For my work experience I was lucky enough to be able to go and help out on Still Game Live at the SSE Hydro. It was an amazing and incredibly enjoyable experience that I will never forget. I was joining the Stage Management team just as tech week began, which is a rehearsal on stage with more than just acting. The set movements are figured out and refined to make sure they will go smoothly during shows, lighting technicians programme the lighting to be the best it can be, sound effects, music and any voice overs are tested to make sure they are in the correct place and at the right volume and video and cameras are run to make sure they are where they’re meant to be and showing what they’re meant to be showing. This, of course, is all cued by the Deputy
Stage Manager who has a script marked with what everyone needs to be doing at the points they need to be doing it. As an Assistant Stage Manager, I was mainly helping out on stage with moving set around or paging the tabs (moving the curtains out the way for moving set or actors). I was also in charge off the stage right props table meaning I had to check that all the actors had what they had when they needed to have it and make sure everything was there, and I even got the opportunity to make some props and set. I made a bag of chips that was used in act two which I was rather proud of and I assembled two life-size trees which I found challenging but rewarding and fun.
On Wednesday afternoon, dress rehearsals began. This meant full show run throughs, lighting and sound and all, which was an overwhelming prospect that made me nervous. I was worried I wouldn’t get my cues at the right time or be fast enough at moving set or just generally do something wrong and annoy the cast or crew but it all went well in the end. I ended up picking up a few more cues such as moving a massive beer can on stage and spinning it which was definitely the thing that scared me the most as I was on stage, pretty much in full view of the audience and the punchline of a joke relied on me spinning the can, but it ran smoothly almost every time it was done so there wasn’t really anything to worry about. I was also in charge of pulling a cloud of stage which was all about timing too, but it also went well. Every rehearsal ran very well with little to no issue which was surprising but very reassuring, and by the time the first show came around everyone was nervous but confident in what needed to be done. Overall, this was a really great experience that showed me I want to go into theatre for sure. I learned so much about a business I’ve been around for as long as I can remember due to both
my parents working in it. Everyone I met, including the stars of the show, were kind and helpful and lovely, I honestly couldn’t have asked to work with a better group of people. I loved every minute of this experience, it was amazing.
