I'm sorry, but this is going to be one of those posts where I just dump. For the last two weeks I've been working on the upcoming production of Scheherazade which will feature two guest principle artists from Russia. A guest teacher from Russia is setting the work and has been with us for the last four days.
The cast needs 18 chore men: 6 'hat boys' (they wear funny upside-down-pot-plant hats), 6 slaves and 6 guards (a walk on part). Initially, I was dancing as one of the hat boys. It was a cool part with lots fun running and jumping. But then came the revelation that instead of having two performances, there was only going to be one. Today, I was told by company manager, Teona that I was only going to be a guard and covering the other parts.
Ok, I'm not one to praise my own dancing or rubbish other's, but this is nothing short of a slap in the face. The hat boys cast is not too bad. They can count and keep together even if they lack line, work ethic and technique. The six slaves on the other hand are mostly horrific. Some of these boys look like they have just been pulled off the street. Not only do they lack the line, work ethic and technique; they can't even count to eight as a group. There is one section where they have to run towards the audience and do a turning jump together. The teacher has been over, and over, and over, and over, and over, and over this section. She speaks very rapid Russian so I don't understand much she says, but even I can understand 1,2,3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and can do the move correctly.
I don't know how I kept my cool when Teona told me because I just wanted to explode! To see that sort of dancing being presented when I'm perfectly capable of doing so much better is very frustrating! Not to mention the 4 hours I spent today sitting in the window watching rehearsals. If I put up a big enough stink I could probably get her to change her mind, but she is just not worth the effort. At the end of the day, the credit on my resume will look the same.
I'm more than ready to leave this place. Having my dancing and intelligence insulted like that is just too much. The problem is I can't tell the queen bee. Nina said that she would be able to speak to me on Saturday. She didn't show at the theatre, which is not unusual. Sunday she obviously wouldn't be there, but when I asked where she was today, I was told that she was in America till the end of the week! It's a trap I tell you!!! A trap!!! I could just tell Gvansta, but gossip flies around this place faster than Jack Russel on Red Bull and I don't want her hearing it from somebody else.
So that's the news from my end of town.
Anyone know of any vacancies in Brisbane?
Rodney Cuthbertson
DreamChaser
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