SG

In many ways I'm deeply conflicted about SG.  One of the reasons that I started this blog was to exorcise some of the demons that have made me 'cringe in the shower' ever since.  SG is, to a degree, one of those.  He died quite a few years ago now and I remember there being an appeal in the newspaper asking for contributions towards his healthcare.  I didn't give.  I wish I had.

The first day of rehearsals was in a 'space' a few 'blocks' south of Angel.  There was a sandwich shop on the corner that's still there.  I don't think the space is.

The show was a one-act Moliere, being directed by a manic American called RG.  More on him, I imagine, anon.  We were going into the lunchtime slot that is programmed by SG under the guise, for some reason that I've never established, as Elephant Theatre.  I think the 'company' died with him.

RG introduced SG, prior to his arrival, as 'colourful and sweary'.  No-one knew quite what to expect, I'm sure.  I most certainly didn't.  SG was a rotund (although that term conjures images of the roly-poly bon viveur to some - he was none of those things), lank (grey) haired, tracksuit wearing, dog on string-toting and extremely sweary individual who claimed to have 'found theatre' whilst serving time (an involvement in the Great Train Robbery was also claimed - as yet unverified).  The C Word featured prominently and very quickly after introduction.

SG was 'Producer not Director' on this occasion but he'd be keeping an eye, he said, on the rooky American.  If required, he'd apply his standard 'week of blocking followed by a week of subtext' methodology on this particular piece of overblown French farce.

SG gave me a number of opportunities and experiences in the Kings Head from that point onwards.  The majority, bar one, at lunchtime and the majority, bar none, sparsely attended.  All of those 'Stage Manager, Kings Head Theatre' credits from that point onwards certainly helped my CV.  It got me a couple of waste of time interviews further down the line.  The interviewers thought that I couldn't have gotten such experience without training and equity card ownership.  Just an acquaintance with a man who claimed to have broken out of a prison transit van with a piece of scaffolding secreted down his trousers was all I had and needed.  I didn't get those jobs.