I was a stage manager-AMA

[Fiveminutecallplease]

Mostly in the West End but also a bit of regional theatre. Ask me anything.

@Fiveminutecallplease why and i know its not all, but why is there so much drama between cast members ?

I worked in theatre in the 90s, too. Wardrobe. Do I know you?!

Agree that I would not have let my child work as an actor either. I worked on Oliver and saw it all firsthand.

That's not been my experience at all - what made you think of that? Genuinely interested to know. 99.9% of everyone gets along fine.

@Alouest 🙌! Yes maybe, where did you work? I did all the theatres along the Avenue, HMs, TRDL, most Stoll Moss theatres. This would have been 1995-2000, then regional theatre.

It's an awful cliché but I've rarely seen a child actor without a pushy stage mum. Realistically they won't get anywhere near a stage without one, but I think it's a pretty toxic dynamic.

when you read various clebs auto bios and sometimes theres little bits that hint at different drama etc

Ah, I understand! Possibly there is, but not obviously so to others. We all went to the pub/clubs afterwards and I recall everyone getting on well. The West End is like a little village really, everyone knows everyone.

Her high kicks were incredible! I was a massive fan of Ruthie Henshall as a teenager, which is why I went to see the show.

I can only imagine!

true plus at times it does vary one persons drama is another persons that all part of the show so to speak etc

The theatres I've mainly worked at have been the Albery, Duke of Yorks, Comedy, Ambassadors, Palladium (some of these have different names now of course) and also loads on tour. Worked at most ATG theatres around the country and in London.

I worked in the West End and on tour from around 1994 onwards until I decided to have a baby.

I don't like the pressure on child actors nor the stage school environment which seems to produce mainly horrid little beasts (with some honourable exceptions). The only balanced child actor I ever met went to a normal comprehensive and as a consequence was a really nice kid.