Am-Dram Conundrum - what would you do...?

[MargaretElsie]

I am a trained actor, but have not acted professionally for a loooong time (I am also quite old!)

An opportunity came up at our local theatre for a amateur production of something and I decided to go for it. Out of an admittedly small cast, I am now the lead part.

Here is the issue. It turns out that the 'director' (who is really an electrician by day) is, to put it mildly, not very good. His ideas won't work (as has been proven so far) but he is also not open to any other input or ideas to the point of responding with sarcasm at any ideas other than his own. The ladies who do props and stage management are also of a similar ilk, albeit with less sarcasm. All three have been 'running shows' at the theatre for many many years so see themselves as old hands.

Half of the cast of 8 is reasonable in terms of talent but the other half is less so. I have no idea what they think of the director (I struggle to call him that tbh!) and don't want to get into conversations about it as it appears to be, on the whole, a friendly group in terms of the actors at least.

The play is due to run the last week of September, and we are currently only getting together every two weeks but this will increase from the middle of next month. The whatsapp group, as a contrast, is very lively!

I am torn with the following:

1. Do I stick it out regardless and risk being in a poor and badly directed production and it becomes something I can't wait to be over with?
2. Do I give it a few more weeks and then reassess, leaving less time to find a replacement?
3. Do I suggest they offer my place to someone else while there is plenty of time to do so?

I forgot to add, tickets will be £20 full price, £15 concessions so not cheap!

I’d give it a few more weeks and see if you feel any better. Is it a part you long to play or not that important to you?
I have been in this situation a few times myself and because I love it so much, have blanked off what upsets me. As Noel Coward said “Rise above it darling”.
However if it’s more grief than joy, let it go.

I went to an Am Dram performance last year which was an utter shit show.

If you don't want to be part of a similar cockup, I'd pull out right now.

You'll regret it if you don't, and your stress levels will get worse and worse if you carry on.

yes I think if you think it might be embarrassing or awkward further down the line it will be much easier to pull out now.

I feel like you should do it. Use your professional skill and experience to do the best job you can and hopefully influence the others, but don't rely on that. Don't get into arguments with the director, he's clearly very stubborn. But hopefully you can try and input things without him realising it's not his own doing!
The tickets do sound pricey. I've been to am drama that we're better than professional shows though, so hope you will enjoy it and make it as best as it can be despite some of the others being a bit crap.

These replies are great - thank you - and possibly also sum up why I am unsure of what to do!

@Misorchid It's a part / play I didn't even know of until I auditioned, but it's a good one, and also a simple one. Well, it could be (if the self appointed director was a bit better...)

‘A good and simple part’, so not too stressful. Give it a go, keep smiling and do your own professional thing.
If you have a short wick however, could you find yourself blowing up with frustration?
Happened to me😨

Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society vibes, OP?

Does the director know you are professionally trained? I assume you’ve got a bit of trade knowledge that is giving you a decent insight into where he is going wrong? (Or perhaps he’s so bad it’s blindingly obvious!) what sort of thing is he doing / not doing? Just wondering if you can subtly improve things or suggest things that become his idea, or if it’s a lost cause.

Either way you should decide now if you’re staying or going so that they have more time for a replacement or you try to drag them all up to standard covertly! (Could be fun?)

Do you think you want to do more with the group in future? Are there other options around?
I think I would gently back out now personally!

Eating dinner, with you in 15!

Are you Linda Snell ?

@LakesideInn He does, and I have tried to subtly suggest and also more obviously suggest. DH thinks he is intimidated by that, which is why he's resorting to sarcasm. I am not sure if this is the case or it's just that he doesn't want to be doing anything out of, in his view, the ordinary.

As an example, one comment was 'if you went to RADA, why don't I recognise you?'

@Soonenough Similarities but no!!

Well he sounds nasty. No need for that sort of comment - that’s not even sarcasm just being unpleasant. I’d walk - because if it doesn’t go well he’ll blame you as the professional rather than look to himself.

I’d drop out. It sounds a toxic little affair.

Sounds like a horrible man actually. I'd drop out to avoid spending time with him.

Written down, it sounds harsher than it was said, as it was said with a genuine seeming smile but, yes, I get your point.

Do you have an understudy? Seeing as the cast is so small can you suggest understudies all round; for the good of the troupe; to share the stage and other such noble-sounding things.
Then you'll have a ready-made replacement when you succumb to that awful <insert catastrophe / illness of choice here>.

Nope, no understudy!

I don't want to leave people in the lurch, or leave under a cloud, or leave and regret but I am also not confident it'll be anything but average at the absolute best.

Oh, and lots of friends have bought tickets, which doesn't help!

@MargaretElsie

£20 isn't a lot to see a performance.

have you seen anything they've done before?

how long have they been going?

to be honest, they do it because they enjoy it, they don't need or want someone coming in telling them they're doing it all wrong.

why not audition for a semi professional company??

The theatre puts on multiple productions a year, I have only seen one (recently, and it wasn't great) but have heard positive things about others. They've been going for, oh goodness, ages! Think decades and decades.

I auditioned because someone suggested I did, and I thought why not.

I don't want to perform in something 'semi-professional' but I do want to perform in something that is worth seeing whether it costs £2 or £200. I am not telling anyone they are 'doing it all wrong' either, far from it.

The clue is in the name, op. Amateur Dramatics - please don't expect polished from anyone. I feel like you've set your expectations rather high!

There are two issues here OP.
Quality of production - well, if they've been going for decades without running out of money, they can't be that bad. £15 is a lot IMO for an AmDram production. But if people are willing to pay, knowing the quality that's their prerogative.

The attitude of the head honchos are something else entirely. If they create an unpleasant atmosphere , you should leave.

Otherwise I'd stick it out. It's just for fun. Professional standards not required