I’ve just tweeted how sad I am to have come to the end of the rehearsal process. Our third play, Miss Julie, previewed last night and today we go into one last rehearsal before press night tonight.
The truth is, I love the rehearsal process more than performing. It’s in the rehearsal room where discoveries from the text are made and interpretations committed to. They are the most important moments of any play and are decided days or weeks before the actors are on stage. Those moments can be incredibly exciting! They are the moments you agonise over, the daring choices that you make to give a character, an interaction or a design the specificity that defines them. You close doors on a myriad of possibilities to explore the depth of one.
In our rehearsals there have been many such moments. How to stage the shipwreck in Twelfth Night? How to use projections in Mary Stuart? How to bring to life the sensuality of the deeply evokative stage directions in Emily Juniper’s adaptation of Miss Julie? to name a few. I remember fondly the discussions where each idea was first given air, first took hold and ultimately brought definition to a production.
It is credit to the ethos of Faction Theatre that every voice has equal weight. I can’t remember a time when a suggested idea wasn’t given time and trial. But every team needs someone who’s job it is to give the last word. Not always a popular position to be in but our director has done it time and again with vision and clarity.
Each production is different. Each has its own theatrical language, its own feel and esthetic. Our ensemble effort to bring three new worlds to life has been achieved in a creative process that began for me back in December – when press night for Miss Julie felt an age away – and I am happy to say, I’m very sorry it’s come to an end.
REP SEASON 2012 – Rehearsal Day 13 – THOMAS WHITELAW (Composer)
If music be the food of love
Achieving Excellence
Excellence is what we are aiming for. No actor wants to be a part of a production that aims for anything less. This is my first time working with The Faction and already I’ve found their ambition to be infectious.
The nerves I had on Sunday night vanished within the first thirty seconds of Monday morning’s rehearsals – the rest of the cast are lovely, dedicated and possibly addicted to caffeine! We sat around in a civilised fashion, collectively commenting on Mary Stuart, offering thoughts, ideas and fresh discoveries from the text. By Tuesday, all civility had left the rehearsals and a fusion of burlesque and military themes were being drawn together by sexy dogs (you’ll see what I mean if it stays in the show)!
Wednesday ended with a complete run of the first two acts of Mary Stuart including a courtly display that’s not yet fit for a queen. Even at this early stage, unfamiliar lines begin to evolve as we learn about these characters.
Thursday and Friday brought a change of scene, as we began work on a completely different play, turning our attention to Twelfth Night. This drastic gear change hinted at some of the invigorating challenges a repertory season will bring.
And so week one of rehearsals is done. This collaborative process, the ensemble ethic and the infectious zeal have made it an exciting week. Now on to week two- Excellence is the goal, and I’m pretty sure we’re well on our way there.
At My Fingers’ Ends
So, it’s the evening before the first morning of rehearsals. I’ve made my packed lunch, prepared healthy snacks and am just taking some time out from going over Mary Stuart in order to write this. I’m slightly nervous, but the good kind of nerves where you’re psyching yourself up for what is to come. I’ve read Mary Stuart quite a few times now, I’m itching to get ‘Hannah’ up on her feet and I can’t wait to get into the swing of rehearsals.
Last weekend we began reading through Mary Stuart and Twelfth Night and one of the first things that Mark asked was: ‘What is the thing that you are most excited about?’ And much to the amusement of everybody in the room, I replied ‘Going to the pub with everybody and getting to know them.’ But I didn’t mean this for the sheer social delight of getting sloshed with one’s fellow actors, I meant for the experience of becoming such a tight and supportive ensemble. We are going to be experiencing an intense two and a half months; we will eat, sleep and breathe Shakespeare, Schiller and Strindberg. There is so little time to prepare that the intensity of the situation means that we are going to have to trust each other implicitly and be there for each other when times are tough, rehearsals are long and we’re all beyond the point of what is ’acceptably sweaty!’
Well, the read through begins and we only get through Act One of each play,because there is so much to say, the language is rich, the possibilities endless and already the banter has begun! The room is filled with excitable actors, each fighting for air space to share their opinion or idea. Mark as a director creates such an open atmosphere in the room, that already I feel at ease to say whatever comes into my head. I love the collaborative ethos that theFaction represents; taking these classic plays and setting them where ever we want and creating a completely new world, regardless of how its been seen or done before, using only each other, out of things that we discover in the moment. This, for me, is what I am most excited about. As an actor it is easy to feel like a pawn in somebody’s game of chess, but this game belongs to all of us and I can’t wait to play!
Right, I’m going to go, want to get an early night and feel fresh and ready for the first week of rehearsals. Sleep and diet is a huge priority as I prepare mentally and physically for the challenge ahead: ‘Greens, Nuts, Soya, you’re in! Sadly, Wine, my good friend, you and I won’t be able to hang out for a while (except for Press Night…….and my birthday!)’
