Tonight is the opening night of Eastbourne G&S’s Pirates of Penzance,
and I shall be playing Mabel – the leading lady. I joined the cast after
someone else dropped out, only a month or so ago, and have crammed like mad to
learn the part. It’s been 20 years since I performed in a show (not counting the
odd concert or wedding) and I find it hard to believe where the time has gone.
In those years (since Die Fledermaus with EODS in 1994), a lot has happened. I’ve
been to university, had four different partners and married one of them, moved
to London, Brighton and back to Eastbourne again, I’ve worked in bookshops,
publishing, social media and beauty, lost two close contemporaries to cancer,
become an auntie, bought a flat and now a house, and travelled to dozens of
countries. But amongst all that, I have missed singing. I should say, I’ve
never actually stopped singing – to myself around the house, in the car, while
out shopping, and jamming with friends – but there’s nothing like the thrill of
a paying/willing audience to reward one’s efforts.
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| Ben & Rose Williams |
If you’d like to witness my theatrical comeback, tickets
are on sale from Eastbourne Theatres and we are performing from tonight
until Saturday, with matinees on Weds and Sat. You can sneak a little
preview by watching the video above, of a promotional sing the cast did in Eastbourne
town centre last weekend.
