Further Text for the Review

As I have previously mentioned I want my magazine to cover all aspects of musical theatre and so in the review I think I am going to also list the production team so I've looked at a west end programme and here are a list of all the production team members that have their name printed in it...

Company manager Resident Director

Stage Manager Deputy Stage Managers(2)

Assistant Stage Managers(4) Wardrobe Mistress

Deputy Wardrobe Wardrobe Assistants(2)

Automation No 1, 2 and 3 Sound No 1, 2 and 3

Head of Wigs and Make-up Deputy head of Wigs and Make-up

Wigs Assistants (2) Dance Captain

Acro Captains(2)

And then for the orchestra...

Musical Director Assistant MD 1 and 2

Plus all the instruments

Obviously this is different for every musical. For the purpose of the magazine I do not need to list all these. I will definitely not be listing any assistants and only certain other roles, enough to cover different aspects. So here they are and the names I am going to give them:

Directed by Henry Dyson

Choreographed by Julia Cassidy

Music by Salomon Martin

Lyrics by Philipa Mort

Musical Direction by George Cesarino

Stage Management by John Finley

Sound Direction by Erik Marine

Lighting Design by Ricky Peyton

Costume by Kristia Kay

Text for Double-Page Spread - Draft 1

I have written a review for 'Raise Your Flag'. Comments would be appreciated as always :) I've opened and closed it with a few bits of pirate lingo. I realise it is probably too long but until I have the background for this sorted I cannot know how much I need to cut out or whether it may just fit.

So here it is, Draft 1

Ahoy there me hearties! I be here to tell you all ‘bout the latest booty in the land of the west end…

Yes, I’m talking about the brand new musical ‘Raise Your Flag’. This unique and innovative musical brings together the sea, sword fights and of course love to create an exciting piece of musical theatre.

We’ve all seen pirates try to claim their way onto the west end before and let’s be honest, it’s never really stuck…flash-backs to ‘Treasure Chest’ spring to mind…that been said, ‘Raise Your Flag’ seems to have got this genre down to a tee! There is just the right balance between the rum, swords, love, comedy and drama. This musical really does have it all!

‘Raise Your Flag’ marks the start of what I’m sure will be some fantastic west end careers as well as introducing us to new motivating music. Believe me, you won’t be forgetting the music for the final battle anytime soon…’Crossed Swords’ tugs at every emotion as well as keeping you on the edge of your seat, never knowing what to expect. You really feel like you’re part of the action!

So what’s it about?

The story begins to unfold on the deck of Captain Blackbeard ship the Tansora for which the set, I must say, is absolutely breath-taking. The action during the opening number ‘A’Hoy’ is so complex and so perfected you are left wanting more, already pulled into the world of the pirates. Some of the ships and shipmates backstory is cleverly narrated to us through the words of ‘A’Hoy’ and we learn that they are the most feared, fiercest pirates in the seven seas. The opening number and celebrations of the sailors is ended when Captain Blackbeard, played excellently by Adrian Baker, enters having power over them all.

The tone of the musical is bought down with a ballad. The captains son John, played to precision by Ian Stark, had by now entered and is carrying out work on the ship with a few of the other sailors…he is clearly not as experienced and there is comedy built up through his lack of knowledge on-board the ship. John begins the ballad singing mournfully about his past, wishing for more in his life; a pirates life is not for him. This song is delivered absolutely beautifully. Ian Stark’s notes are always pitch-perfected and his voice and eyes are so captivating.

The musical then follows the boys story as he dashes away in the night to escape, to find his purpose in life. Of course nothing is simple and he is caught up in a dramatic thunderstorm for which I must praise the stage crew. Everything was believable and genuinely had you fearing for John, the sound, lighting and effects were flawless.

This is when we are introduced to the stunning Serena, a tranquil mermaid played by the Spanish beauty Adalina Lira as the sirens begin and John simply cannot resist. I must admit, the siren music is so hauntingly beautiful…I don’t see how anyone could resist! The siren music continues as the Tansora reappears and we learn more about the Captains life, his tragic story of lost love and how is son running away is silently killing him. He vows not to rest until he is found safe and alive.

Name is not killed or harmed by the mermaids. Instead we see love and care blossom between Serena and John. Of course, Captain Blackbeard keeps to his word and it is not long before John is faced with a life or death battle as well as a life changing decision.