Ta-ta for now,
ARABIAN NIGHTS – Production Day 8 – ANDREW MCDONALD
These People Sit for Hours
“Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Royale Theatre. Before the play begins, could you please take a moment to switch off all mobile phones and pagers; and perhaps this is a good moment to unwrap those pesky little candies!” This is the exact pre-show announcement delivered in a jaunty American voice before a matinee of Arthur Miller’s ‘The Price’ at the Royale Theatre in New York on my one and only visit to the States. It came back to me as we were sitting on stage the other day and the audience started to assemble for our show. Someone unwrapped, very loudly, what sounded like the biggest sandwich in the world. “Glad he’s done that before we start!” I thought, because unwrapping and sorting out your lunch can be a delicate business in a fairly intimate space like ours. As anyone who has tried will testify, those “pesky little candies” or, indeed, well wrapped sandwiches make a heck of a row when you’re trying to be discreet. But you’d be surprised, during a performance of a previous Lunchbox show a punter ate the loudest bag of crisps in the world all through my narration of the Miller’s Tale. No number of dirty looks from me in their general direction seemed to alert them to the fact that it would be hard to make more noise if they tried.
But in general, our audiences are a bunch of people (some regulars of all three Lunchbox shows we’ve done so far) who respond to the invitation to bring their lunch to eat while watching the show, but have the good manners and sense to bring a ‘soft’ lunch, i.e. one well cushioned by mayonnaise or in a liquid form. (I was thinking of soup, but speaking of which I have observed that some of our Friday audiences in the past have been noticeably more demonstrative in their appreciation of the show – a couple of loosening pints before we start, to celebrate the onset of the weekend perhaps?) Whatever the reason, we welcome it with open arms! It can be a lonely place, the stage, when an audience is listening intently and we don’t know if they’re actually enjoying what we’re doing. Thankfully the Lunchbox shows attract a great deal of appreciation from their audiences and we love them for giving us so much back! By the way, full marks to the gentleman this afternoon who, with his female companion, chuckled appreciatively throughout and then accompanied our curtain call with a loud BRAVO! Whoever you are, sir, I guarantee you a couple of comps to any further ‘Arabian Nights’ performances you wish to attend!
We sincerely hope to be back at the Bridewell soon with another show and hope to build upon our regular audience. I can’t think of a better ‘review’ of what we’ve been offering than the woman overheard leaving one of our Lunchbox shows with the phrase “Well, after the crap morning I’ve had, that’s (the show) exactly what I needed!”
Please come and join us in our final fortnight. The stories may be familiar but I suggest the manner of their telling is not.
And remember – NO CRISPS!
Hope to see you there soon.
ARABIAN NIGHTS – Production Day 5 – KATHRYN BEAUMONT
Leaving the Audience in Suspense
A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM – Production Day 27 – RACHEL VALENTINE-SMITH (ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR)
Masters, Spread Yourselves
Eight Actors, Eight Pairs of Pyjamas – what could be so hard?
We are coming to the end of week five and venue number three – the idyllic Brockwell Park. Idyllic, that is, until it rains. And last Friday – oh boy – did it RAIN. The cast looked liked they had done a days army training as opposed to a Shakespeare performance. That being said, it was really rather hilarious and the show was great (as were the audience who braved it out with us, umbrellas in hand). Having said that, as the rain got harder and the mud on the pjs got thicker and thicker, as funny as the show was, I just had a siren in my head repeating “laundry!laundry!laundry!”…
Beyond the laundry, the occupational hazards of performing in a park have resulted in four toe injuries and two colds, and lots of dirty feet, but that’s all part of the fun. The cast are wonderful and, as the previous anecdote attests, stalwart professionals which makes my job a lot easier. However, I do have to keep an eye out and as we have got to know each other more and more over the past few months individual needs become apparent – who needs to be left alone, who needs the odd hug and who needs to vent. So I am a shoulder to cry on or a sounding board if necessary.
Along with the rain and the thunderstorms we have also been blessed with some glorious summer sun and the park is a great vista for a London sunset – last night was very beautiful which will have hopefully been captured by the Channel4 film crew we had in last night. That’s right, C4 Documentaries came in to film the show for the documentary “Life of Rhyme”.
