Monday, 27 July 2009
Or Nearest Offer - SOLD!
So... after 6 day-long Sunday workshops; a week-long intensive residency; countless hours of research, writing tasks and learning lines; 29 rehearsals; a production week, including 3 dress runs; workshops in schools; 3 performances; a talkback; and a party... Our Nearest Offer finally came to an end. And what a project! Well done to everyone involved.
Friday, 24 July 2009
Talkback
This is programmed to take place immediately after the first show.
Here are a few questions to consider...
- What was your favourite show of the season / the one you enjoyed workshopping the most? - -- What was it about the show (i.e. what were the themes / issues in it) that resonated with you?
- Can you give a brief synopsis of the plot of that play?
- Can you track the development of your character? When do you think he/she first emerged? Did he/she come from a specific workshop / idea?
- You often had writing tasks to complete in the workshops. How did you find this experience?
- How did you feel about having your words and ideas being used, re-worked, added to, ignored (!) and shaped into a final script?
- What do you think about the play? What do you think it’s about? Can you give a brief synopsis of ONO?
- How did you find the transition from exploration (LAB) to performers (GULP)?
- What have you learned – about theatre / about being an actor / about working as an ensemble / about yourself / about your ideas/thoughts/opinions – by being involved in this project?
- Is there anything that you would like to have seen done differently in the project – by the creative team or by yourself?
- How has this project differed from other Almeida projects that you have been involved in / other drama projects? Please elaborate...
- How does it feel to perform your play, to an audience, on the Almeida stage?
Here are a few questions to consider...
- What was your favourite show of the season / the one you enjoyed workshopping the most? - -- What was it about the show (i.e. what were the themes / issues in it) that resonated with you?
- Can you give a brief synopsis of the plot of that play?
- Can you track the development of your character? When do you think he/she first emerged? Did he/she come from a specific workshop / idea?
- You often had writing tasks to complete in the workshops. How did you find this experience?
- How did you feel about having your words and ideas being used, re-worked, added to, ignored (!) and shaped into a final script?
- What do you think about the play? What do you think it’s about? Can you give a brief synopsis of ONO?
- How did you find the transition from exploration (LAB) to performers (GULP)?
- What have you learned – about theatre / about being an actor / about working as an ensemble / about yourself / about your ideas/thoughts/opinions – by being involved in this project?
- Is there anything that you would like to have seen done differently in the project – by the creative team or by yourself?
- How has this project differed from other Almeida projects that you have been involved in / other drama projects? Please elaborate...
- How does it feel to perform your play, to an audience, on the Almeida stage?
What's in a Name?
BEN
There once was a boy named Ben
Who did ballet all day long , and then –
He made Colin laugh –
While Grace had her bath
Then was left alone to play in his den.
The yellow sun – smiling – in our room.
The rude red of Grace is absent.
Just Colin and me – myself and Colin –
No-one to interrupt this magic.
He said he was my buddy
He said he was – my pal.
But now he’s dead –
There once was a boy named Ben
Who did ballet all day long , and then –
He made Colin laugh –
While Grace had her bath
Then was left alone to play in his den.
The yellow sun – smiling – in our room.
The rude red of Grace is absent.
Just Colin and me – myself and Colin –
No-one to interrupt this magic.
He said he was my buddy
He said he was – my pal.
But now he’s dead –
Grace won’t get out of my head
– And I will not get those tall shoes now.
– And I will not get those tall shoes now.
LAILA
Longing for a friend to share her dreams,
Laila sits on her patch of grass and waits for her life to change.
She looks up at the sky that moulds into her name,
Laila - why can't things be normal again?
Married at seven, "you’re beautiful", who cares?
She wishes to just dance into the night and forget about tomorrow -
- and the next day and the next and the next...
Session 29 - 19 July 2009
Today was the last day we spent in the rehearsal room before moving across to the Almeida stage, beginning our production week where our wonderful set awaited us. In the rehearsal we run the show at a staggered pace, improving and adding additional pieces as we went. Once we had finished the first run we received notes that added to the on-going direction we had received during the run. We then went from there to re-run certain scenes taking our new direction on board and the fact that the stage would change the performance which we would be standing on very soon. This was especially true for the ensemble pieces or the scenes that required all of us on stage as they needed extra precision and attention. We finally prepared for the week that was ahead through discussing what would be different and what challenges we would be facing.
Louie
Louie
Session 28 - 18 July 2009
Despite not having Aisha, we ploughed on through and had a very tiring but productive day. We took some notes and then worked on and ran specific scenes.
We also ran the dance a few times and, in our breaks, worked as a team to sort out any messy or unknown sections. We then did another run of the whole play which was a significant improvement on before but there is still quite a way to go.
The main problem is still clarity and articulation but hopefully some one-to-one sessions will help with this. The whole company could also work on volume and projection because the Almeida auditorium is a much bigger space to fill than the rehearsal room!
