We Were Born To Boogie (Part 6)

When you give everything you've got, when excellence and perfection are the names of your game, you live an extraordinary lifestyle. When that lifestyle is on a stage and every night you share these fantastic attributes with the world before you there is a Divine satisfaction that comes with it. Thats being an actor, your purpose is to bring satisfaction into the evening and maybe even the lives of the paying theatre goers who have come to see you perform. Equally with that comes a huge responsibility both professionally and personally. So what happens when you take a fall? What happens when you feel you have failed to deliver the high standards you set of yourself?

Fox Jackson Keen found himself in exactly this dilemma on the Saturday evening. In his "Electricity" routine something went wrong causing him to miss his finishing move where he runs up a wall and does a backwards somersault. I guess he just got bad footing or something. What saddened me was that Fox looked devastated by not completing the move. Fox was gutted, and in the words of his dad was inconsolable that evening on the way home.

I think as an actor if you make a mistake you are more conscious of it than anybody else, especially when the performance you had delivered for the rest of the show was to such a high standard. I wish Fox was able to see what a great show he had put on that evening. Myself and Dennis were discussing at the interval just how good Fox was that night. Well ok... he always puts on an outstanding show, but some how on Saturday he had raised his game to a level that far exceeds any word I could use to describe its sheer greatness.

What I am saying is acting is like learning to walk, when we take our first steps its such an achievement. But just like a toddler we inevitably fall, we have to pick ourselves up again and simply carry on. I am already trying to work out how I would feel in Fox's place, and I guess despite my words of wisdom, I would be as gutted as he was. Though this brings me to another part of my learning curve. Fox recovered from the missed flip beautifully. This is a sign of a great actor. You have to try not to draw attention to any mistake you or indeed any actor you are working with has made. I don't think many people would have realised that Fox even missed a somersault, as his routine is so packed out with huge dance moves that everyone was already in awe of his ability, and with this superb recovery Fox earned the rapturous applause that he deserved.

Maybe I am bias as I openly adore Fox as an actor, but I think after the show he put on he can hold his head high. I am looking at this as neutrally as possible. So maybe it didn't meet his high standards, but it sure as hell met mine. I still maintain that this was one of Fox's best performances, and it left me respecting and admiring him as an actor even more than I had before. I just wish I had the chance to openly tell him how much I respect him and how much he has inspired me but its harder to say in person than it is to write on here.

So anyway remember i mentioned Connor nodding at me a couple of shows ago. I was still wondering whether or not he was acknowledging me. Tonight I was again at the front and as the cast waved to the crowd Connor turned to me and waved. I gave him the thumbs up. It was without a shadow of a doubt that he had directed this at me. I guess that positive feedback I gave him must have meant a lot to him. He is an extremely talented actor and again pulled off a faultless performance. Its really sweet that Connor went to the effort of acknowledging me on both occasions, as it really does make my participation in the show as an avid fan feel appreciated. A simple gesture can mean a whole lot! I really do hope I get the chance to talk to Connor again soon.

So its the end of the show and time for a few goodbyes as I guess it will be my last visit to the show for about a month. Ok thats not long for most but it is for me. As usual I descended upon stage door with Dennis in toe. This would be his last stage door shuffle of 2009, as he is not due back into the country until Easter of next year.

To my surprise Fox appeared at stage door. He was being met by his dad. I was star struck, I managed to mutter "Fox would you be able to sign my programme". I was seriously left speechless. Here was the guy that inspired me right in front of my big blue eyes. I was so speechless in fact it was Dennis who had to ask Fox if he would pose for a photo with me, which he kindly did. My only regret is that i never told him how much i respect him and how much he has inspired me. All i managed was a "cheers Fox". Hopefully next time I will have the guts to tell him!

I concluded the night with a brief chat to Barnaby and Kate and of course some photos before walking to the bus stop with Dennis. He was due to fly home just over a day later so it would be the last time I would see him until Easter. I was quite sad to see him leave as I had made a great new friend in him. I look forward to hearing from him soon and meeting him next year.

So this is the end of my little adventure, theres one more blog to come in the series... so look out for that over the weekend.

G xxx