I watched as the crew applied the finishing touches, straightening lights and plugging in the TV behind Alan's minibar and almost found myself getting up to help them, but soon enough the warm-up was ready and I fell into the role of 'audience member' with ease. I tried to forget my interest in studio lights, talkback conversations and tidying sets and instead gathered with the studio audience to enjoy an evening of entertainment.
It's a little different from going to the theatre for sure. It's a little different from what you see onscreen too. I still have no idea how the editors manage to reduce the 4hr recording time, down to just 45mins! We first were introduced to comedian John Bishop, who kept the audience energetic and Alan on his toes. He identifies with audiences well, as he reveals his humble beginnings (his dad bought their first house for £50) and "mid-life crisis" that led him to comedy. Well thank goodness for that Mid-life crisis is all I'll say! The interview with John bishop was easy to watch and drink in. The kind of guy you'd love to chat to in a pub for a few hours!
We then moved to Heston Blumenthal, the chef that conquered nearby village, Bray. As interesting and knowledgable as he is, I felt that perhaps his food is a little more adventurous than his personality. He's a nice bloke don't get me wrong, and I found his endless knowledge about food and it's history interesting, but after an hour, and a long day, it proved a little too much for the majority of the audience. We were starting to hit a lull in our energy. Although thankfully, we got a little back when Alan was forced to eat an ear and some other odd Heston creations, presented in the style of Sweeney Todd's barbershop.
Our third and final guest was an odd one for me. I haven't ever really adored Lady Gaga as much as the rest of the public seem to. Perhaps I have slotted her into the same hole I put her diehard fans into, alongside Justin Bieber and One Direction. By this I mean - the fans terrify me! But actually, speaking to Lady Gaga (or more, watching Alan speak to her) I warmed to her a lot more. She is honest about her strangeness, open to be corrected and loves a little Alan Carr giggle. Her vocals weren't on bad form either, although I do find her lyrics a little repetitive. She isn't bad at singing, but I did feel her stray off key a few times. The faults weren't really anything to scream about though. Her fans from Paris in the audience however - creepy....as...hell! I was impressed at how she conducted herself and admitted that her ever-changing image and performance personalities are the one thing that keep her going. I also loved her Ipad costume! It really gave me respect for her as a person, beyond the facade of the term 'artist'.
Finally, we were brought together in a messy attempt to paint Alan Carr. With all three guests lining up at their easels and painting the nearly naked Alan Carr, after he was decorated by Lady Gaga herself. It was great to see the hilariously tipsy Alan Carr prance around the stage and squeal in surprise at the reveal of each portrait. An energy burst for us all at the end of a rather long studio stint.
All in all, I much prefer to be working on these shows rather than feeling rather powerless. I felt my energy lull with the arrival of a headache and some extremely long interviews which made clapping and cheering a little hard to bear at times. I had a good time, really! Just perhaps 4hours is a little long. I much prefer the 45min version on TV!
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