We’re back!!! Christmas for Kids is here for another fantastic and eventful year, travelling across the UK and how exciting it is going to be! I can’t believe it’s now my 4th year with C4K and they're not sick of me yet!!
Not only had we had such a great time last year, it was going to be an even bigger affair this year, as I realised when I turned up on Rehearsal Day 1 to our little attic studio in Forest Hill. As all ten actors bonded over the heater and a cuppa, I knew instantly we were all going to get on. The first few days were getting a feel for the script, getting new ideas with Sue (Appleby - Musical Director) and Claire (Sundin - Director) and finding out each other’s characters. It was great to all get a read-through as I noticed the more comfortable we became in each other’s company. The more confident people were trying out new accents and playing with their characters. It was so special to see this story come to life again, and for me, having a different Benson puppet this year (“the Best One” as he calls himself, with his own twitter account @bensonpuppet ) it was going to be great fun!
Learning all the songs and harmonies first was a great start then each taking turns in doing a physical warm up (as Claire was eight months pregnant, so we thought we would let her off!). It was lovely to see everyone’s backgrounds ranging from dance games, massages, pilates, yoga & even the focus game ‘Benson, Harry, Maurice’. It's exciting to bring everyone into this magical journey and to all learn from each other. I have definitely met some great friends here.
I so wish we could have gone out as a team of ten as each and everyone of the actors brings so much to the story that I felt sad leaving them on the last day of rehearsals. I am so looking forward to the run of the show - you will see all our antics all over social media! Don’t worry everyone: I’ve already got personalised Christmas for Kids snowmen Christmas decorations and tour sleep masks on bulk order for some merchandise (Lisa loves a bit of 'merch’).
We also had an afternoon ‘wrap party’ where we received some incredible toys and gifts from our friends Nickelodeon (name drop) where half of us wrapped the presents for the tour like little Santa's Little Elves whilst the others sorted all the props ... topped off with some mince pies! xx