119 posts
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Post by SuperTrooper on Jan 8, 2018 22:51:58 GMT
Today I celebrate my Spotaversary!
I began my LX life on this date in the year 1988!
I'm feeling very old!
South Pacific was the show, Prince of Wales Theatre the venue!
*takes a bow and exits via stage door*
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jan 8, 2018 22:54:34 GMT
That would be late 80s then...
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Post by profquatermass on Jan 9, 2018 12:56:09 GMT
Am I alone in not knowing what you're talking about?
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2,263 posts
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Post by richey on Jan 9, 2018 13:03:11 GMT
Am I alone in not knowing what you're talking about? nope. Glad you commented before I did |
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5,159 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Jan 9, 2018 13:07:38 GMT
The super trouper (note different spelling) is a follow spot.
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119 posts
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Post by SuperTrooper on Jan 9, 2018 13:56:15 GMT
My working life in the West End!
I had been working FoH on and off from age 17 and in the middle of my A levels!
My fist LX job, which has continued through the good, the bad and the bizarre!
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5,159 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Jan 9, 2018 14:00:27 GMT
It all makes sense. You must have some great stories, which I'm sure we'd all love to read.  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2018 14:12:17 GMT
Congratulations, SuperTrooper ! Gemma Craven if my memory serves me correctly. I bought tickets for my mum and dad as a Christmas present! (I have always wanted to meet Sandi Toksvig, not because I am a particlar fan, but because I read in an interview with her that she had once been a follow-spot operator on Jesus Christ Superstar at the Palace! I'd love to hear some of her stories... I bet she saw a lot from way up there!) And thanks to TallPaul for throwing some light on the matter as I was rather in the dark myself... |
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119 posts
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Post by SuperTrooper on Jan 9, 2018 14:54:19 GMT
It was indeed Gemma, I had a big girl crush on her, Slipper and the Rose being a fave film as a teenager!
Sandi and her sister both spotted at the Palace, if I ever get to meet her it's certainly a good conversation opener!
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Post by profquatermass on Jan 9, 2018 19:02:53 GMT
The super trouper (note different spelling) is a follow spot. If I knew what a follow spot is, that would be very helpful |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2018 20:37:48 GMT
The super trouper (note different spelling) is a follow spot. If I knew what a follow spot is, that would be very helpful Okay Prof...even I can guess what a follow spot is. I'm sure someone of your higher learning can get it too...spot(light) follow(ing) artists around onstage. I really hope I'm on the right track with this. |
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2,302 posts
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Post by Tibidabo on Jan 9, 2018 20:40:15 GMT
Is this the new Mornington Crescent thread? And tonyloco's written us some Aussie rules? |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2018 20:56:03 GMT
The super trouper (note different spelling) is a follow spot. If I knew what a follow spot is, that would be very helpful   |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 9, 2018 22:10:52 GMT
All those years of singling along...almost a whole lifetime and I never knew what the song super trouper was alluding to until today. And it's never even occurred to me to ask or look it up (you don't know what you don't know). But now the song takes on a whole new meaning. Thanks, Super.
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119 posts
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Post by SuperTrooper on Jan 9, 2018 22:43:38 GMT
Super Trouper Beams are gonna blind me/find me!
Damn! How do I upload a photo?
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1,089 posts
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Post by tonyloco on Jan 10, 2018 1:23:47 GMT
Is this the new Mornington Crescent thread? And tonyloco's written us some Aussie rules? This has been a rather unusual thread so far so I might as well continue in the same rather surreal vein! 1. There's no point in me making up any rules when people just ignore them most of the time, Aussie or otherwise. 2. The Christmas Morning Crescent game was never finished so if I say "Happy New Year to everybody in Mornington Crescent" here on this thread have I won? 3. Talking of not knowing what a follow spot is, I wonder whether some people are equally mystified as to what a tube of greasepaint is for? |
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Post by bimse on Jan 10, 2018 7:22:38 GMT
My working life in the West End! I had been working FoH on and off from age 17 and in the middle of my A levels! My fist LX job, which has continued through the good, the bad and the bizarre! Congratulations @supertrooper , have you been exclusively a follow spot operator all this time? Always at the Prince of Wales Theatre? What were your favourite shows to work on ? Incidentally I saw that South Pacific production at the Prince of Wales, plus I can appreciate the skill and effort that goes into your work , having had a very brief experience myself at follow spot operating , at the heritage open day at the Plaza Theatre in Stockport . I hadn’t realised that you not only follow the action on stage, but written directions as well . |
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Post by SuperTrooper on Jan 10, 2018 8:29:03 GMT
Thanks Bimse!
I've spotted all over the West End but I'm back at the Wales now (2000+ shows and counting!)
There has been the odd stage LX thrown in and very rare crewing jobs!
As to faves, it's difficult to say, even the bad jobs/shows have had their good points!
Glad you enjoyed your brief experience at the Plaza, it's a fun job!
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Post by tonyloco on Jan 10, 2018 14:14:37 GMT
Look out, here comes a tonyloco anecdote on follow-spotting.
When I was regular pianist at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East, for their monthly Sunday Night Variety Shows in the early 1980s, we got all sorts of different acts to top the bill. On one occasion, the whole of the second half was given over to a sort of cabaret spot by Pat Kirkwood, who was then in her 60s and semi-retired but considering making a come-back and the show at Stratford was to be a sort of try-out. She brought along her own musicians and as producer she had the legendary Robert Nesbitt, who was particularly noted for his skill at lighting. (Famous anecdote: a member of the ensemble in a Royal Variety Show at the Palladium is asked to stand a bit further upstage. "Oh no" says the boy, "I can't move. I've been lit by Robert Nesbitt!")
The whole ambiance at the Theatre Royal in those days (and probably still is) was very much an informal affair with enthusiastic locals working on the shows doing front of house, being stage hands and such. During the band call on the afternoon before the show, the rather frustrated Mr Nesbitt was trying to arrange a stage setting for Ms Kirkwood's act and at one point he called out into the auditorium: "Where is the follow spot operator?" to which a voice replied: "She's just nipped out to Tesco's in the precinct to do her shopping. She'll be back soon." Well, that's how they do theatre in the East End, and as far as I know, Pat Kirkwood was never heard of again.
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Post by bimse on Jan 10, 2018 15:13:34 GMT
tonyloco : "Oh no" says the boy, "I can't move. I've been lit by Robert Nesbitt!" That’s hilarious, Priceless ! I love anecdotes like this , thanks for posting !
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2,302 posts
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Post by Tibidabo on Jan 10, 2018 17:35:49 GMT
The Christmas Morning Crescent game was never finished so if I say "Happy New Year to everybody in Mornington Crescent" here on this thread have I won?Well no actually because as it was Christmas it should have been Mornington Present. |
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