Review!

You can't really get a true picture of the Chapel at Hazelwood, but this gives you an idea of the sort of location in which we performed A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Compact, bijou and even tiny were words used to describe the venue, but the most used descriptions nearly always contained the words atmospheric, gorgeous and magical. Take your pick.

The Chapel is not a theatre, nor does it pretend to be be; but it is a truly beautiful space in which to present a performance of any description.

Reviews are always gratefully received because we all want to learn from what the audience thought of a show and, let's face it, it's great to get a pat on the back from somebody who has spent time and money to come and see what you do! 

A view of the Chapel at Hazelwood House from the valley below.

In spite of studying Shakespeare as a student and being genuinely in awe of his greatness, I have to be honest and say that, for various reasons, his plays are not my favourites to go and see performed. However, on this occasion, along with a couple of friends, I braved the cold, dark, wintry Devon night and went along to the Inn Theatre Company's production at Hazelwood House. I was curious to see a 'magical play' being performed in what I already knew to be a 'magical' venue: the Old Chapel within the Hazelwood Estate.

The production was staged along the length of the Chapel, with the audience seated in a couple of rows in front. It seemed an odd choice of staging, which I hoped might some insight later on. 

The set itself was minimal but perfect: a timber bench, a forest floor, a throne and Titania's chaise longue. All presided over by the exquisite, painted, life-size timber angels which grace the walls of the building. I liked it. The atmosphere felt right. As I warmed to the production - Sally Feetenby as Helena grabbed my attention with a surprising edge of commedia grotesque to her simpering love-struck character (clinging ot her lover's ankles like a yapping, love-hungry terrier). I too started to feel excited (oh for good acting); my friend nudged me and whispered '...would have been much the same in Shakespeare's time.' 
Thanks to her comment, the whole play suddenly opened up and started to make sense. The high-ceilinged ancient chapel with its timber balustrade and beams; the ivy creeping through the roof light windows...all felt reminiscent of how things may have looked at The Globe all those years ago. Even down to Titania's love-nest festooned with moss and ivy. All it took was another example of great comic timing from Ms. Feetenby again and I was on-board. 
'Come on guys,' I wanted to yell. 'Get into it! Do your stuff and show us some magic!' It seemed that after a slow and uncertain start, the actors finally warmed up and the action took flight.

Though it seems unfair to point out certain actors - as this play truly is an ensemble piece if ever there was one - in terms of reviewing the success of the storytelling as well as audience engagement, some performances merit note.
The lovers Demetrius (Ben Hamilton) and Lysander (Rich Turley) found their lust for life, and their women, and brought more meaning and fun to the language. 
Lucy Nichols' Hermia was charming and lovely, showing a real understanding of the character's emotional narrative.
The delightful Ellie Brock as Puck - well, more please! She was quitew bewitching. I could have watched her hours...although her speedy rendition did put me off the scent on a couple of occasions.

Oberon and Titania (played by Gil Garland and Jill Brock respectively) the grand dames of the whole, were probably the most interesting characters in that they carry the explicit mythical/fantasy elements as well as embodying the psychology of real, human relationships. Both actors traversed both realms with ease and confidence. Jill played Titania with a full, sensual relish that only a mature woman could. Her writhing, snuggling slumber on her love-nest was occasionally more watchable than the action centre-stage.
I liked Gil's hints at feelings and motivations that are darker, more sinister, something which seems lacking in overall conception. I was left wanting more of these two clearly versatile actors.

The fairies of course - magical sprites that they are - didn't disappoint in their revelry and shenanigans. Young Ben Tonkin as Mustardseed was testimony to the adage 'never work with kids and animals', because, truly, all eyes were on his eyes every single time he came on stage. Sooo cute.

Last but by no means least, the 'play within a play' element was given due attention at the same time as providing both Max Brandt and Jane Windsor-Smith with the perfect vehicles for their skills. Max, playing the character of Bottom, was hilarious. He commanded the stage with a very precise, physical characterisation of the ass and, by implication, all things primal and naughty. Great humour. Great comedian. His performance was like a climbing frame around which the other actors could swing...which of course, Jane Windsor-Smith did beautifully as Snug. Her mimicking of Bottom's 'roooar' was choice. Over and over again she repeated it with the innocence of a child. The Company are fortunate to have such skilled players among them.