I do not wish to tell you all much more as it is so beautifully performed writing will not do it any justice. I can only recommend that you make this show your priority to watch.

So what d’ya think me hearties? I suggest you take some of your treasure and trade it for tickets…it’s time to decide…is the pirates life for you?

Pirate Language

I want the tone of my double-page spread to be quite casual to appeal to my audience and so it's not going to be very formal. So I have decided to make the pirate article stand-out, emphasize the theme and possible add a bit of humour I want to use 'pirate language' in the review. So I have used the internet to collect some research and came across a website called how to talk like a pirate...its brilliant! Here are a few that I may use.

Ahoy - hello
Arrr - which could cover a few things depending on the tone e.g in agreement or anger

Beauty - how a pirate might address a woman

Booty - treasure

Hornpipe - both a single-reeded instrument that pirates played and a spirited dance that sailors do

Scallywag - bad person

Smartly - Do something quickly

I have also noted that its not all grammatically correct and that they drop letters and/or words. For example, instead of and it would be an'. Another characteristic of the stereotyped language for pirates is that instead of saying 'I am' say 'I be' and instead of 'you are' - 'you be'. Also 'me' instead of 'my'.

And now a few phrases that would be expected, some of these are on the pirate mood board I made and posted a few months ago.

• Shiver me timbers!
• Arr me hearty
• Yo ho me hearties!
• A pirates life for me

Obviously too much of this pirate lingo and it will stop making sense to people as most won't know what some words mean. Even if I don't use them in the review they could possibly be inspiration for some song titles. But I think the odd phrase or word would be appropriate!

Double-Page Spread

I have decided for my double-page feature on Raise Your Flag I will have the following picture as the background for one of the pages, I think the left-hand side.

I have chosen this picture because it epitomizes the title of the musical as he is holding a flag up. The picture also includes typical pirate tropes and memes due to the skull and cross bones, outfit and sword. The position in which he is standing also creates good positioning for the text, title and other images.

Here is how I plan on using the picture as a background. The title will be painted in either black or brown, in a style that looks slightly like calligraphy.

Around the outside there will be some smaller images of the female pirates or the ship. Around the edge there will also be some ribbon, probably red and blue as they link to pirates. As with the contents page I will probably also include something like a button or piece of material. I may also chose to include captions or single words for some of the other pictures.

I have had a brilliant idea for the main body of the text, or at least I think it's brilliant. I want to tea-stain and burn the edges of some paper and stick it down. This will make it look old and 'pirate-y'. I will still place the text onto it using ICT. But I think creating that background for it will be very effective.

General Update

Contents Order

The following list is the order I am going to use for the actual contents page. In brackets are the page numbers.

• What's Hot What's Not (3-4)
• Pirate Musical: Raise Your Flag (5-6)
• An area of musical theatre: Opera (7-8)
• Information on how to get experience in musical theatre (9-10)
• Review from in Europe (11-12)
• Backstage (13-14)
• Interview (15-16)
• Revive the classics (17)
• A performers body (18)
• Latest news: showbiz people (19)
• Review outside of Europe (20-21)
• Audition techniques (22-23)
• Competition(s) (24)
• Latest news: Regional (25-26)
• C.D Review (27)
• Q+A (28)

There will be adverts merged throughout related to musical theatre.

Content

All those months ago I posted a blog with a list of ideas or my contents page. Here they are again but structured into similar articles...

Reviews

• In depth review of new pirate musical
• Review/article from somewhere else in Europe
• Review/article from somewhere outside of Europe
• Review of at least one new C.D released by those in musical theatre
• 'Revive the classics' looking at older musicals, films made of musicals

Things in every issue

• All the above reviews
• Q+A
• Competition
• Latest news on upcoming events surrounding the genre
• Audition Techniques
• 'Backstage'
• What's hot, what's not type thing
• Interview
• One or more sections on a genre related to musical theatre

Other in this issue

• 'A Performers body' an article on how to stay healthy, avoid injury
• Information on how to get experience ( this would be more every other issue)

Similar article (e.g the reviews) will be spread out throughout the magazine so that is is more interesting. I will now focus on the order and how many pages each would take up.