However, Or Nearest Offer is really coming together and should be great by Friday! The whole company is so excited about seeing the set and working on it for the first time on Tuesday!
ES
We also ran the dance a few times and, in our breaks, worked as a team to sort out any messy or unknown sections. We then did another run of the whole play which was a significant improvement on before but there is still quite a way to go.
The main problem is still clarity and articulation but hopefully some one-to-one sessions will help with this. The whole company could also work on volume and projection because the Almeida auditorium is a much bigger space to fill than the rehearsal room!
However, Or Nearest Offer is really coming together and should be great by Friday! The whole company is so excited about seeing the set and working on it for the first time on Tuesday!
ES
Tuesday, 21 July 2009
Session 27 - 15 July 2009
With our beloved Director Vik away, today was more about the technicals that make up our show. We started off with meeting two more people of the GULP team, Lorna our Stage Manager and Sinead our Assistant Stage Manager. They talked us through their roles and what they expected of us, it's been really exciting to meet these two as it's given us a clear idea of just how much has been going on without us as the company really being aware of it. There are so many people to this company, we know nothing about the technical side to our play and by meeting these two it's made the whole play seem a lot more real. We're being treated like a professional company, it's brilliant! But also sort of scary. A lot of effort has gone in to Or Nearest Offer so we better come up with the goods!
After meeting our stage management crew, and being warned about Lorna's ability in bollocking (clearly we can't be fooled by her lovely persona) we got down with the rest of the rehearsal. The Sunday before we had done our first run and today was just about going through the notes again but this time with more emphasis on Tanya's notes. As the writer she knew best about what were the most important words and phrases in each of our characters scripts and as we found out some of these important parts were being lost whether due to loss of clarity, speed or paraphrasing. After talking through the notes Anne took some of us in to a one-on-one session to work through these important notes. I'm not sure what each person did but you could really tell the difference when we went through some of the scenes. After this we were all given our adverts to write up in black marker, I'm not sure what will happen with these but I'm looking forward to finding out... After the fumes of the makers pens got too much for us, we also went through the dance and the songs to make sure they were looking and sounding great.
Now to the really important part, costume! All through the session each of us was being taken away to the glamour of the phone room (we've been assured that all the professional actors have their costume fittings here even if it is a small office with a mirror leaning on the wall!) Yet another part of the Almeida workings we wouldn't have seen had it not been for LAB. The costume fitting, as you can imagine, was awesome! Finally we were getting to see what each of our characters was going to be wearing. For me personally, it helped me to really get in to character more, I could see what sort of clothes Ellie wore and I know when our dress run comes the costumes will really help with our movement and giving a real interpretation of our characters. It's clear to see just how much time and effort Fabrice has put in to this play. It was great to be in rehearsal after each person had their fitting, everyone would crowd around asking questions; what we were wearing? Did we like it? And Desara, were you really going to be a fully fledged chav!? (The answer was yes - she even has the fake nails to go with it!!) All of this has made the play seem real, in a week we WILL be performing on the Almeida stage. Exciting, but bloody scary!
MK
After meeting our stage management crew, and being warned about Lorna's ability in bollocking (clearly we can't be fooled by her lovely persona) we got down with the rest of the rehearsal. The Sunday before we had done our first run and today was just about going through the notes again but this time with more emphasis on Tanya's notes. As the writer she knew best about what were the most important words and phrases in each of our characters scripts and as we found out some of these important parts were being lost whether due to loss of clarity, speed or paraphrasing. After talking through the notes Anne took some of us in to a one-on-one session to work through these important notes. I'm not sure what each person did but you could really tell the difference when we went through some of the scenes. After this we were all given our adverts to write up in black marker, I'm not sure what will happen with these but I'm looking forward to finding out... After the fumes of the makers pens got too much for us, we also went through the dance and the songs to make sure they were looking and sounding great.
Now to the really important part, costume! All through the session each of us was being taken away to the glamour of the phone room (we've been assured that all the professional actors have their costume fittings here even if it is a small office with a mirror leaning on the wall!) Yet another part of the Almeida workings we wouldn't have seen had it not been for LAB. The costume fitting, as you can imagine, was awesome! Finally we were getting to see what each of our characters was going to be wearing. For me personally, it helped me to really get in to character more, I could see what sort of clothes Ellie wore and I know when our dress run comes the costumes will really help with our movement and giving a real interpretation of our characters. It's clear to see just how much time and effort Fabrice has put in to this play. It was great to be in rehearsal after each person had their fitting, everyone would crowd around asking questions; what we were wearing? Did we like it? And Desara, were you really going to be a fully fledged chav!? (The answer was yes - she even has the fake nails to go with it!!) All of this has made the play seem real, in a week we WILL be performing on the Almeida stage. Exciting, but bloody scary!
MK
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