Another weekend of rehearsals, but sporadic for me. It feels a little like shooting a movie; short bursts and a bit out of sequence, as well as disconnected from previous work. It’s a function of how we’re working on the show. The current schedule is Thursdays through Mondays for the creative team heads. However, as we work through the play the acting company works on a call system, which means perhaps 2 out of the 4 days for most, or even a fraction of a day out of 4. I’m used to daily intensives in the course of a week, so what I’m feeling is a loss of momentum; the gains of one day have dissipated by the following weekend. Now this is probably only transitory. Of course, the Clayton’s Rehearsals continue; I couldn’t get a particular song out of my head last night. Once we get to runs, the momentum will be back and progress accelerated. At least, that’s the theory. Continue reading “Week 4: Slow and Steady”
Invisible Theatre: Frozen Grand Central
Now this I like. More please … everywhere!
Being There: On Tour
An enormously important and formative experience in my life as a young actor was that of being on tour for many weeks, and schools’ tours at that. It was 1971, and I was fresh from drama school in the UK, and back home in Queensland. The new state theatre company (Queensland Theatre Company or QTC as it was and still is known fondly) had been formed while I was away. I immediately auditioned, and was hired to work in the TIE (Theatre in Education) program which in those days had a touring schedule to knock your socks off … and which dispelled any preciousness you might have been harbouring since drama school about being an artiste. Continue reading “Being There: On Tour”
Week 3: Rehearsals, trust and the feel-goods
On we go inching our way through the text … another rehearsal another song, another movement routine … not quite dancing. A bit of a relief really. I’ve not been blessed with feet touched by Terpsichore. So you think you can dance? Nope, not this gal. Not fair because I love it when the rhythm kicks in. Practise, practise, practise. Continue reading “Week 3: Rehearsals, trust and the feel-goods”
Now we are 5!
25 February 2008: Update. The rains have come … the dread of any outdoor festival. The first postponement for the season has hit. Tonight’s dress-rehearsal and tomorrow’s education workshop day are on hold. We watch the skies and hope …
Shakespeare in Queen’s Park Festival (now Shakespeare in the Park Festival) is about to hit Toowoomba for the 5th time. So there I was this afternoon in the park watching the acting company go through some of their paces under the eyes of director Scott Alderdice and fight director Nigel Poulton. It was hot, sunny and well …. deja-vu-ish. Here we were 5 years on from the spindly little Hamlet set under that great tree (it’s still there … the tree that is) to a big, rock concert kind of stage for Romeo and Juliet complete with canopy so the actors can work in shade, and should it rain (god forbid) the stage and the lighting rig are protected. I don’t miss watching the skies and praying for fine weather.
Couldn’t help feeling a twinge of pride to see how our baby has grown to a vigorous youngster. This wonderful little theatre festival that could has exceeded everyone’s expectations. Its future is now in the lap of the gods and the will of mere mortals. But for now, bring it on. The Park is the place to be for the next couple of weeks.
