This blog has now endded but we've moved the contents over to our brand new Blog Stream
If you want to keep following our blogs, either
visit
http://librarytheatreblog.wordpress.com/
or if you follow us via an RSS feed, re link to
http://librarytheatreblog.wordpress.com/feed/
Thursday, 18 March 2010
Tuesday, 16 March 2010
Previews…Press night….Press Club?
Our production of Glengarry Glen Ross is now in previews and our opening/press night is nearly upon us. As I mentioned previously, our tech week went incredibly smoothly and we were able to get a few full dress runs in, hence the first preview wasn’t too nerve-racking…..!
The actors did incredibly well, and it was fantastic to finally get an audience in and watch how and what they reacted to. Sometimes when I have been working on a show, I take time to actually see what an audience is doing, rather than the actors on stage! It is really intriguing to see how people are engaging with the show. One unusual aspect of the play is its brevity. Some audience members seemed surprised when the lights came up for the interval as they weren’t expecting the first half to be over so quickly. It is an exceptionally fast paced play that doesn’t seem to stop for a moment. The actors have commented on it being like a rollercoaster, once they are on they can’t get off, and just as they are really getting in to it, the whole thing is over!
Chris Honer and I have been taking notes during the preview performances and we have continued to work during the daytimes on scenes that still need a little work. The kind of notes we have taken can vary from an issue to do with blocking, mistakes over lines, or a problem with sound or part of the set. Thankfully all the notes we have taken have been about fairly minor things. You can normally tell how happy the director is by seeing how many extra rehearsals we need prior to opening night!
Chris and I will continue to see the show once or twice a week to keep a director’s eye on it…..Later on this week I go in to rehearsals for a one man show I am directing titled ‘Mr Happiness’ by David Mamet. Performances are at 6pm before Glengarry Glen Ross on 31st March, and April 1st and 2nd. Before I know it, we will be back in full time rehearsals for the final production in the current home of the Library Theatre, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’…..! But before all that, press night beckons……Thanks for reading this blog, and look out for the next one!
The actors did incredibly well, and it was fantastic to finally get an audience in and watch how and what they reacted to. Sometimes when I have been working on a show, I take time to actually see what an audience is doing, rather than the actors on stage! It is really intriguing to see how people are engaging with the show. One unusual aspect of the play is its brevity. Some audience members seemed surprised when the lights came up for the interval as they weren’t expecting the first half to be over so quickly. It is an exceptionally fast paced play that doesn’t seem to stop for a moment. The actors have commented on it being like a rollercoaster, once they are on they can’t get off, and just as they are really getting in to it, the whole thing is over!
Chris Honer and I have been taking notes during the preview performances and we have continued to work during the daytimes on scenes that still need a little work. The kind of notes we have taken can vary from an issue to do with blocking, mistakes over lines, or a problem with sound or part of the set. Thankfully all the notes we have taken have been about fairly minor things. You can normally tell how happy the director is by seeing how many extra rehearsals we need prior to opening night!
Chris and I will continue to see the show once or twice a week to keep a director’s eye on it…..Later on this week I go in to rehearsals for a one man show I am directing titled ‘Mr Happiness’ by David Mamet. Performances are at 6pm before Glengarry Glen Ross on 31st March, and April 1st and 2nd. Before I know it, we will be back in full time rehearsals for the final production in the current home of the Library Theatre, ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’…..! But before all that, press night beckons……Thanks for reading this blog, and look out for the next one!
Friday, 12 March 2010
Six men and an old lady……?
We are now finally in the theatre and gearing up for our first preview on Friday night. It has been so exciting for the actors to finally get on the set and get used to the new environment. There is always a little bit of adjusting to the set as although everything is measured out in the rehearsal room it is never an exact replica of what they will be working with on stage.
It was great to see the revolve working during our technical rehearsal as I have not worked on a show using the revolve in my time here at The Library Theatre. I am always surprised at quite how large the stage is and what one can do with it design wise.
This show would probably win the award for ‘most stress free technical period’ as we haven’t been rushed and the technical sessions have gone incredibly smoothly. This has a lot to do with the fact that the play is relatively short and doesn’t have a huge amount of technical requirements. Our deputy stage manger informed me that there are normally twice the number of cues in an average Library Theatre show.
One issue has been the actors moving off the large step on stage and in to the darkness in the scene changes. We have had to sort the problem of them ‘walking blind’ which one of the actors commented made him feel like a little old lady walking off the stage….!