At the risk of sounding overly-critical, I'm wondering why more of this obvious talent isn't shared with other members? It wouldn't take much to raise everyone's bar.
The text of Shakespeare can be quite lumbersome and unless approached with a clear eye for storytelling and sense making can deaden any performance.

I didn't follow all of the story - does it matter? Probably not. This is a rendition of one of Shakespeare's most popular plays done in a fun and populist style, probably just as Shakespeare intended. For that it has my vote.
Having said that, I suspect that there's more laughs to be had, more depths to be plumbed, more darkness to be brought to light; all it would take is a little more dedication to the narrative and the plot's twists and turns.
At the end of the evening I asked myself 'Is this a show in progress?' 
Definitely. 
Would I go and watch the next instalment?
Absolutely
The Bike Shed, Exeter - a date for my diary

And breath.
I'm not in the business of arguing with someone else's views of a production - although the 'setting' of the play was a choice for breadth and space; I cannot imagine trying to perform it at one end of the Chapel! - and I have to say that, overall, I thought it a very positive review.
But I also have to say that I do not agree with some of the observations made.
(I can send you what I really think in a plain brown envelope and leave it behind the hot-water pipes at King's Cross Station...drop me a line!)
What about you?
Did you see the play? What were your thoughts? I can see that there a couple of points that we can learn from and develop the performances for the Bike Shed gig in January - and beyond - but overall, we done good!
Never lose sight of that.
Onwards and upwards.

Dream of a Dream.

I am, to coin a phrase, cock-a-hoop! And if anyone who was involved with the production at Hazelwood House isn't in the same mode...well, you should be!

I am so incredibly proud and privileged to be a part of this company; a company that pulls a production like this together in such a relatively short space of time and with the minimum of fuss and the maximum of great good humour! What an amazing bunch of people.

And here they all are (almost!), minus the usual camera-shy tech-types! But they shall be named!

Here are the 'Royals'. From left to right: Ben Hamilton - Demetrius; 

Sally Feetenby - Helena; Fred Radcliffe - Egeus; Rich Turley - Lysander;

Rob Willcock - Theseus; Lucy Nichols - Hermia; Shaunagh Radcliffe - Hippolyta.

For some strange reason Ernie Wingeatt (Philostrate) was hiding somewhere else when this picture was taken. But he was there...honest.

This 'ere's the rude Mechanicals - very rude in some cases! Left to right again.

Max Brandt - Bottom; James Osben - Peter Quince; Rheanne Derby - Starveling;

Lesley Scoble-Ash - Snout; Simon Fox - Flute; Jane Windsor-Smith - Snug.

The Royal House of Faerie.

Jill Brock - Titania; Ellie Brock - Puck; Gil Garland - Oberon.

  

The Faerie Hoard!

Moth - Shirley Tonkin; Mustardseed - Ben Tonkin; Peaseblossom - Talia Robens;

Nightdew - Sarah Robens; Cobweb - Freya Hoban.

And below are a couple of extra shots, included because they're fabulous pictures!

Ellie and Gil.

Ben - sporting the through-a-hedge-backwards look; de rigeur this season.

And the camera-shy Techies: Chris Brock and Chris Tonkin.

Special thanks are more than due to Jill and Chris Brock for all the magnificent work they put into creating the bower for Titania and Bottom 

to canoodle and kip on!

And so we move on to the next performance of The Dream, which is on 14th January at The Bike Shed Theatre in Exeter  (8.30 curtain; tickets on sale now!) which is all part of the 'From Devon With Love' Festival. Another completely different sort of space which presents a whole new catalogue of possibilities and problems to overcome.

Everyone is really buzzing from the last couple of nights: lots of positive comments, the energy from which has been bottled and will be distributed to all and sundry as we go forward to the next...and the next...and the next.

We have plans and I really, really, really hope that we can all be involved in whatever form they take in the future.
I say this without the least embarrassment and no small feeling of pride:
this is, without a doubt, the most talented and humble group of people with which to work and enjoy the experience of theatre and all that this entails. Quite simply, we rock!
And if you don't believe it, you'd better come to the next show and see for yourselves!

Two Days And Counting.

And counting the things yet to do and the audience figures (which are looking excellent!) and counting on the fact that it will all come together. Course it will!

