Most Embarrassing Moment
My most embarrassing moment was when I ended up naked on stage – this has happened twice.
The first time was when I was eleven years old and in my last year of primary school. Our school was putting on an end-of-year production of Aladdin. I was playing the villain Abanazar. There was a scene in which Abanazar is holding the lamp. I can’t remember exactly but either Wishie Washie or Widow Twankey insists on washing Abanazar’s clothes and yanks down my trousers revealing a pair of white boxer shorts with large red hearts. I have to drop the lamp in order to pull up my trousers and Aladdin gets the lamp.
Unfortunately for me on the night of the show both the trousers and boxers came down. It was absolutely mortifying. Even more mortifying when I later realised how many video cameras were recording.
The second time was about seven years later. I was seventeen and in my last year of high school. My school was putting on Grease. I was playing Roger, the class clown who enjoys ‘mooning’ people. For those of you not familiar with the stage musical Roger sings ‘Mooning’ with Jan. The song is about Roger’s talent of exposing his backside. At the end of the number I turn around and quickly moon the audience. This was mildly embarrassing but not too much as I was prepared for it, as it was part of the role.
There is a later scene where the boys have been challenged to rumble by Cha-Cha’s friends. We meet up and in the other boys joke that I could moon them. They tackle me to the ground and pull down my jeans. I rush offstage after the boys pulling my jeans up as I go. The audience laughs. Well that’s how it is meant to go.
Everything went perfect on opening night but on the second night there was a real sense of déjà vu when my boxers came down as well as the jeans. I quickly pulled the boxers back up and carried on with a bright red face. This incident was far more embarrassing than the previous. What seventeen year old wants to go full-frontal in front of a crowded room? I am thankful that due to copyright laws that photography was not permitted.
After the show a teacher complimented me on being a true professional for carrying on with the show. That conversation was nearly as embarrassing. I made sure for the next two performances that I wore boxer briefs under the boxers incase it happened again. Sure enough on the final night the boxers sort of slid down with my jeans but thankfully no one got a view like before. Of course this was the talk of the school and I never heard the end of it.