Even at this stage there can still be changes made to the play. We have altered aspects of the blocking and there is always the possibility of trying new ideas during the technical rehearsal. During our runs of the play on stage I have had to make sure that I watch from different seats in the auditorium to check on the sightlines. As a result of checking, we have changed heights of tables and chairs and avoided putting large things on the desks that might block the view of the audience.
So we are now about to enter our photo call followed by our final dress rehearsal. We are looking forward to finally have an audience tonight and see what they make of it!
It was great to see the revolve working during our technical rehearsal as I have not worked on a show using the revolve in my time here at The Library Theatre. I am always surprised at quite how large the stage is and what one can do with it design wise.
This show would probably win the award for ‘most stress free technical period’ as we haven’t been rushed and the technical sessions have gone incredibly smoothly. This has a lot to do with the fact that the play is relatively short and doesn’t have a huge amount of technical requirements. Our deputy stage manger informed me that there are normally twice the number of cues in an average Library Theatre show.
One issue has been the actors moving off the large step on stage and in to the darkness in the scene changes. We have had to sort the problem of them ‘walking blind’ which one of the actors commented made him feel like a little old lady walking off the stage….!
Even at this stage there can still be changes made to the play. We have altered aspects of the blocking and there is always the possibility of trying new ideas during the technical rehearsal. During our runs of the play on stage I have had to make sure that I watch from different seats in the auditorium to check on the sightlines. As a result of checking, we have changed heights of tables and chairs and avoided putting large things on the desks that might block the view of the audience.
So we are now about to enter our photo call followed by our final dress rehearsal. We are looking forward to finally have an audience tonight and see what they make of it!
Friday, 5 March 2010
Practice, Practice, Practice……and a poke in the eye…
We are fast approaching the end of the fourth and final week in the rehearsal room. Next week it gets even more exciting when we move in to the theatre for the technical rehearsal and get to see the set in all its glory.
We are concentrating on doing runs of the play now and it feels like it’s in really good shape. I have been working on finding the right Jazz music for the start of both acts and during the scene changes. I have played music in the rehearsal room, experimenting with different tracks during the run through. It is much easier to try the music in the room when they are running the scenes so that you can feel if it works with the play, rather than playing it at home and therefore out of context.
It is important to add layers of detail after having watched the run through of the play and to always keep an eye and ear out for whether the story of a particular scene, section, or even line is crystal clear for the audience. I have found that one of the most important things when directing is to be able to watch the same scene over and over again with fresh eyes.
One important detail that we have layered in to the work on the play is that the actors must always be aware of their environment. The first act is set in a public space whereas the second act is set in more of a private space. Sometimes the actors shout too loud in the first act or are not discreet enough and we will remind them of their ‘immediate circumstances’ in this case, that they are in a public place.
The actors are really flying with the fast paced sections of the play, so much so that one actor got poked in the eye whilst they were moving manically around the stage…..! The difficulty is that if one beat or word is dropped it can actually destroy the rhythm of the scene. There is quite a lot of pressure in this respect and the cast have commented on how important it is that they are 100% alert when doing this play and how difficult it is to do when they are tired.
We are concentrating on doing runs of the play now and it feels like it’s in really good shape. I have been working on finding the right Jazz music for the start of both acts and during the scene changes. I have played music in the rehearsal room, experimenting with different tracks during the run through. It is much easier to try the music in the room when they are running the scenes so that you can feel if it works with the play, rather than playing it at home and therefore out of context.
It is important to add layers of detail after having watched the run through of the play and to always keep an eye and ear out for whether the story of a particular scene, section, or even line is crystal clear for the audience. I have found that one of the most important things when directing is to be able to watch the same scene over and over again with fresh eyes.One important detail that we have layered in to the work on the play is that the actors must always be aware of their environment. The first act is set in a public space whereas the second act is set in more of a private space. Sometimes the actors shout too loud in the first act or are not discreet enough and we will remind them of their ‘immediate circumstances’ in this case, that they are in a public place.
The actors are really flying with the fast paced sections of the play, so much so that one actor got poked in the eye whilst they were moving manically around the stage…..! The difficulty is that if one beat or word is dropped it can actually destroy the rhythm of the scene. There is quite a lot of pressure in this respect and the cast have commented on how important it is that they are 100% alert when doing this play and how difficult it is to do when they are tired.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
