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"Tickovers" are sets of movements specific to each character. The movements express an element of the character and ensure the characters are never still onstage. The term is borrowed from technical engine terminology, where a machine is left running idle. Tickovers also result in the unique and distinctive poses for some characters.

In the show, we do what are known as "tickovers" where the engine ticks over. People say that we're always moving on the stage, even when we're not on the move so to speak, but that's us doing the engine ticking over and the "tickover" is specific to each character so we work on that. There's certainly a lot of attention to detail put into all this. - Mykal Rand, Resident Director, UK Tour[1]

The Tickovers are often caught as typical poses in photographs, but they are rarely held stationary onstage.


Engines[]

Rusty[]

Rusty often pumps his arms back and fourth in a circular motion to mimic the movement of a train axle, circling the wheels as they move. When stationary he holds his arms bent at his sides in fists, occasionally circling as to not stay idle.

Greaseball[]

Greaseball does various flexing motions when attention is drawn to him. When idle he often is seen either miming combing back his hair or doing 'badboy' poses with hands on his thighs and cocked hips.

Electra[]

Electra moves very fluidly, a combination of static large moves and more flamboyant neutral poses. He usually has his arms up, which is also done to mimic pantographs of an electric engine, sometimes doing a wave-like motion with small jerks to mimic an electric current/shock. When not displaying flashy electric poses he does various stereotypical 'sexy and feminine' poses. He and his components share many tickover traits.

Poppa/Momma[]

Poppa's tickover is the same as Rusty; mimicking a steam engine's pistons with the arms.

Coaches[]

Pearl[]

Pearl is often seen preening, polishing her costume or straightening her skirt. She evokes an innocent air by regularly looking around exaggeratedly wide-eyed and fascinated by what she sees. Her signature pose (see picture) is often worked into her balletic choreography.

Dinah[]

Dinah's basic pose is unique to her (see picture). It's included in choreography, e.g. Nie Genug, U.N.C.O.U.P.L.E.D. How she moves around it, however, can be different depending on her actress. Sometimes she has one arm akimbo, the other one remaining in her basic pose. She is seen often dusting off her skirt or mixing up something in a bowl. Dinah always throws a kiss at the audience in the Megamix, after doing a curtsy.

Buffy[]

Buffy often mimes carrying a tray of drinks, taking orders, serving food or drinks. Sometimes she can be seen to polish the display cabinet on her bodice.

Ashley[]

Ashley commonly mimes smoking, lighting her cigarette, tapping ash into the ashtrays on her bodice, stamping out a cigarette butt.

Carrie[]

Carrie the Luggage Van tends to mime carrying and moving suitcases, as is typical for her role as a luggage van. Sometimes she can be seen inspecting the tags on each suitcase.

Belle (Bar Car)[]

Belle the Bar Car mimes holding a drink, often take them from her headpiece. She can be seen passing drinks to others from time to time, and occasionally mixes drinks as well.

Belle the Sleeping Car[]

Belle the Sleeping Car was often seen yawning and stretching, along with some glamorous poses.

Duvay the Sleeping Car[]

Duvay's tickovers include yawning and stretching; resting one hand on her head; and plumping her head-pillows.

Freight[]

Red Caboose[]

Caboose's default pose is an upright stance accompanied by his hands either in fists bent facing forwards, or one at his chest and one behind his back like a bellboy. He will break from this pose to bring his hand up into a salute or to fiddle with his fingers and gloves at his chest. Occasionally he'll roll his opposing legs backwards and forwards, remaining on the spot in idle animation.

He often jerks his head in an unnatural manner in order to appear creepy, jerking to the side quickly and then circling back to forward facing at a slow pace. Caboose never lets his arms rest neutrally, they are always above his belt giving him a more toy-like feeling, appropriate to his aesthetic.

In keeping with his new mercenary agenda and mobster aesthetic in the 2018 updates, his previous tickovers were replaced. He can be seen contemplating and scheming, rubbing his hands together, and rubbing his fingers together to signify money. His hat is also occasionally adjusted and pulled down.

Rockies[]

The Rockies spent a lot of time stretching, warming up, or practicing their boxing. They can be seen sparring with each other, or even the air in front of them. A lot of the times they can also be seen spinning or breakdancing. At least in the 2018 update, the Rockies can also be seen imitating other characters (such as Caboose's intro in Freight and Greaseball's dancing in Pumping Iron).

