Two Weeks and Counting

And everyone seems to be remarkably relaxed about the whole thing!

With good cause. We're a fortnight away from the get-in, and just over that until we hit the Dress stage, and I am really, really excited by the prospect of bringing it all together.

We're in the process of doing first-half/second-half runs on a week-by-week basis and the whole cast are settled, generally speaking, into their roles; feeling increasingly comfortable with the characters they have created (and there are some real crackers...);

 and are now getting firmly to grips with the physical aspect of everything. 

A very good point was made, during rehearsals last Tuesday, as to the vocal side of the bits of business that need to go on during a performance. We get the physicality that is required - the touching, the hitting, the hugging and so on - but we rarely seem to do vocal. I suppose it's difficult to pitch correctly, for fear of 

drowning what else is happening on stage, but that, too, is a vital part of creating the entire picture. (Remember? Theatre was the original moving picture show!) But, that being said, we're getting there. Now all we need to do is remember which bits go where...and when...then we got it cracked!

In the pictures below, there are some shots of other actors reacting to what is going on around them. And 

although the audience maybe focused on what the 'main' action is, rest assured, they would be the first to notice if there was something not going on. Funny isn't it? You're sub-consciously aware of what's going on, yet immediately aware if something isn't happening correctly. Audience's are like that.
I think that if we, as actors, think of the people on stage as real, and treat what they got through as such, then the audience are only too willing to accept what we're doing and go along with us on the journey. And all the background hoo-hah and blather is an integral part of that illusion.

 They may be 'only' bowing as Lear arrives at court...but can you imagine them just standing around, waiting speak their next line? And,as it happens, in this particular scene, there are several characters who actually have no lines to speak but who must react to the stupidity (or wisdom, depending on their viewpoint!) of Lear's actions over the following ten minutes or so!

A nearly perfect study in group reaction to a what is happening around them.

And couple of shots of actors not directly involved in a scene, per se, but adding tension and believebility to it by their very stillness and expressions.

A couple of 'physicality personified' shots.

I can truly and honestly say that I have more fun at the castle, rehearsing with these guys, than...well, I really enjoy myself! I hope that, despite it being a complicated production, in respect of the 2nd half in particular, with it's movement sequences, effects and music...which reminds me: get music player that actually works!! Lesson learned. Don't scrimp on hardware...never pays...I hope that everyone's enjoying the experience of working on a darker, more dramatic tale.

We do have laughs though...

I think Ernie might have been attempting a version of 'Smoke Get's In Your Eyes'...but we decided to cut that scene. Pity really, cos the other's seemed to quite enjoy his rendition!

Three shots of four of the actors who have some of the most difficult roles to get to grips with; those of Lear, The Fool, Edmund and Edgar. And who can blame him for having a prop malfunction?
Keith has, yet again, managed to snag a hatful of excellent pictures that, as far as I'm concerned, have captured the atmosphere of one of our rehearsals perfectly.

And if sometimes they go on later than intended...there are compensations.

And In Other News...

We (and by 'we' I mean Janie!) have managed to solve a potential problem by using the telephone and asking! Simple really...wish I could say that I hadn't thought of it. But I had...and chickened out!

We (and by 'we' I mean 'I'!) have been wrestling with the construction and formulation of the Hovel and the 'shadow tunnel' used by the Bedlam Beggars. Mainly the construction. I knew exactly how I wanted them to look and how I needed them to function...however, the OAI was completely out-stripping the ability to get them built.

Enter Chris. Yep. Him. Not quite walking-on-water but, for me, he might as well have been.

He looked. He measured. He walked about a bit.

'Yeah...we'll do that.'

Welcome back Mr Brock...and thank you. You may never know how much that means to me!!

Note to self: go the Wine Merchants and explore.