It’s not every day that an email arrives in your inbox inviting you to play a cameo role in a musical, but the feeling I had whilst reading an email asking if I would be interested in playing the Onstage Announcer in Happy Days, a new musical currently touring the UK, felt all too familiar.
Let me explain. Around a year ago I was invited to play a small cameo role, ‘Sir Not Appearing’, in the West End production of Spamalot. All I had to do in Spamalot was literally walk on stage, perform a short head sequence with the rest of the cast, shout “SORRY” and run back into the wings. Simple. However, as the Onstage Announcer in Happy Days I was given a small paragraph to read meaning there would be more opportunity for something to go wrong… terrifying! But I accepted…
The day before the cameo I ventured into Whitechapel for a costume fitting in Total Vintage. I was shown a mood-board, given a basket and told to pick out potential outfits. After trying on various clothes I settled for a yellow (yes YELLOW) shirt under a maroon check vintage tank top with green striped trousers.
The cast of Happy Days
On the day of the cameo I really should have looked over the line again and again and again but with breaking news to cover and features to write it wasn’t until my train journey to Bromley that I actually had time to look over it. Despite the journey taking what felt like forever I eventually arrived at the Churchill Theatre, found the stage door and before I knew it I had been whisked on stage and introduced to the cast as they were given notes ahead of the performance.
Dance Captain Grace Holdstock and cast member Edwin Ray then walked me through the scene. All I had to do was follow Edwin on stage, say my line and then walk off. It sounds straightforward, but everything was happening so quickly. My rehearsal finished as the stage had to be cleared for the audience so I was guided backstage and, after a short visit to costume, I was shown to my dressing room.
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| Cheryl Baker |
I popped into cast member (and Bucks Fizz legend) Cheryl Baker’s dressing room for an interview as she put on her makeup for the show. She too gets nervous and was extremely warm and reassuring. Watch out for the interview soon!
After my costume was ironed I got changed and someone slicked my hair back into a quiff. The very kind Company Stage Manager, Izzy, explained that she would come and get me when it was my time to shine so I didn’t have to worry about listening out for a cue. All that was left for me to do was go over and over my line (at first it felt like a bit of a tongue twister) and walk around and around my dressing room. It was very odd listening to the show through the speaker without being able to see what was going on. Izzy did say I could pop into the green room to watch the show on screen but as I was seeing the show the following night I decided that I didn’t want to spoil any surprises.
I sat there listening to the stage manager call Miss Baker, Miss Range and so on to the stage through the tannoy, but when I heard the stage manager say “Mr Tomlins to the stage” I nearly passed out. Izzy came to my dressing room (but I was already waiting outside the door) and took me to the wings where I was approved by costume and, after a last minute “good luck” from Cheryl it was time for me to do my thing!
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| Andrew Tomlins & Heidi Range |
I walked on stage, said the line and walked off. How did it go? If I’m honest I don’t have a clue! I don’t know if I said the line correctly, stuttered or stumbled. The whole thing was quite a blur! I arrived back to the wings and was greeted by huge smiles and ‘well dones’ from Cheryl and her Sugababes co-star Heidi Range. “How did it go?” Heidi asked, “I don’t really know, it was a bit of a blur” I said. “That’s how I feel most nights!” she replied.
I walked back to my dressing room, changed out of my costume, left the theatre and sat on the train trying to digest what had just happened. The following evening I arrived at the Churchill Theatre feeling slightly calmer than I had the night before. I enjoyed the show immensely, with the stand out performance coming from The Stage’s Matthew Hemley who played the cameo role.
I would obviously like to thank all those at Happy Days (both on and off stage) for all their help and assistance throughout the evening! I treated my West End debut in Spamalot as a once in a lifetime experience, but now that I’ve make my national touring debut in Happy Days who knows what I’ll be appearing in next! Watch this space!
Andrew Tomlins (Editor)
Please visit www.happydaysthemusical.com for full tour schedule, further information and tickets.
Photo Credit 1&2: Paul Coltas
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