What it's REALLY like to be in a West End Show | Georgie Ashford

[@zeezee6424]

One of the reasons people (including me) don’t realise how difficult 8 shows a week will be is because every show I’ve done I’ll do 6 months of rehearsals and 5 shows then it’s done. That’s always been a bit anticlimactic for me so I do look forward to (hopefully) performing a show for longer even though it’ll be hard.

[@alexjemphrey]

Very much agree and relate to this Zara!

[@colebeck6528]

The longest run I’ve done was a month but ya I agree when a show is rehearsed for months and only do a few performances it’s a bit disappointing. Most of the time like at my college it’s the auditorium that has to be used for other purposes and that’s why we only get a few performances.

[@GeorgieAshford]

I was exactly the same! The longest I had ever done a show in a row was one week! It’s such a shock to the system xx

[@tananario]

@@GeorgieAshford I went from doing 3 weekends of amateur shows to my first contract for a four month run, on the road. When I got home that first time, I wanted to burn the clothes I had been living in, I was so sick of them. Funny what you miss. 🙃

[@josephdanny6956]

i realize I am pretty randomly asking but do anybody know of a good website to stream newly released series online?

[@lizjoyce5]

I appreciate that you get to the point quickly in your videos unlike many youtubers.

[@emilybainbridge3533]

Hi Georgie, I absolutely LOVE your videos!! As someone who is training in musical theatre , I really appreciate your tips and advice😀 I’d be really interested to hear any other thoughts you have in this subject as well as the diet of an actor (what to eat and times to eat). Thank you so much!!! Xxx

[@CherryHavoc]

I’ve done a lot of shows with my local amateur group. We are lucky enough to get to rehearse on the stage we will perform on for the whole of our rehearsal period. This seemed so obvious to me, but some of my fellow actors were amazed when I said that professional actors do not rehearse on the stage that they will perform on.

[@clbazar]

You certainly don’t need to worry about being boring - your channel is great! I have a question that you have likely answered many times before and if you already have a video about this, I beg your pardon, but here it is: What are your thoughts, hopes, plans as it relates to performing on Broadway? Is that a career goal for you? Once everything is open again, is that a plan that you intend to work on with your management? What are the obstacles for British performers to working in AEA productions?

[@zeezee6424]

This video was certainly my cuppa tea ❤️

[@GeorgieAshford]

Haha thank you!

[@tananario]

I work in American regional professional theatre. Or usually do. Thanks, COVID-19 for the unemployment. The theatre company that I perform for generally schedules us for 6 - 7 shows a week, and I’m usually on the road 3 - 4 months out of the year. It’s not a life for everyone but if you are a character actor, you get used to it pretty quickly.

[@GarthDavies]

What does a performer do about those involuntary things that can interrupt singing, like a yawn, hiccup or choking on saliva because you haven't had a chance to swallow?

[@roisinnigcrainn7722]

I'm not on the West End (yet!) but I swallowed my tongue during a semi-professional school production of Grease. I played Rizzo and during Look At Me, I'm Sandra Dee, my tongue got caught in my throat and I missed almost a whole line of the song. Worst of all, it was on the night it was being filmed, so this mistake ended up on the DVD! Needless to say, it was gutwrenchingly embarassing, but in a way I'm glad it happened because it taught me what performers have to do when stuff like that happens - JUST KEEP GOING! Pretend it never happened. Drawing attention to it will make the audience care more about it than they need to. No reasonable, rational audience will hold this stuff against you. You're human, after all! These things happen to all performers at least once in their career. You can't learn without making mistakes. When it comes to preventing this stuff, it helps to: Stay hydrated to avoid tongue-swallowing or choking. Avoid drinking to much or too quickly to avoid hiccups. Avoid spicy or acidic foods to prevent reflux (which can induce vomiting - thankfully this has never happened to me). Take anti-acids in the case where you have eaten spicy or acidic foods. Avoid dairy to stop vocal cords from clogging up, which can also cause choking. Drink peppermint tea about 2hrs before showtime (not any later than that as it can give you jitters) to avoid yawning - it acts as a little pick-me-up. Get enough sleep to further prevent yawning. Avoid caffeine and sugar to prevent energy dips. I've implemented all this stuff into my everyday life, even though I'm not currently employed. I still like to stay in good condition because it makes adjusting to "rehearsal/show-mode" a lot easier when the time comes. You'll notice that all the "natural bodily functions" you mentioned can (and usually are) all caused by fatigue. So sticking to a good sleep schedule, avoiding alcohol, sugar and caffeine, and taking rests when needed will all ensure you're on top-form! I hope this provided some insight on the matter. ☺

[@colebeck6528]

The food thing doesn’t sound like a big deal but it really is for a singer. I never eat before I go to bed at night because it really messes with your voice the next day.

