Monday 13 January 2014

Come Fly with Me


Thursday at Cabaret Summer School 2014.

I feel deconstructed, fragmented, not together at all.

"Discombobulated" is not a term I would often use, but it's the word that springs to mind.

I'm a fan of personal development, and I'm willing to be taken to pieces, but now I need to be put back together.

We do a vocal warm-up, and straight away I start to feel better.

This morning we have to present "what we have so far".  In my case, not a lot.

Mardi leads off with "The Teddy Bears' Picnic".  Through the song she recalls winning a calisthenics competition at the age of five.  She is encouraged to act like her five-year-old self, and her physical comedy is hilarious.  She remembers that she's still got the trophy, and there is a chorus of "Bring it on stage!".  

Heidi, the lead singer of a 1950's rock band, sings "I Only Want to be with You".  She's channeling the original recording, and needs to make the song her own.  She intends it as a love song for her fiance; she's getting married in two weeks.  Heidi gets workshopped.  She has to speak the lyrics.  Then she's told to lie down and sing the song; then to sing it in the manner of wedding vows.  There's an empty Coke can on a table at the front.  It's got a little dent in it that looks like a smile.  The can represents her fiance.  Heidi sits on the edge of the stage and sings to it tenderly.  We will never look at a Coke can in the same way again.

I capitulate and agree to include in my set one song I've done before.  I sing the old Sinatra song "Come Fly with Me".  I explain that in the lead-up to heart surgery I thought I might need medication for life, which would prevent me from ever drinking alcohol again.  How would I get my "happy high?"  I might need to go on a little "trip".  Half-way through the song I begin to act "stoned". Somehow I feel freer on stage than last time I sang it; the "crazy" exercise on Monday seems to have done its job.  I'm encouraged to start slow and build up; let myself go even more.  

I scribble some patter for my set.  I think I've got it worked out.  I need to memorize the new song "Listen to Your Heart".  I look at the lyrics.  There are three verses.  No way can I learn all those words overnight.  I don't want my mind to go blank and to be left gaping stupidly on stage.  Been there, done that.  It's better to be realistic and set yourself up for success.  

One verse and the chorus.  That will be enough to set the scene for my segment, which I will call "Un-break My Heart".








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