My Show Saver by Anna Robb

In my mind, Lincoln Hudson is somewhere out there grumbling about the unfortunate timing of his death and commenting on all the unnecessary reactions (while being secretly flattered) from those who love him. Never one to let a bad situation get him down, he’s probably planning to stage Ronnie Braxton in heaven for the esteemed list of celebrities that left us in 2016. At least that’s what I’d like to think.

Lincoln was a true actor. Whether he was in a multi-million dollar show like The Beatles, LOVE or in a small studio space earning peanuts, he had to act. It was what he was born to do and he was good at it.

I was the show caller for many performances of The Beatles, LOVE in 2006 and 2007. Lincoln played the character of “Mr Piggy.” In these first two years, while we ironed out the kinks in the huge automation systems, there were many times where the show would come to a halt. The soundtrack being pre-recorded did not offer me much of the way of a rescue like you would use a live band to vamp through problems, so my saviour became Lincoln Hudson. Lincoln used to wear an in-ear audio monitor so I could speak to him. I would send him out on stage to improvise while we solved the issue at hand.

Time and time again, Lincoln would comfortably strut out in front of 2,000 people in his blow up fat suit and begin an off-the-cuff monologue for the audience.

He would ramble along about British politics or “Mrs Piggy” or his tea and toast that he had for breakfast, totally immersing himself at the task at hand. He made it look easy. It looked like a rehearsed speech. It wasn’t.

Even when I would talk to him in his in-ears giving him updates of how much longer he would be out there, he never broke stride, just gave a little nod of acknowledgement and continued to engage the audience.

“Ok Lincoln, wrap it up, we are good” I would say once the issue was resolved and Lincoln would within 30 seconds have wrapped up his speech and removed himself from the stage for us to begin the show again.

One could not ask for a better show saver than him.

There are people that you work with in this industry that make the hard days bearable. The ones that have a quick joke and give you a nudge and put a smile back on your face when you are feeling down. Lincoln was one of those people.

Lincoln, in one of your last emails to me you said “Stick at it and don’t quit”

I want you to know that I’m on it…. My friend, you will be greatly missed.

Tribute by Anna Robb

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