Spicks and Speck-tacular

Yesterday, Nell and I were very excited to attend the dress rehearsal for the Spicks and Specks stage show.  For those who don't live here I should explain that Spicks and Specks is a much-loved and very funny music quiz show on national television, which, after 7 years, and to widespread dismay, is coming to an end.  However, the cast are about to go on tour around Australia with their farewell stage show, called, appropriately, Spicks and Speck-tacular - The Finale.

 
"After 277 episodes and more than 150 guests, Adam, Alan and Myf decided to call it a day and draw the curtain on seven years of Spicks and Specks on ABC-TV.

But before they go they’re going to hit the road with a brand new stage show based on Australia’s favourite music quiz show.

Don’t miss your chance to say goodbye when Spicks and Speck-tacular – The Finale stops at a town near you."



If you liked Spicks and Specks, you really, really should go see the farewell stage show.  It's a lot of fun, and just a bit poignant too; it made us realise how much we really didn't want to say good-bye to this show and these 3 people: host Adam Hills and Team Captains Alan Brough and Myf Warhurst.  It has been a weekly viewing highlight for our family ever since it started and has given us countless laughs and much pleasure.  And the stage show is going to be great.  We laughed til our cheeks hurt at the dress rehearsal.  Adam, Alan and Myf are  a very likeable trio on stage.  They work so well together and never stop cracking jokes, so that even when there were technical hitches the show was still hilarious.  I think the full show with all the lights and sound and effects is going to be fantastic.  You should go!

If that doesn't convince you to rush out and buy tickets, then here's an added inducement: you know the person who taught Alan Brough to tap-dance and who choreographed his tap routine in the stage show!  Yes! Yes you do!!  (Because it's me!!)   That is what I've been working so hard on for the last 5 weeks.  It has been pretty intense, because Alan had very little dance experience and we had to get him up to something that looks creditable on stage, and could be performed in front of thousands of people.  It was quite nerve-wracking for both of us.  But Alan said on his first lesson that he was absolutely determined to get it, and he was not joking about that.  He worked so hard! You probably wouldn't believe quite how hard we had to work to come up with just one minute's worth of tap-dancing.  When I saw it as part of the full show run-through it was over in a flash, and yet it has been such a massive part of the last month of my life.  Somehow it doesn't quite compute.



And in case you're wondering what Alan is like in person, he's lovely; as you'd expect if you've watched him on telly.  He's funny, self-deprecating, unfailingly polite, interested and interesting.  He was great to talk with.  I enjoyed and looked forward to our lessons.




The boys met him a couple of times too. They'd walk to the Tap Hall after school and play quietly in the back room while Alan and I had our lessons.  The first few times they said hello quite shyly, but they were pretty chuffed to meet him and gradually started to pop their heads out a bit more.  Cherub even favoured Alan with his Fagin impression one day. (We've been watching the movie Oliver! quite a bit lately.) They were very impressed about the whole knowing someone off the telly, and started demanding that they be allowed to stay up and watch the show - it screens at 8.30 which is past their bedtime - and of course, always wanted Alan's team to win.  My sister, who took these pictures for me, was also pretty star-struck and insisted that Alan sign her Melbourne Cup Press Pass.




I always feel very proud of my tap students when they get stuff right, and this is no different.  I can't wait for the show to come to Melbourne so I can see it properly with Fixit and the boys.