After an (almost) fully-costumed run-through on Sunday last, to get the feel, the flow and the timing, everybody, I think, went away with a feeling of excitement and anticipation. It all went pretty darn well. There were obviously little bits 'n' bobs that needed trimming or buffing and our three stalwart actors who have either come late to the parts or taken on a different role to that which they had originally signed up for, have done a magnificent  job. 

Mr B. - bless him again - and his good lady have also been beavering away on the set and have come up trumps again. We now have a portable bower for Titania and her faerie folk and some beautiful, illuminated trees for the woodland area. We have a set.

 

Jill and Chris were on site yesterday (Monday) and this is the not-quite-finished bower that Chris has constructed and Jilly has decorated...all in situ and looking glorious. You can't even see the piano.

More to do on Thursday, with the Dress Rehearsal, so the whole is really coming together.

And - ta-daa! - just one of the trees that will be gracing the area, which will also be lit by lanterns and some 'house' lighting.

Very pastoral.

We got to hear the music that's been selected. Each of the character groups - the Royals, the Faeries and Oberon and the Mechanicals - have a different piece that, we hope, reflects the mood of whole thing.

We have a small, but not insurmountable, problem in that we've been unable to procure the services of a tech person to do the honours with the sound/light stuff (that's about as technical as I get, I'm afraid!) but, as a badge that was given me during King Lear said, 'If it's not opening night, it's too early to worry'. (Thanks Jon...)

So I shall take that to heart and plough on regardless!

In all honesty, I think we've found it a real challenge to get this production ready in such a different space. Not challenging in an unpleasant way though, it's been a lot of fun trying to adapt our 'usual' style to a much (much!) more compact area...but I think we've got the dimensions embedded and won't be spending too much time sitting on the front row's laps!

Next job is to go and have a look at the Bike Shed Theatre, where we will be taking The Dream to they big city folks. Another very different space to which to adapt...but we're getting quite used to that now.

We're also hoping to adapt to a few other different spaces as the new year progresses; looking into one or two, which, I hope, will come to fruition this year. All depends upon several things...like availability for a start. But nothing is insurmountable...and if it's not opening night, it's too early to worry!!

Here's a small reminder as to what it's all about:

  

And, while we're in promotional mood, lest we forget, there's Hermia and Cobweb's other big night looming quite soon!

Deep breath then...and we'll see you on the other side...after opening night!

Just When You Thought It Was Safe...

...someone whips the safety net away and you're staring into an abyss. Which, unnervingly (as has been observed before!), stares right back at you.
This production (we're talking The Dream here) has had more than its fair share of up's and down's, cast-wise but - and I'm saying this with my fingers firmly crossed - we are now sorted.
Rich, who was playing Theseus, is now (as we know) playing Lysander. He is understandably nervous, cos he's got so little time to actually get the lines embedded and develop a character and performance, but he is doing magnificently. 
Our old mate David stepped into the Theseus-sized hole that had appeared...and then, thanks to someone totally unconnected to the production or the company, had to step out again! The grey hairs started to multiply at an alarming rate around about then.
Many apparently calm and collected emails flew through the ether at this juncture. And Rob, who played the Duke of Albany so brilliantly in King Lear, said he'd have a look at that Theseus-sized pit. We adjusted some of the lines and he said yes. And now he too is doing a splendid job of stepping into a breech, dear friends, and settling everything down so that we can now really concentrate on the play.

The Dart Drama Festival, where we presented some of the Mechanical's scenes, went really well and was a great testing-bed for all the actors involved. We are now fine-tuning those scenes in conjunction with all the others and it has to said that it's looking very fine indeed.

As can be seen in the poster on the left, we have had another venue added to this winter's tour. We are more than a little delighted to have been asked to take The Dream to the 'From Devon With Love' festival, which is taking place at the Bike Shed Theatre in Exeter. You can follow the link to their site and get loads more information there, but suffice to say it's a massive step up for us and one that everybody in the company is really looking forward to.
We have several other venues from whom we are waiting to hear, so you never know, we could be popping up at a venue near you sometime soon.




The thing about this whole production, in terms of staging it, is that we usually have very little to do in terms of a set...although I doubt Mr B would agree with that statement! 
When we produce Dartmouth Shakespeare Week, we are the luckiest company ever inasmuch as we have a fantastic natural set in Dartmouth Castle. For sure, we add bits and pieces...

