WORTH KNOWING ABOUT!

"So you want to tread the boards..." By Jennifer Reischel. JR Books Ltd. £16.99. ISBN: 1-906217-02-5 or 978-1-906217-02-0 Available from www.amazon.co.uk (where this review also appears). Acting is your passion, but how to make it your career? This author has been there, done that, (literally) borrowed the "I'm the star and you know it" T-Shirt, and now writes the book. Experienced enough to offer a balanced view, yet still close enough in age to recall her training days and empathise with teenage readers, Reischel covers just about everything the aspiring thespian may wish to know. The book mixes practical and personal advice, organised in handily bite-sized sections.General topics like choosing your school, finding funding, the cost of everything from clothing to lessons and living in London are dealt with before moving on to more individual needs. These include audition piece suggestions - play and musical - with tips on how to handle auditions themselves, how to find good tutors and even a little on important matters like tax and visa requirements for working abroad. Alternative careers both in and allied to the industry also get a mention, and a glossary of theatre terms should prove useful to those who don't know their 'stage right' from left. Most originally, the tricky subject of convincing loved ones that acting really is a suitable a job as any other is covered in depth - and should prove helpful to both auditionee and concerned family members. Perhaps the only omissions are the darker side of the business. Dealing with the stress of continuous unemployment, obsessive fans (even the least well known have awkward encounters at stage doors), and warning of issues surrounding unwise career choices early on ("I was young, I needed the money" has a nasty way of biting later) might have been useful. A mention of practical safety tips for travelling home late after a show or visiting unknown audition places might have gone down well in the London section too, but these are minor items in a book which covers practically everything else. Grounded and sensible advice which, as the writer stresses, isn't prescriptive but assistance 'from one professional to those who ask' is the strength of this publication. Lightened by accounts of her own attractively scatty experiences at auditions, Jennifer Reischel has penned a "must read" for anyone wanting act professionally, and a "must buy" for anyone seeking a gift for the stage-struck this season.

"THE LORD OF THE RINGS" AT THE THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS For performances until 17th July 2008 Buy a top price ticket and get a meal FREE! A top price £60 theatre ticket (from agency / offer allocation), plus a two-course meal at Chez Gerard Opera Terrace Restaurant, 45 East Terrace, London, WC2E 8RF. Cuisine is French. Cost is £60 per person. Meal is two courses selected from a pre-theatre menu. Drinks, extra dishes, any restaurant gratuity and other expenses are not included in this offer and are charged / added as taken. Available BEFORE Monday to Thursday Evening performances ONLY. Some peak seasonal dates are not available - the system will advise at time of booking. Subject to LIMITED ALLOCATION availability, change, withdrawal and box office discretion. Not available on tickets already booked, and not combinable with any other offer or discount. Terms and conditions apply - make sure you check all details before booking / dining. To book your seats and obtain the meal voucher / reservations details, click here

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via See Tickets 1. Oliver - Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Click Here to buy tickets through See or telephone 0870 830 0200 2. Spamalot - Palace Theatre Click here to buy tickets through See or telephone 0870 830 0200 3. The Lord of the Rings - Theatre Royal, Drury Lane Click here to buy tickets through See or telephone 0870 830 0200 4. The Vortex - Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue Click here to buy tickets through See or telephone 0870 830 0200 5. The Phantom of the Opera - Her Majesty's Theatre Click here to buy tickets through See or telephone 0870 830 0200 Tickets are sold at box office prices plus "non-counter sales" service charge.