Is it an insult to be called a "ham"?

I will take full responsibility for the postings as they are mine. I honestly did not intend offense in the comments. I did in fact mean to highlight the fact that the show did not hold back in its presentation of stereotypical characters and scenarios. The script itself called for this and as such the show was a wonderful pantomimic romp! I did love it and after some discussions with certain cast members, felt I was quite ‘safe’ in stating this fact. Obviously I was mistaken. :-(

I will humbly accept any insults that you or other cast members wish to throw my way and restate that I did not mean to offend. I acknowledge that the technical definition may be one of a negative nature yet I am familiar with a more light-hearted and complimentary interpretation of the term. I myself have been referred to as an “aging ham” and while the comment was given as negative feedback (by a questionable source) I personally believe that “Ham-acting” need not be a negative thing. There are occasions that call for Ham Acting and I see a vast difference between a ham actor and an actor being hammy.

I loved the show, indeed I did. I spoke personally to all the cast expressing this opinion. The review was supposed to be a light-hearted review of a wonderful show. If it continues to cause offense, I shall ask for its removal from this site and make a retraction where appropriate.

Absit invidia (and DFT :nono:)

Jeff Watkins

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I was in "Tombstones" - it was pure Ham, BUT with a lot of thought, effort and meticulous rehearsal from some wonderful people ... and me. Sure, the term ‘Ham’  could be offensive in some circumstances - perhaps being labelled a "ham actor," in "The Merchant of Venice," or "Travelling North" etc, but in a mad farce such as "Tip Toe Through The Tombstones" it was pure ham, the more the merrier! 

I attempted to channel Terry Thomas for my role and used one prop (a monocle) outrageously, worse every night. I recall laughing like a drain with Jeff about it all after the show, vamping up the ham factor. Speaking of vamps, we had a few of those, thank Heavens!

I must admit that I'd been a little worried that some of my "serious theatre" friends wouldn't like it, however one of them told me that she still cherished memories of "Last Tango in Little Grimley" (in which I had a role at Stirling a few years back) and she loved "Tombstones." I was also concerned about the new lady in my life, who's German and a theatre buff. She loved it so much, she urged her daughter to attend. She did and consequently vowed she was smitten with community theatres (she'd seen "The Sum of Us" at the Old Mill last year, thought it was superb and now she'd seen community theatre "do comedy," declared she had no idea how vibrant, good and alive theatre was in Perth. She wants to get involved.

As for your review Jeff, you innocently and in the spirit if fun, did hurt a lovely person, which was very awkward for all of us.  It’s interesting, in that we all want to be told we played a character convincingly, but often we don’t want to be told we are that character, despite the fact that we all pull on our own experiences to flesh out a role. May I suggest that you don’t change anything on the website, but give me a call and I’ll let you know and I’m sure you’ll call the person concerned. 

As for you Gabe!!  … Maate! White suit and carnation! Thank God for the bloody oil stains on me jeans mate (yeah, the bloody Harley leaks), not to mention that words that Grim bastard puts in our mouths!

Greg Ross

Minister for Good Times

Yes, I have removed the original review I posted. Yes, it was a personal decision based partly on the general feedback I have had regarding it. Its removal however was more driven by the fact that I have inadvertently highlighted aspects of an individual without being fully aware of certain details about said individual. As such, I drew attention to something that if I had known better I would have not raised comment on at all.

The knowledge of this has left me feeling a little ashamed of what I have written. I have already apologised for causing distress and extend this to incorporate that unfortunate aspect. For what it is worth, I plead ignorance.

I thank Pfft for their understanding and for giving me the chance to explain myself, and I thank everyone else for their support, saying but this - everyone is entitled to express their legitimate displeasure to another's commentary and should not automatically entitle them to a title of "Thin Skinned". Equally, complaints such as this are better expressed in such a way as to allow a dialogue to open, as this issue was ultimately raised.

I am trying to encourage my 7 year old daughter to express herself and not to bottle things up. I would be a hypocrypt in the extreme if I did not aknowledge this outside the family circle.

We are all capable of mistakes and I believe I have made one with this review. Equally, a mistake was made in the interpretation of my review as is all to easy to do. What makes the difference is the freedom to resolve those mistakes or to establish clarity.

Absit invidia (and DFT :nono:)

Jeff Watkins

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