...like the galleon for The Tempest, all the wooden pilings for Macbeth and the platform extension for As You Like it and Macbeth, to mention but a few. These are very large and, for our purposes, 'unconventional' sets. And Chris, bless his cotton socks and sorely put-upon knees, does the most fantastic job creating all these things. No, what I mean is the more 'traditional' notion of a set: flats, dressing, things fit into a pre-determined space for a specific production; most of the things that have been built for the Castle have been used again, recycled and so on. We lack 'stuff' that will fit into a conventional space. 
Which is why we're having to think a little outside the proverbial box for taking The Dream on the road. Kinda fun though...and thanks to Jilly, Jane and the ever-patient Mr B, we're already a long way along the road to having a brilliant set to cart around with us when we do the play for real!
It's going to look fantastic. 
I should mention here that, in respect of set, I mean the big stuff...I would hesitate to upset our lovely team that provide all the flags, curtains, cushions and so forth; their work is invaluable and always looks spectacular.
(Was that OK? No brickbats coming my way..? Good.)

AND IN OTHER NEWS...

As mentioned in the previous musing, we have a lot of this cast appearing in other productions whilst rehearsing for this one. 

Some of the faeries are in the local panto at The Flavel this year and also doing some work in Miss Saigon...as is Lucy, who is playing Hermia in The Dream.

So go and call the box-office number and book your tickets as soon as you like.

Lucy and Freya will be more than delighted to see you there!!

Only A Few More Grey Hairs.

Well, it's all very interesting, this business of getting a play up and running; particularly at relatively short notice! But this is really working. There's an amazing air of collaboration about this production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'...to quote one of the actors: 'Whatever's good for the play.'

Not that there hasn't been a problem or two; life is just never that easy or obliging. Poor ol' Ant had to drop out, having damaged his back (get well soon mate!), and we needed a Lysander at even shorter notice! Rich, who was playing Theseus, stepped up to the plate when we asked, and took that role on...even though he was pretty much word-perfect with Theseus! Good man. However, now we needed a Theseus. See how it all goes round and a round? 

Anyway, there was, as you might imagine, much head-scratching and chatting with various actors and then...bingo! Another fabulous-o gentleman said 'go on then'. And so we now have a full-head of steam and a full cast! Huge thanks are due to David Kinnair, who is not only doing this but also learning his part for J.B. Priestly's 'When We Are Married' in November! 

Everyone loves what they do. David's a fine example and so are several of the cast, who are also in rehearsal for other productions. Like Lucy and Freya, who are working on 'Miss Saigon' (actually Freya is also rehearsing a pantomime too; busy girl) but the point is that, despite everything that's going on their lives, our actors are there for the show; I think our motto should be 'Whatever's good for the play', because that seems to be the prevailing attitude...thankfully! 

As is the case with pretty much every production, everyone is 'involved'; by which I mean that they not only turn up to rehearsals and know their characters and lines, but have great ideas that get incorporated into the show: everybody adds something extra, over and above their performances. The Royals, the Faeries, the Mechanicals...it's really brilliant.  

Still got a few things to sort out in relation to costumes, set and lighting/sound but that's all in the pipeline and under control...he said, trying to type with crossed fingers. Looking forward to this one...and I've almost got all the lines learnt...and to paraphrase Eric Morecombe, 'I've got all the lines learnt, but not necessarily in the right order!'.

Only just over a week to go until we showcase some of the play at the Dart Drama Festival. The Festival audience are being treated to a few of the scenes with the Mechanicals and the play-within-a-play at the end of The Dream. Good practice and a nice little bit of publicity for the production, but also a little extra pressure for the actors involved, who have to get their lines down that much earlier than everybody else.   

AND IN OTHER NEWS....

We're also moving rapidly along with the 2014 Dartmouth Shakespeare Week production, which, as you are no doubt aware, is 'The Taming of the Shrew'. Oh, does Janie have plans for this one! No doubt. It's all very exciting.
After her trip to the director's workshops, there has been a flurry of activity from the RSC and we hope to be able to get one - or maybe even two! - of there excellent and inspirational practitioners to come to Dartmouth and run a couple of movement and speech workshops that tie-in directly with the Commedia d'ellarte aspect of the show. Can't wait...although the bleed-over between The Dream and Shrew will be interesting to contend with; shaping up to be a busy ol' winter/summer!
Shaunnagh, bless 'er, has also been beavering away at the artwork for Shrew and you can see the rough draft below: catches the mood beautifully, I think. What a clever lady she is!

