EXTRA! EXTRA! BIRMINGHAM EXTRA!!!

EXTRA! EXTRA! BIRMINGHAM EXTRA!!!

National Press Night Incident:

I do have to apologise, I completely forgot to mention in my last blog an incident which happened on the Tuesday in Birmingham (I apologise to Simon, in particular as he was most distressed to see that I hadn't mentioned it!).

If you've seen the show then you will know that Jonny Clarke, who plays Tipper/Gregoire throws a grenade in the first tunnelling scene which blows up some Germans who have broken through to the British tunnel. It may surprise you to know, as it is fairly dark in this scene and happens quite quickly, that he does actually throw something (although obviously not a grenade….). It's made of rubber and has a little nub on the end - it's pretty realistic, except for the fact that we keep it a bit of an orange colour so that it catches the light and shows up better. It's the same one that Charlie G Hawkins used last year and boasted that he would successfully throw exactly through the fairly narrow opening that leads in to the wings for every one of the 204 performances. He didn't. Although he was a fair way along the tour before he missed and 'hit the goalpost', as it were. 

So. We've had some fun with the grenade over the last year and a half. Its hit the door, the doorframe, Emily Stride (Marguerite and German soldier last year), Lucy Grattan (Marguerite and German soldier this year), it's gone into the hat of an already dead German soldier and into the auditorium a few times, it's hit me, GMoss, ricocheted off various pieces of furniture in the wings, even ended up in the fly cage and once in Malvern it (slightly terrifyingly) nearly hit the GO button on the sound desk…. But, it has never hit an audience member before. Until now. In Birmingham. On National Press Night…..

It was a beautiful throw as well by Jonny. It soared through the air in a beautiful arc, hit the door frame and bounced off an into the auditorium where it hit… the face of Matt Barningham who was happily enjoying the show with his friend Katy. 

Thankfully he was unharmed and completely saw the funny side (and the cast gave him and Katy some signed programmes - which contained all manner of references to the grenade). So, thank you Matt for being a good sport and also for returning the grenade at the end of the show! 

Here's one more glimpse of the culprit with the offending object . He has promised to continue to improve his aim…. (he hit me in the shoulder with it the other day!)

Jonny and the grenade……

York blog to follow soon!

Laters…..