's a great song to sing."
"Yes, dear. A wonderful song. And we're staging it this afternoon, so that will be lots of fun, won't it. Have you performed much before?"
"I've done one or two things, probably nothing you've heard of. All very low key."
She then proceeded to reel off a list as long as my arm of previous credits.
"Lovely, dear," I replied, a little shaken. I certainly HAD heard of some of them. "Well, see you this afternoon!"
And I hurried off to my dressing room to refresh my makeup and have a think.
The afternoon session started, and after a brief dancers warm-up (which I do so enjoy watching), I was annoyingly called away to a press phone interview.
An hour later, I was back just in time to see the run through of Addicted To Love. And Dear Diary, I was shocked. On many levels!
Miss Cassar was gripping to watch. All legs and sass and oozing sex appeal (definitely reminded me of a slightly younger version of myself when I played Sally Bowles in Cabaret). And the gentlemen dancers were all over her. Writhing, gyrating, pumping and generally giving it what for! Even dear Mr Quinn had a go!
I felt a little dirty, actually! Somewhat reminiscent of my year at finishing school abroad, of which we do not speak.
I made my excuses, hopped in the car, and Bob drove me home.
And I am now in a complete quandary. With talent like that, I'd better up my game if I want to be the star of the show! I called Arlene and booked myself in for an intense dance masterclass at the weekend, and have been singing through my songs with Jules, my rehearsal pianist, who I called immediately and insisted he take time out of his filming schedule for "Later... With J H" to give me some pointers.
We shall see how "starlike" Ms Cassar is once I present my next number in rehearsals! You ain't seen nothing yet, Hollie!
Rehearsals this morning were trundling on, as usual. We rehearsed my Tammy Wynette number, and I can safely say that yes, Tammy, sometimes it IS hard to be a woman!
All was going so well, the cast were as reverent as ever to my vocal agility ("It's amazing how you get that natural husk in your voice, Felicia!" - it's not natural, dears, it's 20 Marlboro menthol a day!) and all was jolly. And then, we moved on to Addicted To Love, the entrance of the character Miss Hot Stuff. A very timid girl, who in all honesty I thought was part of the technical team, popped up to the microphone, and the intro started.
Now... Some people hide their light under a bushel! I have no idea what a bushel is, but I DO know that Hollie Cassar's bushel is massive! I could hardly believe my ears.
Honestly, it is very rare that I am speechless. But what I heard coming from the throat of that timid girl was... well... I wouldn't go so far as to say excellent (she definitely has rough edges that need a meeting with the steam iron), but very, very, VERY impressive.
She finished the song, and everyone clapped and hollered away. Hmm, I thought, she's kept that one quiet.
At lunch, I strategically placed myself within chatting range of Hollie. She was nibbling away on some sort of falafel and mung bean wrap, and so I casually popped in a compliment...
"Not bad, dear. You must be very pleased."
"Oh... Thank you, Felicia," she stammered. "It's a great song to sing."
"Yes, dear. A wonderful song. And we're staging it this afternoon, so that will be lots of fun, won't it. Have you performed much before?"
"I've done one or two things, probably nothing you've heard of. All very low key."
She then proceeded to reel off a list as long as my arm of previous credits.
"Lovely, dear," I replied, a little shaken. I certainly HAD heard of some of them. "Well, see you this afternoon!"
And I hurried off to my dressing room to refresh my makeup and have a think.
The afternoon session started, and after a brief dancers warm-up (which I do so enjoy watching), I was annoyingly called away to a press phone interview.
An hour later, I was back just in time to see the run through of Addicted To Love. And Dear Diary, I was shocked. On many levels!
Miss Cassar was gripping to watch. All legs and sass and oozing sex appeal (definitely reminded me of a slightly younger version of myself when I played Sally Bowles in Cabaret). And the gentlemen dancers were all over her. Writhing, gyrating, pumping and generally giving it what for! Even dear Mr Quinn had a go!
I felt a little dirty, actually! Somewhat reminiscent of my year at finishing school abroad, of which we do not speak.
I made my excuses, hopped in the car, and Bob drove me home.
And I am now in a complete quandary. With talent like that, I'd better up my game if I want to be the star of the show! I called Arlene and booked myself in for an intense dance masterclass at the weekend, and have been singing through my songs with Jules, my rehearsal pianist, who I called immediately and insisted he take time out of his filming schedule for "Later... With J H" to give me some pointers.
We shall see how "starlike" Ms Cassar is once I present my next number in rehearsals! You ain't seen nothing yet, Hollie!