I recently had the opportunity to attend a showcase given by the Liverpool Theatre School at the Criterion Theatre in London.
Now, you might have thought this was an opportunity to showcase not only the talents of the students in their final year of studies but also for the School itself to use this as an advertising tool to show how well they are able to present their students.
To begin with I sent an email to the school enquiring about the showcase at the end of February ( the showcase being March 21st). There was very little information about it on the schools website (in fact that info is still there a week after the event!). Having had no reply I then telephoned them on the 7th March for the info needed (what time was the show? How did one get tickets?) and was told they would put me on the list and send a flyer snail mail (Apparently they were unable to send an electrionic version as they didn't have one???!!!)
So I am added to the agents list and duly turn up on the day and shown to the agents gathering area at the bar and offered a complimentary drink but the white wine is undrinkable so I opt for an orange juice instead. The agents pack consisted of a very badly put together bound A4 booklet of the various students and the running order.
My copier at home would have done a better printing job.
The paper was thin, the students' pictures badly produced (because not printed on glossy paper at a high enough resolution) and the CV's hadn't been checked for typos nor were they standardised. Some contained three methods of contact info whilst one contained none at all. Others were specific about vocal range whilst others just said Soprano or similar. Most of them were strong swimmers apparently! Not sure how much call there is for that in the West End....
Only one student was given a solo number but from what I could tell she wasn't the best singer. Very few of the songs really showed off the voices and some of the direction was lack-lustre at best. The sound engineer seemed to have some mics turned on and others not although I gather this was due to technicians from the Criterion Theatre itself.
I heard one agent ask another "was this a 1 or 3 year course?"
Two agents left before half way through.
Of those who stayed I know of one agent who was positively mobbed by several students all at once. They had obviously not been schooled in the etiquette of how to behave or how to best present themselves in this situation.
All in all, a very disappointing and unprofessional represention of how a Theatre School is run and a lost opportunity to showcase both the students and the School at their best.