Dreaming on...and on and on!

Well, we're out of the traps and the hare is doing what it does best: scooting away in front of us. Rehearsals are well and truly underway for the new winter production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and the dates for the first full performance have been confirmed as 6th and 7th December at Hazelwood House, just a couple of miles removed from Kingsbridge.
First, however, we have to whip the Mechanicals into shape for the Dart Drama Festival on 8th and 9th November. No pressure there at all.

What I'm particularly loving is the strange continuity that seems to be appearing. As I said in the previous post, some of the actors are reprising their roles from 2007. We're using pretty much the same, edited script that we used then, but I've been through and trimmed a little here and reinstated a tad there. Yet people are remembering, even now, what they did then. Our Sal (Helena), for instance, in rehearsal last Sunday, was running her first lines and stalled a little...wasn't using her script and the reason for the stall? She wanted to use the lines she remembered from 2007, but a couple had been cut and she couldn't get them out of her head! So we put 'em back in. Happy as Larry now.
There's a smashing positivity about the whole thing, and we're only a wee way in. The Faeirie folk arrive next Sunday and start their rehearsals with the other actors...and there's another lovely little bit of 'connectedness' if you will. Some the young people who are in this production were part of their own group's (the fabled Little S.O.D.'s) rendering of the story; a modern, musical version, written specifically for younger companies, called 'Dream On'. Just one of the actors in that show was, the then, little Sophie. A few years before that, she was one of the faeries in our production of The Dream; and this year the now not-so-little Sophie was Stage Manager for King Lear. Lovely to see how things move and grow yet somehow remain in touch.

Some of the Faeires from the 2007 Dream...and there's Sophie, front and centre, in green and white

The Mechanicals from Dream On...and there's Sophie with ears!

Just four of the Mechanicals from 2007.

We also have several new actors joining us for this winter venture; never done anything like this before, yet already they're proving to be more than capable. By the time we get to the performance, well, it's going to be excellent.

Thought you might like to see the badge/branding...whatever they call it...for our advertising and so on for the next two and half years or so.

Jane had a really exciting weekend up in Stratford-upon-Avon, working with some of the foremost movement, voice and directing coaches in the land.

She's got reams of stuff and we hope to be getting copies of relevant bits and pieces together for the actors, not only for The Dream but for next year's Dartmouth Shakespeare Week, The Taming of the Shrew.

Speaking of which...work progresses with that production too. Shaunnagh, who designed our posters and programme covers for both Twelfth Night and King Lear, has kindly volunteered to do a similar job for The Shrew. And that's alongside playing Hippolyta in The Dream.

 

Above are just three of the rough-draft ideas that Shaunnagh has had for the artwork. Still a work in progress, but the finished deal will be just as much fun - and in full, vibrant colour - as these sketches are.

 

OTHER NEWS IN BRIEF...

I'm still learning my lines; everyone's learning their lines; Gil knows his lines.

That is all.

Nothing new there then.

But to finish it all off this time, here's a picture of the backstage crew from King Lear...and Sophie's second from the left.

And The Next One Please!

I believe the expression is 'gluttons for punishment', but it's not really punishment, is it...otherwise we wouldn't do it. The expected 'down' after Lear will not have a chance to kick-in because we're kicking it out before it even gets a foothold! 

You may recall, in a previous post, I spoke of all the different things we have a chance to do, over the winter months, before we get down to the next DSW? Well, they're happening!
We've had a hugely positive response from loads of actors, all wanting to get involved with the the Hazelwood House project and the processional performance in the early spring. 
So much so that we're looking to take this new production to other venues, betwixt and between the above mentioned gigs. But what are going to do? Ahh, there's the rub...

You may also recall that we were thinking of going off-piste, as it were, and doing something other than one of Will's finest. That, however, cannot be...mainly for financial reasons. So we're heading back to Master Shakespeare and reviving another of our previous productions in the form of
'A Midsummer Night's Dream'. Yep, in the middle of winter. And why not? We all need a little cheering when the weather's at its worst and the nights are long and the days seem even shorter.

The intention is to have a 'group director' for this production, with the final yay or nay going with our Artistic Director, Jane. I, apparently, will be shedding the director's mantle for this and donning an actor's guise once again. Which means learning lines...not so sure about that one...but I have to say I'm really looking forward to it.

