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!