Part 2 of a two-part post: something in the Hampshire air (O-M-G4)
So, The Mennyms. Auditions this week.

I only went and did one. I was hoping to glean information on how these worked, and also on the musical itself and its writing.

Lyndsay was on the audition panel, as expected, though apparently not making any decisions - she was there in an observer role, and presumably had briefed the two who were there on the demands of each part.

Said audition panel members were Joey - former Theatre Group President, WEAKEST LINK winner and my hall corridor warden while I was in the noisy part of the hall - and someone else I can't recall. At the piano keyboard, Nick, a music student.

The audition procedure was known to include one freely-chosen song and one preset short monologue from a script (the book of this particular musical, as it transpired). The procedure for each auditionee was thus:
* Fill in slip of paper. Headings: Name; Email; Phone number; Vocal range (if known). I quoted mine as 'F2-E4, Bb4 in falsetto', complete with a visual illustration for those unfamiliar with the letter-number system. Which won't include Lyndsay, for it's used in the university's composition software...
* Pick a sheet with the script for reading. One page, two (for men) or three (for women) monologues to choose from.
* Take these, and the book with your chosen song on it, to the audition room.
* Let the audition begin.

A variety of song books were available for one's perusal and selection, although auditionees were encouraged to bring their own if they possessed them. (I did go looking for one beforehand, but decided not to purchase one. Though note-to-self: Wicked score, £10.95. Heck, I would have purchased it in order to use A Sentimental Man as my short audition piece, but it was cut altogether from the vocal/piano score, as were savage elements of other songs in order that they worked on their own. Most notably, Elphaba's solo verses in Thank Goodness have been left to work as their own song, I Couldn't Be Happier. An improvement, in my opinion, albeit one that leaves the song most likely to make me cry ever.)

As I think I've said before, I believe all books of vocal music should list the range of each piece somewhere clearly visible; three or four such books were present here, all by the same publisher, and all aimed towards audition use. Apart from two books of Queen music (and if that's not suggesting 'we're looking for people to show off their ranges' then what the hell is? They could at least have put some ABBA there, so nobody got the hint...) the rest were musical scores, apart from one big book of Disney songs. The ones I recall being there: Aspects Of Love, Fame (well, it would be, it's the group's main production this year), Les Mis, Copacabana (I wish I was joking), West Side Story. No Phantom ior Joseph, which is a shock; no Wicked, which is a loss; and no Rent, which is neither. The panel, speaking before the auditions got under way, appeared to be nervous that the same songs would be performed many times.

Back to said books with useful information inside them. One in particular. '38 audition pieces for women', apparently. I've long since learned what this really means, and sure enough: of those 38 pieces, one went higher than E5 - and that to F5 - whereas several went lower than G3, one to Eb3 (As Long As He Needs Me, if memory serves). The reverse trend for male voices was not unnoticed by one self-proclaimed bass present here, who eventually dug into the Disney book and plumped for Bare Necessities. Good call.

Most of these 38 were from musical theatre, a significant minority were not, and one was It's Oh So Quiet. To the probable delight of daweaver, it was this that I chose to sing.

So, procedure followed. I think I was the second to audition. I could see from the slip left (as I placed mine) that the first to audition had also visually represented his range. I was almost annoyed I wasn't original... I did, however, know many people would simply quote a fach.

Oh, but that's not the end of it. The audition started with a range check. Well, actually that's not quite true. They only checked my highest note. Strange.

Here's the stranger bit.

*drags this out in Idennidyesque fashion*

It is not... D4.

...

...it is NOT... Eb4.

...

...it is NOT F4.

...

...it is NOT...

...

...F#4.

...

...it is NOT...

...

...E4.

Apparently I really did go up to G4. Calling at the four previous notes in a C major scale from C4. (A 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 scale was repeated in various keys. I made a point of not looking at the piano. Apparently it worked.) I'm attributing this to more comfortably going across my break; it wasn't me but the panel who stopped me, or rather flagged me to say where I was and asking if I wanted to carry on. I had a go, Joey reminded me to focus on breathing, and now, finally, the break was evident.

This might be a sign that I analyse to such an extent that expectations become fixed, even when I'm consciously trying to defy them. Is that, perhaps, something to be generalised beyond the production of high notes, and into altogether different pursuits?

Anyway, It's Oh So Quiet went at least tolerably well, we only went as far as the first chorus; the reading, not my best suit, but didn't blow it.

I had a real sense of being the underdog in this, not least because the society is notoriously cliquey (though through my choir, I have almost broken into that clique indirectly). I don't expect to get in, but getting as far as the callback stage would feel like a real achievement.

Perhaps akin to a certain Division VII (S) side earning a replay... and while more singers were auditioned, that replay was playing out in astounding fashion...