That being said, there is a huge amount of work to be done, primarily because we also want to take some of the scenes, most notably the mechanicals, to this year's Dart Drama Festival, as a bit of a taster for what is to come.
First full performance will be at Hazelwood House in December. Other venues will be announced as and when they are confirmed.

We first performed the Dream back in 2007, under the directorial auspices of a certain Mr Malcolm MacIntosh, the recently retired Artistic Director. Up to that point it had been one of the most ambitious productions we had attempted; we were flexing our ever-strengthening production muscle and experimenting with different ways of adding colour to the shows. We ended up with a full-blown ballet section and more faeries than you could shake a bluebell at!

Some of the actors that appeared in that production are back again, some even reprising the roles they played at the time, and we have a rake of new talent coming on-board to sample the mayhem that is an Inn Theatre production!

Just a few of the original Mechanicals from 2007 - that's our current
Artistic Director on the left, performing impromptu brain surgery!

We had a fabulous time bringing all the those characters to life, and this new production will be just as much fun, but will have just as many challenges, albeit of an entirely different nature. The stage at the castle is huge and lent itself beautifully to the staging of the Dream. Here we have to imagine it in a completely different light, particularly for the Hazelwood show, which is in a space not much larger than the marquee in which the actors get changed for a castle show. Then we have to re-think the whole for the processional performance in 2 & a half acres of garden and woodland. Not to mention the Flavel for the Festival...which is happening at the beginning of November. Here are a couple of shots from the castle production in 2007.

Tinah O'Reilly as Cobweb

You may recognise Jon Miles (on the left) as Puck - he was King Lear! And Oberon is played by Jack Corrigal

An iconic scene from The Dream.
Nick Crosley as Bottom

Just a few of the Faerie-folk

And a few more...many of the Faeires were from a local dance academy...we even had a ballerina!

It's a huge project, yet we know it's do-able. No doubt. We have the actors, we have the script - obviously! - but, above all else, we have the will to make this happen. There's an energy around this that feels like it could, unless we hang on tight, take off like a rocket! And that's no bad thing, but we need to keep a little control over it...

We have notions as to who will be playing which character, but we're still looking for a couple of actors that don't mind a bit of hard work and a challenge that is like no other that the company has faced.
It feels good, from my point of view anyway, to have something to get the teeth into during a time which is usually pretty bleak, if I'm honest!

What else? 
Well, with all that going on, I think that the original plan to do a modern piece in the spring of 2014 is probably going to have to go by the board, but there is one other piece of news that will be trumpeted even louder when the press release is given to the nationals...but until then, just between you and me (and please, keep it under your hats!) we are, once again, affiliated to the Royal Shakespeare Company for their 2013-16 Open Stages project!! 
I believe the correct theatrical term for this is BOOOM!!
Jane's off on her first director's workshop at the end of September and she'll be bringing back a whole raft of ideas from there for us to use, not only on the Dream but on Shrew as well.
It's all rather exciting, isn't it?
And this blog will still be added to; there are, it seems, a great many more 'other stories' yet to tell...

Pyramus and Thisbe...2007's Couple of the Year in Cosmo!

The Final Word?

And...breathe! That's that then. Another DSW done and dusted, pretty much; just got the bills to pay and then we can have the wash-up meeting and get the funds out to the charities that we have elected to support.

I'm not sure that the expected 'emptiness' has hit yet, there's still stuff to do around Lear, but I'm not even sure that it will hit! We're already caught up in other projects - chances are there will be several productions before we get to next year's extravaganza, which, in case you haven't heard, will be a comedy, the superb 'Taming of the Shrew'.

The coverage for this year's show was stupendous, the local paper finally got their act together and we had three and half pages of pictures and reporting on the play and all the extra events. Very satisfying.
The word on the street(!) is that those who came to see Lear weren't disappointed, surprise seems to have been the most common reaction. not surprise that it was so good but that it was as entertaining as is was. The consensus, prior to our going live, was that it was dreary, depressing and violent play with it's only virtue being that it was written by Shakespeare. I think we changed more than a few minds on that score! It just proves, as far as I'm concerned, that you can't beat a great story, told well, by brilliant storytellers.
We stretched ourselves and the audience...and I think we all came out in the black, as it were. Makes me think that there's a case for exploring more of Will's 'darker' plays...