Bath Theatre Royal is calling and, as we get ready to say goodbye to the park, I just have to make sure the company arrive in time for the train on Monday…which sounds simple but I have noticed that actors+transport+being on time is sometimes an interesting equation, but I love them all the same…
ARABIAN NIGHTS – Production Day 1 – JOSH TAYLOR
Open Sesame
I weave and wind, risk limb and life and put others and myself in a great deal of danger; I haven’t even made it to the theatre. I am on my bike cycling furiously to our first show. A mixture of fear, adrenaline and excitement swirls in the bottom of my stomach. Maybe it’s the bus drivers trying to seek revenge or maybe its because after a long week of rehearsals we have arrived at our first show. I think the four other actors are feeling in the same way. Line cramming and polishing of scenes are happening all around and suddenly out of nowhere 1pm arrives. As I lie on the theatre floor in my hi-vis jacket and builder’s hat, thoughts circulate; will we remember everything? Will the audience like it? Will they laugh? Suddenly before any more apprehension can set in we have begun. The show went swimmingly and the audience were really captivated and laughed throughout. There were a few minor hiccups but nothing that will not be smoothed out once we are all settled into the run. From where we came from a week ago it is a miracle how far we have come. I would be lying if I was not a little anxious about condensing 1001 nights into a 45 minute slot but we have a really well-rounded show. From the audience feedback I think they really get the multi-layered stories and enjoyed the different ways we use all the props to create animals and places . All we need now is big audience. So come on down!!
As One Shall See in a Summer’s Day
After three great weeks at the Brockley Jack, I was slightly apprehensive about moving the production to Brockwell Park. I was worried that some of the magic of the fairy world would be lost in the daylight, without the lighting and atmosphere we’d enjoyed in our cosy black box at The Jack. Also, the weather forecast wasn’t great…
We had a damp park rehearsal before the transfer, with puddles aplenty for me to sleep in. Everyone else looked fairly dry and normal afterwards, except for me, who (with no change of clothes) looked as though I’d been having a jolly good time rolling around in a muddy paddock.
We opened on Midsummer’s Night, a gala evening at Brockwell Park, with a full house and hampers all round. Keith was on hand to take some great photos, and it was a magical evening, with a very supportive and appreciative audience.
We managed to avoid heavy rainfall for a few days. Until Friday 24th June, that is… After a gloriously sunny day, the heavens opened, and we had what can only be described as an utterly hilarious performance – the audience put up their brollies and stayed with us, while the cast relished acting in the adverse conditions. It certainly lent an added resonance to lines such as ‘bedabbled with the dew’ and ‘decking with liquid pearl the bladed grass’. I loved the Oberon/Titania confrontation scene, where it seemed as though we were controlling the elements, and that it was our argument that had brought on this torrent.
As the play went on, everyone got absolutely soaked and covered in mud, but there was an incredible energy onstage, and the performance felt vital and electric. It was definitely my favourite show so far.
We’ve just spent a lovely weekend in the park running workshops and open days for kids, alongside matinees and evening shows. The cast’s newly acquired henna tattoos and sunburn were on display on Sunday night, and despite the coma-inducing heat, audiences and actors enjoyed themselves throughout.
Performing open air is very different and it took a little while for me to adjust to, but the park’s beauty has won me over and I now think it’s the perfect setting for ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’. We have had to contend with many distractions (gale force winds, police helicopters, ducks onstage, nearby raves, annoying counting kids, to name a few), but it’s enlivening and exciting to know that anything could happen, and probably will.
Here’s to another wonderful week in beautiful Brockwell Park, my new favourite place in London.
ARABIAN NIGHTS – Rehearsal Day 3 – JERYL BURGESS
Turning Grubs into Butterflies
End of Day 3 of rehearsals for Arabian Nights, so almost halfway there …
We arrived in the rehearsal room on Monday, with three of the five having worked with theFaction before, and one having done a lunchbox show – ‘it’s great fun, a good time for cast and audience alike, and a bit of silliness in the middle of the day for people hard at work in offices around the Bridewell Theatre’.
During our ‘relaxed first morning’, Mark talks of ‘organised silly’ and ‘legalised insanity’. The key things are to tell the story – words like joy, fast and furious and silly (again!) abound. We work on a hard copy first draft, and then read around the laptop as the script is modified through work-shopping and editing through the day – getting 114000 words down to about 7000 is a challenge that would completely faze me …
Day 2 begins for me when I see a poster for Turkish Airlines in the tube at St Paul’s on my way to rehearsal – ‘Freedom, Joy and Exhilaration’ it reads. How very appropriate as the team improvises ships, big birds, snakes, monsters … all with a great feeling of warmth and positivity in the space. ‘Yes, there’s lots of raw material there to tweak and finesse’. As we go on, the importance of specificity and of the ‘conventions’ we will adopt becomes clearer.
A revised script for Day 3, and after some read throughs we begin to work off book (how is this possible?), developing some slick, ‘fast and furious’ scenes. So at the end of Day 3, if not yet butterflies, the actors and the production are beginning to come out of the chrysalis and with a bit more warmth on our wings we’ll soon be flying!
