Three weeks, you rehearse and rehearse

As some of you will know, and the rest are about to find out, Hugh Hughes is going to be at the Junction very soon with In Rehearsal. Simon and I keep accidentally calling it a 'show'. But it is not really a show at all. Hugh hasn't prepared a new production for you, he just fancied inviting you into his rehearsal room so that he could work with an audience to uncover some new stories. So even though it isn't officially a 'show' it should be pretty exciting nonetheless.

Now usually the audience isn't invited in at this stage, so we're wondering whether or not it actually is a 'rehearsal' after all. We're not really sure to be honest. Not content with this state of uncertainty, I decided do some research...

Interestingly, when you start typing 'rehearsal' into the Google search box, one of the first options it gives you is 'reheating rice'. Personally I have never needed to reheat rice during a rehearsal, or rehearse reheating rice. But clearly it is a topic which has prompted a lot of discussion and debate. So if you did ever rehearse reheating rice there are a lot of people who are interested in the subject.

Once I got past the reheating rice stage of proceedings I arrived at a definition of 'rehearsal'. I will share it with you here: a session of exercise, drill, or practice, usually private, in preparation for a public performance, ceremony, etc.

0rigin: 1350, 'rehersaille'

In case you get bored of using the word 'rehearsal', synonyms include: drill, dry run, experiment, going-over, practice, practice session, prep, reading, readying, recital, recitation, recounting, rehearsing, retelling, run-through, shakedown, test flight, trial balloon, trial performance, tryout, workout.

If Hugh gets tired of the title 'Hugh Hughes in Rehearsal' he could always swap the name to 'Hugh Hughes in...Test Flight'. I don't know about you, but I think that sounds like a pretty thrilling one. 'Hugh Hughes in...Trial Balloon' isn't too bad either.

The next and final step in my research was a hunt for some juicy quotations about rehearsals. Here are a few which I want to tell you about so that you can ponder over them across the Bank Holiday and maybe discuss over a BBQ or nice walk with friends, or whatever it is you have planned...

"Fantasies are more than substitutes for unpleasant reality; they are also dress rehearsals, plans. All acts performed in the world begin in the imagination." Barbara Grizzuti Harrison

"You have to do what you love to do, not get stuck in that comfort zone of a regular job. Life is not a dress rehearsal. This is it." Linda Basset

"I prepare myself for rehearsals like I would for marriage." Maria Callas

"I would rather play Hamlet with no rehearsal than TV golf." Jack Lemon

So, if that's got you all excited about rehearsals, don't forget that you can sink your teeth into a bit of rehearsal action by booking for...

Hugh Hughes in...Rehearsal

May 21st and 22nd

The Junction, Cambridge

http://www.junction.co.uk/

01223 511 511

We look forward to seeing you there!

Oh, and by the way, it is ok to reheat rice as long as you make sure it is nice and hot. Warm rice = bad, hot rice = good.

Thanks to Tea, Two Sugars for the photo