We set ourselves a huge target this year and I don't think anyone involved would disagree when I say that we hit that target dead-centre and surpassed all our expectations.
So how do we step it up again next year? We've always managed to thus far and, if what Janie's got planned for 2014 is anything to go by, Shrew will be no different.
As I write, we're waiting to hear from the Royal Shakespeare Company to see if we've been accepted on to the 2014-16 Open Stages Project. It would be great if we were, but if not, that's not going to change one jot what will happen next year.
Shrew will be something very different for us, despite having done it before (it was the second DSW play, back in 2004). 
It's a play that audience's love, although of late it's popularity has taken a bit of hit because of prevailing attitudes with regard to the perceived anti-female stance that the play takes. 
Personally, I think that Shakespeare had his tongue firmly planted in his cheek but who can say? 
Jane played around with several (vastly) different ideas for presenting the play, even to the extent of taking the 'anti' viewpoint and turning it completely on it's head by having all the female characters played by men and vice versa. It got very complicated...
So now she has settled upon a strictly comedic interpretation, using the commedia dell'arte style.
Why is this a challenge? Have you seen the way these guys perform!? It is physical theatre, comedy, in extremis! All the actors are going to have their work cut, from what I've seen so far. Add to this Jane's plans to have everything on-stage from the get-go, including sound effects and music (we're going live!) and you've got something that will border on slap-stick (and that word/phrase come directly from commedia dell'arte) and pantomime yet will still maintain that uniquely Shakespearean quality. It really is promising to be a huge amount of fun!
And speaking of fun, before I catch you up with what else is happening in the world of us, here are few photographic reminders of how much fun we had getting King Lear to the stage at the castle.

Each and every one of these pictures (and the hundreds that I didn't include) holds a very special memory for me: of the people and the time we spent, the place and the experience. There are loads more pictures from the production itself on the website -  www.theinntheatrecompany.co.uk/king-lear - where you can get right back into it all again...but you knew that anyway.

What you might not know is that we have a film of the production too. Parts one and two are linked below. The only bug about that is the fact the music we had for the production can't be used in this because of copyright issues. But John Walker's done a fine job in subbing it, so feel free to have a look.

Here's the first act.

 And here's Act Two.

I've had to put this down...much as I love looking at it and reliving that time, my nature is such that I can't stop myself thinking '...maybe I should have done it this way...' '...perhaps it would have worked better if...' To quote the good king himself, 'That way madness lies.' 

I think the next bit comes under the heading:

AND IN OTHER NEWS...

The undoubted success of Lear has brought the company other benefits too! We'd planned to do other things after Lear, the almost traditional thing being the Dart Drama Festival - in which we will be appearing come November (any ideas?) - but other projects were in the pipeline. Then things started happening on their own account.

Hazelwood House, a local arts centre near Kingsbridge, got in touch, asking us to come have a chat about doing something for them in December and we have also been invited to put on a 'processional' performance in a local garden. Two and half acres of loveliness and endless possibilities. Add to that the notion of doing a full-length drama in the Spring and possible film project, I'm starting to wonder if there are enough days in the week/months in the year to get everything done!

We have yet to visit Hazelwood and ascertain what it is they are actually looking for, but the venue on offer looks beautiful. The Chapel. Intimate space, atmospheric and thoroughly charming. It could lend itself to so many things, but we'll have to wait and see what happens when we visit.

The gentleman who owns the garden, mentioned above, came to see Lear and it was on the strength of that production, I believe, that we've been given the chance to plan this walk-a-about show. 

Several notions made themselves apparent when we visited - 'Larkrise to Candleford'; 'A Midsummer Night's Dream'; 'Wind in the Willows'; 'As You Like It' to name but a few - but at the moment we're leaning towards Toad and his mates, primarily because it's a family show and definitely not Shakespearean; thought it might nice to give Will a rest!!  It's all very dependent upon, I'm afraid, cost. Performances rights, rehearsal space, actually getting there and the set up...but I have little doubt that it will happen, it's just a question of what and when!

We're working on it...got any thoughts? All contributions gratefully received!!

And so, there we are. Up to date. We'll let you know about all the gubbins from the wash-up as soon as we have it. Won't be long.

Maybe we could tour something soon...now there's a thought...