Royal theatre (Theatre of Sentiment)
June 28th 2007
For the Radio broadcast of the Dutch program ‘Theatre
of Sentiment’ I just could get hold of two tickets. Because Anita lives in The
Hague, I would meet her at her home so her husband could bring us to the Royal
Theatre.
When we entered the Theatre we got a program in which
we could read that the Rubettes were going to perform several times that evening.
Good, because it would be divided over the evening.
We went back in time: that evening it was June 28th
1974. After the opening of the show the Rubettes had to start the musical
journey of 1974. I already had spotted some white shimmers behind the curtain so
I knew they were ready. When the curtain went up, Alan was supposed to sing some
very high notes because his microphone was going up as well and was hanging in
the air. There was a lot amusement and the curtain was going down again so the
microphone could be taken of the
curtain. Again the Rubettes were announced and they started with Sugar Baby
Love. The audience was very enthusiastic! The nice thing was that there were two
big screens on which videos of 1974 were shown. So everybody who appeared in the
show had photos or videos on show of how they were in 1974. During the songs of
the Rubettes we saw a video of them from 1974.
After their first performance they left the stage and
the show went on. The second time they had their appearance they played Tonight
and Jukebox jive. All in order of the hits they had in 1974. Of course I wanted
to make some pictures but there where some obstacles on stage like tables with
bottles of wine, a piano and a sofa. Therefore I decided to leave my seat and go
to the stage to shoot some nice pictures. There are a few steps behind the stage
on which I stood. So I could make my pictures, only Mark was behind the bottles
of wine, so it was impossible to take some of him as well. After these songs
they left the stage again and we were enjoying the performances of Focus, the
Belgian singer Ivan Heylen (who was number 1 on June 28th 1974) and
the Dutch singer Peter Koelewijn. All with videos from 1974.
Between that there were interviews with people who were
someone in that year.
Finally the Rubettes were put on stage again. They
started with I can do it. The audience reacted great and finally they played
You’re the reason why, which has been a big hit in the Netherlands. They left
the stage to be back for an encore: sugar Baby love. Now they played as we are
used to hear it; they asked the audience to sing along. Everybody was standing
up dancing and singing, very pleasant. The radio program had come to its end and
the hosts were telling the audience that it was over. But they didn’t want to
hear that. So the Rubettes, who were still backstage, were asked to come on
stage again and sing another song. They choose to sing Foo Dee Oh Dee. Now it
really was over. They were handed flowers and they left behind the side scene.
From behind a video screen I saw Gino waving at me. He asked me to come on stage
but I tried to tell him that I wasn’t alone. When I looked behind me, Anita
was already standing there. So together we went on stage were the program makers
were congratulating each other with the success of the program they had just
finished. We followed Gino between the cables and people to the dressing rooms.
We found Mark and Mick in their dressing room. They were pleasantly
surprised to see us. I thought Mick had seen me while he was playing because we
had had eye contact. Mick asked me if I was standing near the stage. I confirmed
that. He said: “I thought so, but I couldn’t see it was you.”
Both he and Mark explained that it was too dark to recognize anyone. Of
course we understood. We were chatting for a while. Mark told us that he is a
fan of Focus and their performance was a big surprise for him. He also wanted to
interview the Dutch football player Johnny Rep, but he had never showed up. It
seems that he was under the impression that he was expected the next day. After
a while Mick wanted to take a shower, so he asked us to leave the dressing room.
We continued our conversation with Mark on the corridor were we saw Alan. He was
looking for something although I still have now idea what he was looking for. He
disappeared in his dressing room. John appeared from the same dressing room and
saw us talking to Mark and Gino. He reacted very enthusiastic and went back into
his dressing room in order to come out a few seconds later with two bunches of
flowers. “For you” he said and he gave Anita and me a bunch each. A few
minutes later he game out of his dressing room with all his packing and was
ready to leave. He told us that he wanted to leave for the hotel because he had
to go back to England early in the morning before the others. Now he had to find
the lady that picked them up from the airport so she could bring him to the
hotel. Anita suggested that we gave him a lift. Her husband was waiting for us
outside so he could drop John at the hotel. John agreed. We hadn’t spoken to
Alan but at least I wanted to say goodbye to him. After that we said goodbye to
Mark and between the opening of the door we waved goodbye to Mick. John walked
along with us as we were looking for the lady who had to bring the guys to their
hotel. John told her that we had offered to give him a lift of which she was
very pleased, because her car was parked far from the theatre. She told us which
hotel we had to drop John and said goodbye to him. We walked to the car were my
brother in law was waiting for us. When we were in the car we had the
opportunity to talk to John. He told me he had to get up very early because he
had to go back to England and on the same day he had to travel to France, so he
had long journey the next day. He also told me that he was happy he had found
someone to give the flowers to. He said that it’s a pity when they get flowers
because they always have to travel back the next day. “And then I saw you two”
he said. When I told him that we always appear at the right time he had to laugh
and agree. At the hotel we said goodbye.
Because it was still early that night I went back with
Anita to her place to have a drink. After that I went home.
It was nice to see and talk to the guys again. I am
looking forward to see them next time!
Lucienne