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Beginners to the Stage, Please by Stewart Arnott
£14.99
Available
Product Ref. (e.g. ISBN, SKU)
9781836283836
Published:
28 Aug 2025
Format:
Paperback
Number of pages:
384 pages
Dimensions:
216x138mm
Weight:
0.000kgs
Author:
A theatre memoir that reveals what really goes on behind the scenes of the big West End shows. It offers an insider's view of what it is like to work with famous names at close quarters, and describes in detail how the showbusiness industry works and how shows are put together.
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, 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.
About the Author: Stewart Arnott has worked extensively in the West End, specialising in large-scale, technical musicals. He was the stage manager for the original London production of The Phantom of the Opera for the last 20 years of its run. Stewart has also worked on David Essex's Mutiny!, Metropolis, the original Miss Saigon, Mike Batt's The Hunting of the Snark and Crazy For You.
| Number of pages | 384 |
|---|
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