Memoir
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Have you ever wondered what really goes on behind the scenes of your favourite shows?
Beginners to the Stage, Please traces Stewart Arnott’s progress from tearing tickets in his teens to becoming the stage manager for The Phantom of the Opera in the West End of London. Along the way, he explains various aspects of how the industry works, delves into the psychology of performers and audiences, and provides detailed descriptions of how shows are put together and run.
The theatre is a world Stewart knows very well, having worked extensively in the West End over four decades: front-of-house, stage-door-keeping, crewing, set-operating and, most importantly, stage managing. This gives him an in-depth knowledge of individual shows, a global overview of the industry, and a breadth of experience that offers a perspective few others will have had.
Peppered with personal anecdotes and a fair amount of (unabashed!) name-dropping, this story offers an insight into the nitty-gritty of daily life behind the scenes on some of the West End's most successful and well-known shows.
So come with Stewart as he takes you through the stage door and into the rarely seen backstage world of London’s magical West End.
For every copy bought directly from the Troubador Publishing bookshop, a donation of £1.00 will be made to the theatre charity Acting For Others. Please see Stewart's author profile for more information.
Here's what readers have to say about this book....
Like looking through the magical curtains of the theatre, Stewart’s book is almost encyclopaedic in its generous delivery of knowledge, stories, anecdotes, and the humility of a career that spans well over four decades. Reading every page, I get the sense that the awestruck teenager never left the man he became. To have a career that fulfils your dreams, hopes, ambitions, and so much more is truly a celebration, and that comes through constantly. I described the early pages of this book as invitational, almost as if you are given a free ticket to step into his world, a world he describes with thoughtfulness and real consideration for the reader. Yes, there are technical passages, but everything is explained clearly and never in a patronising way, which would have been easy to do for someone so technically gifted. The gossip is there too, and it carries that wonderful sense of “I’m going to tell you this, but don’t tell anyone else,” which keeps you hooked from page to page. Above all else it is Stewart’s humility that makes this book so special. Rarely do you find pages that carry such a constant nod to those who went before him and gave him so much. Want a career in the theatre? Read this. Love the theatre? Read this. Want to understand those mysterious jobs that appear in every programme? Read this. Need to know what it takes to survive in this industry? Read this. And finally, if you just want a true life story that will lift your spirits and make you feel better about the world, read this. Deserving of its five stars, this book should sit proudly on many bookshelves, a fine invitation to the theatre.
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