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I normally watch Casualty on 主播大秀 iPlayer, on a laptop, on my own, usually lying down and more often than not, in my pyjamas. Getting an invite to the screening of Casualty’s 30th anniversary special episode, Too Old for This Shift, set in place a different protocol, the first of which was making sure I had proper clothes on.

It’s my first visit to in Cardiff and as I walk down to the Wales Millenium Centre in the evening sun, through the building’s huge glass front I notice some of the Holby City Emergency Department regulars in their finery making their way through the Centre’s reception to the 主播大秀 Hoddinott Hall. I feel relieved I had brought a smart shirt with me, but still feel woefully underdressed compared to the glamour of the likes of Amanda Henderson (Robyn Miller), Crystal Yu (Lily Chao), George Rainsford (Ethan Hardy) Amanda Mealing (Connie Beauchamp) and Charles Venn (Jacob Masters) to name a few of the cast members in attendance.
On walking up the stairs to the hall it becomes obvious that this is a big deal in the Casualty team’s calendar. Everyone is excited to see the feature length (1 hour 37 minute) episode on the big screen, with a live score by , performed by the 主播大秀 National Orchestra of Wales who rehearse, record and perform regularly in .

Even ex-cast members want to see the performance. Lee Mead (Lofty) who left the series earlier this year has popped over for a look and hovers at the back of the auditorium hoping to watch as much as he can before dashing across to perform in the musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang which is also on at the Wales Millenium Centre.

Quite by accident, I line up behind the longest serving member of the Casualty cast, Derek Thompson (Charlie Fairhead) to enter the hall. I find myself quite star struck, crossed with the feeling that I already know Derek, having watched him on screen for so long, his face and mannerisms are so familiar that I feel I should be telling him my darkest fears in return for a piece of Charlie’s trademark, calming, worldly wise advice.

The anniversary episode hinges around a celebration for , and in turn marks a milestone for the actor who has played him for 30 years, making him one of the longest running continuous characters in a 主播大秀 drama, one year behind Adam Woodyatt (Ian Beale) in Eastenders.

From the moment the lights dim and we are given a recap of the previous episode, which who reacted to a (quite literal) cliff hanger that left Connie Beauchamp and her daughter’s life in jeopardy, the atmosphere is more like a cinema than my usual solitary viewing. The orchestra strike up the opening theme and immediately it’s goosebumps all round. The live score really bringing another dimension to the drama on screen.

Speaking to Andy Farquharson who is Operations and Logistics Manager of 主播大秀 National Orchestra of Wales, he tells me that although the orchestra are used to playing scores along to edited visuals (including this feature length episode) the live performance is a different experience to the usual day in the hall where they can ‘fast forward’ to the parts of the film that require music, play numerous takes to get the best performance and have microphones placed around the orchestra to balance the sound. The performance I witness in Hoddinott Hall is completely acoustic with each member of the orchestra wearing headphones playing a track of dialogue, cues and a click track to ensure every musician starts playing at the right point and rigidly to the timing of the visuals on the big screen.

The recorded score that viewers will hear at home when the episode is broadcast was muted in the hall’s speakers, and recreated by the live performance of the orchestra. The process took two days of rehearsal and playing through the whole episode a number of times to be confident that all would run smoothly on the night. The orchestra were taking a well-earned recovery day after the screening before returning to rehearsals for their upcoming performances at the .

Along with the live music, sharing the emotional rollercoaster of the Too Old For this Shift in a room full of people laughing, gasping and shielding their eyes from the gory bits made for a completely different and much richer experience than watching by myself. It also became apparent that this episode is very much a team effort, from script writers, to make up artists, to stunt co-ordinators, to director, to cast. As Derek Thompson mentioned in the after the screening “You’ve just been passed the ball by all these people who have conducted the match beautifully until then. I was terrified that I was going to be the one who dropped it – that was the only thing”. I can assure you that nobody dropped the ball from what I could see.

I’m sworn to secrecy about a lot of what is in the episode, but I can say that in the audience was Pam St Clement, most well-known to viewers as in Eastenders, who makes a special guest appearance in the episode. She’s not the only actor to have made the journey from Walford to Holby City Hospital. Here are a handful of others:

So, having seen it, I would encourage you to sit down with friends on Saturday 27th August to enjoy the very special episode of Casualty as it turns 30. Turn up the volume and have your popcorn at the ready. Pyjamas optional.

Jen Macro is Digital Content Producer, About the 主播大秀 website and blog.

•  is broadcast on Saturday 27 August on 主播大秀 One.
• Watch the released on 16 August.
• Read the Q&A with Director Oliver Kent, Series Producer Erika Hossington and cast members Derek Thompson(Charlie Fairhead), Amanda Mealing (Connie Beauchamp) and Cathy Shipton (Duffy) on the .
• Find out more about the .
• Watch the 主播大秀 National Orchestra of Wales perform at the .