[@GeorgieAshford]

It make such a difference doesn’t it! Dairy has such a bad effect on my voice x

[@stuartcampbell912]

I love these videos. Could you please let others (and me!) know about the audition process for getting onto musicals please?

[@MoreThanFour]

Is there anyway u can give advice to older adults wanting to be a performer because there is so so many options for children, teens and under 24ish but im 28 and spent so msny hours a dsy just trying to figure it out, i msy eventually post a video about my experience trying to get anything (information, classes) i have a familt so evening classes are hard, i like in an area where no one leaves or thinks about performing so its a do u move totrsin even though all the advice states against it travelling 2 hrs there and 2 hrs back isnt realistic i have no finally after over a year have an overall plan, with covid its been even harder but its give me a huge push it wasnt easy with covid im 28 (29 this year) and still finding it hard but ive also worked out that the reason its so hard is because you have to have that self drive to fight for it the industry isnt easy you are not just told what to do and how to do it to get something, im no longer afraid to move my family for this, im not worried about my extended family thinking im nuts i want this for myself but my god with 3 kids, single mum (soon to be divorced) in an area with nothing really really makes things tough... But if you could shed light on it for others and myself really (extra advice is always good) that would be great, like is college best, classes best, study best, drama school best, its so hard if you didnt get into it as a kids/teen but well well worth it you learn so much about yourself X

[@tw_132]

Thank you for the vid in lockdown and you have the time to make pleasure for us thanks xx

[@yourlocaljedi-oldacc9865]

Im 12 and thinking of starting up so thank you very much

[@lenka6860]

Love this! Hugs from Belgium🥰♥️

[@GeorgieAshford]

Aw thank you! 🤗 hugs right back x

[@richardlaundon]

One annoying thing I always hear is that people still believe you only do rehearsals before a run starts and then once it is running you just have to do the show so it can't be as demanding as performers make out it is if they only do 3 hours a night.

[@roisinnigcrainn7722]

I agree. Rehearsal continues long into the run of the show, this is why so many lead performers change and develop their performance from night #1 to night #100! Many people are unaware of this, and young actors and performers end up sorely disappointed when they don't just have to turn up at 6pm for pre-show. You're still under contract to work a full-time job, after all.

[@katyburrows1079]

This is awesome I love this ❤️❤️❤️

[@GeorgieAshford]

Aw thank you! 💖💖💖

[@sarahlouisemcevoy6726]

Hey Georgie can I take part in acting through song and musical theatre jazz on zoom

[@AmberWoodMusicx]

Is it true that you’ve got to avoid chocolate because of vocals?

[@roisinnigcrainn7722]

Generally, any food containing dairy is best avoided on the day of a show because dairy has a tendency to thicken the natural lubricant of your vocal folds. When this thickens, you'll end up clearing your throat very often throughout the show, which causes abrasions to form on the vocal cords, resulting in raspiness and vocal strain. If this is done on a continuous basis, these abrasions may turn into scar tissue/nodules, which usually require surgery and can be career-ending. Best to just avoid dairy on show days in the first place, in my opinion!

[@marleymcmurray295]

oh wow this is really interesting thank you for showing and explaining bits about the west end

[@debbiecamp6995]

Food 👍

[@jusmarch3740]

Loved this, so interesting, Thanks Georgie, xxx

[@lizjoyce5]

And the content is interesting

[@StevenWelsh-i9h]

I get the fact you keep on emphasising an 8 show week, but that must be about 30 hours a week, what about your ordinary person who works 40 hours a week

[@bacontheshoe]

Yes, but the amount of energy that goes into a show is more than the energy someone working an office job would have to dedicate to that time. Equally, it is *exactly the same thing* for 8 shows a week, for months. At something like an office job, you get some variety in precisely what you do still.

[@sarahlouisemcevoy6726]

I text and emailed you