Hip Hoppers[]

The Hip Hoppers make stereotypical "cool" and "hip" gestures, as well as breakdancing.

Dustin[]

Dustin is a shy, anxious Hopper and is often making nervous faces. Sometimes he can be seen snacking on something he's stashed away in his pockets.

Flat-Top[]

Flat-Top takes off his brick and uses it as various things, treating it as a pet, using it as a handheld gaming device, but mostly as a phone. Calling, texting, or using it to take a selfie.

When not using his brick, he is usually getting bullied by the gang, or trying to get Greaseball's attention.

Components[]

Joule[]

Joule's a very sexy, fierce character. Her basic pose is basically touching the side of her chest wheels (see picture).

Like the other components, Joule moves abruptly. She tends to especially move her head rapidly, making her hair flare up into an “explosion” of sorts.

Volta[]

Volta is very elegant. Her basic pose varies (see pictures). Depending on the actress, the hand at her box is held either palm up or down. Another pose of hers is having both of her arms and hands stretched out and held slightly behind her. Sometimes this includes a slight bend forwards or her arms slightly bent (see picture).

In the past, Volta mimed fans with her hands. After her wig changed from broad fans to square ones, this pose seems to be gone.

In the 2018 revisions, Volta's gender changed, along with his tickovers. He now does things, like voguing, fixing his hair, or miming applying makeup.

Wrench[]

Wrench has her hands in fists almost all the time, such as in her basic poses (see pictures).

While using the same abrupt movements as the other Components, Wrench sometimes performs circles with her hands and arms when changing in between poses, always keeping it very controlled and precise. Most of her poses have her arms either bend 90° or stretched out straight.

Purse[]

Purse's basic pose (see picture) most often has both of his hands up or down, though occasionally he only raises one hand.

He moves unnaturally, often being one of the more robotic components. For example, instead of moving his whole arm, he only swivels his elbow to move his hand. However, he sometimes does elegant poses, emphasizing his more effeminate personality.

Krupp[]

As Krupp is Electra's armaments truck, he always carries guns. Since having a prop on hand would be rather difficult, the guns are mimed by using two fingers, such as in his basic pose (see picture). He has multiple typical hand movements, but most of them do contain his "guns" or instead showing aggression.

Krupp's movements are abrupt, strong moves in between poses and even for small things, such as moving his head. These are typical for all of Electra's Components, but especially important for Krupp, a rather harsh, aggressive character and bodyguard.

Another typical element is a lot of spins. This very much depends on the actor though, but Krupp has a short dance solo at the very beginning of AC/DC.

Killerwatt[]

Killerwatt can be seen holding a hand to his "earpiece", referencing the upkeep of his duties as Electra's security guard. His movements are mechanical, yet smooth. Some play him more rigid, with crossed arms either in front of his chest or arms straight down, wrists over one another. He is often the most robotic out of all the components. Killerwatt also intermittently "shuts down" and "reboots," where his head initially rests normally before going kinda slack. He then reverses the motion and is back up to his normal stance once more.

Nationals[]

Bobo/Coco[]

In some productions, the French engine, Bobo/Coco mimes drinking wine. and usually finds someone to flirt with. However, nowadays the French stereotype of smoking is invoked in the show, so Bobo/Coco often is using Ashley's tickover.

Espresso[]

Espresso the Italian engine is seen sometimes doing the stereotypical Italian hand gesture and sometimes kissing his hands, another stereotypical hand gesture.

Weltschaft/Ruhrgold[]

In the earlier productions, Ruhrgold the German engine (originally Weltschaft) has been seen screaming a fierce battle cry during his intro in Entry of the National Engines (possibly to resemble a crusader). he sometimes points up his index finger (as his personality is comparable to Albert Einstein).

Turnov[]

Turnov the Russian Engine pretends to take shots of vodka as well as dropping down into a Russian gopak dance move squatting and interchangeably kicking his legs forwards and back.

Hashamoto/Nintendo/Manga[]

The Japanese Engine often mimes throwing shurikens, doing karate kicks and hand chops, or bowing.

Prince of Wales/Brexit[]

During his intro, the British Engine skates in backwards and often has an embarrassed smile or surprised face. As the 2018 revisions gave the nationals more stage time, he can now be seen miming sipping a cup of tea, and acting otherwise bumbling and foolish.

References[]

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