Hugh Macleod recently drew attention to preview screenings of Hallam Foe.
As Hugh says, the trailer looks great. So I was pleased when I heard back from The Film Factory saying I had two places reserved at the Cambridge Arts Picturehouse screening. Until I realised the screening had taken place earlier this evening and the confirmation e-mails ("be there at 6pm for a 6.30 start...") at 5:15pm..!
Even if I'd been at home and happened to see the e-mail, I would still have needed to get my skates on to be ready and get there in 45 minutes. Someone have an off-day at The Film Factory..?
Monday 30 July 2007
Saturday 14 July 2007
All wrapped up: Oedipus Rex - Night 6 (Friday)
It's been a great week, sometimes hectic, occasionally stressful and finally, exhilarating.
Now it's the last night of in situ: Oedipus Rex and we finish with another sellout. Beforehand, director Richard Spaul is scurrying around to find additional seating, saying "Some people have turned up on the door and I don't want to turn them away... it's not a problem we usually face with in situ:."
Simon and Katrina's wedding has meant some rearrangement to the week-long run. Productions usually open on a Monday night with an intimate performance to an audience in the high teens. Numbers build through the week to capacity crowds at the weekend. Opening on Saturday gave us a greater sense of occasion, which helped the the cast pull out all the stops.
The final night seemed smoother. We tighten things up so it's shorter than the previous last night. Ian amends "...I wouldn't have ended up... c-c-c-c-c-c-copulating with my mother..." in his climactic speech to "f-f-f-f-f-f-f-FUCKING...!" on Richard's suggestion. Though since I wasn't at last night's aftershow party, it came as a complete surprise to me. I kept dwelling on the cue I failed to get, making it appear as if I'd forgotten my line (Jane later admits she saw her family in the front row and thought about the grief her sister would give her if she screwed up!), but few noticed.
I feel more relief than when our previous one-off performances were complete. After the one-term, one-performance piece "Metamorphosis" I felt sad that we'd never do it again. A week starts to seem a long time - particularly with a full-time day job and a young daughter - and getting it right has meant a lot of preparation, but we did ourselves justice with the performances we gave.
Now... the wedding tomorrow followed by a week's holiday in Orford, Suffolk. I think I'll need it.
Now it's the last night of in situ: Oedipus Rex and we finish with another sellout. Beforehand, director Richard Spaul is scurrying around to find additional seating, saying "Some people have turned up on the door and I don't want to turn them away... it's not a problem we usually face with in situ:."
Simon and Katrina's wedding has meant some rearrangement to the week-long run. Productions usually open on a Monday night with an intimate performance to an audience in the high teens. Numbers build through the week to capacity crowds at the weekend. Opening on Saturday gave us a greater sense of occasion, which helped the the cast pull out all the stops.
The final night seemed smoother. We tighten things up so it's shorter than the previous last night. Ian amends "...I wouldn't have ended up... c-c-c-c-c-c-copulating with my mother..." in his climactic speech to "f-f-f-f-f-f-f-FUCKING...!" on Richard's suggestion. Though since I wasn't at last night's aftershow party, it came as a complete surprise to me. I kept dwelling on the cue I failed to get, making it appear as if I'd forgotten my line (Jane later admits she saw her family in the front row and thought about the grief her sister would give her if she screwed up!), but few noticed.
I feel more relief than when our previous one-off performances were complete. After the one-term, one-performance piece "Metamorphosis" I felt sad that we'd never do it again. A week starts to seem a long time - particularly with a full-time day job and a young daughter - and getting it right has meant a lot of preparation, but we did ourselves justice with the performances we gave.
Now... the wedding tomorrow followed by a week's holiday in Orford, Suffolk. I think I'll need it.
Friday 13 July 2007
Oedipus Rex - Night 5
Another healthy crowd ahead of Friday night's sell out.
This one was slow, we all agreed after. Why was that? There was no lack of energy, there was plenty of drama. Strange.
Only one left now...
This one was slow, we all agreed after. Why was that? There was no lack of energy, there was plenty of drama. Strange.
Only one left now...
Wednesday 11 July 2007
Gaining momentum - Oedipus Rex: Night 4 (Wednesday)
Twice as many in the audience tonight as on Monday and Tuesday, which makes it feel as we're building up to something, with the same expected tomorrow night and a probably sell out on Friday. And then..? After 15 months work, we're going to miss it when it finishes.
It didn't occur to me until afterward how well it went tonight. The cast arrived on time and did a much better warm up than last night, which seemed to improve concentration. I still don't think I've nailed my prologue speech about "Chinatown", but I wasn't worrying about that once we got inside The Leper Chapel. The performance level seemed more consistent, the energy seemed better channelled into the performance, there were no injuries and no strained voices.
More young neighbourhood theatre critics turned up to watch the ending outside, but refrained from offering commment.
I must admit my unfamiliarity with the story of Oedipus. My assumptions were originally based on a limited knowledge and understanding of Freud's Oedipus Complex (something we explore in one of the choruses). It wasn't until I did Robert McKee's Story Seminar that I found out Oedipus's crimes were unwitting. This reminded me of the myth of Narcissus. The definition of narcissism gives no hint that Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection without knowing what it was.
I wonder what else I don't know?
It didn't occur to me until afterward how well it went tonight. The cast arrived on time and did a much better warm up than last night, which seemed to improve concentration. I still don't think I've nailed my prologue speech about "Chinatown", but I wasn't worrying about that once we got inside The Leper Chapel. The performance level seemed more consistent, the energy seemed better channelled into the performance, there were no injuries and no strained voices.
More young neighbourhood theatre critics turned up to watch the ending outside, but refrained from offering commment.
I must admit my unfamiliarity with the story of Oedipus. My assumptions were originally based on a limited knowledge and understanding of Freud's Oedipus Complex (something we explore in one of the choruses). It wasn't until I did Robert McKee's Story Seminar that I found out Oedipus's crimes were unwitting. This reminded me of the myth of Narcissus. The definition of narcissism gives no hint that Narcissus fell in love with his own reflection without knowing what it was.
I wonder what else I don't know?
Tuesday 10 July 2007
Poke Paul II - Oedipus Rex: Night 3 (Tuesday)
Another good performance, despite some lateness in the cast which affected our warm-up. My concentration was wandering ("and my thought went missing") slightly during the first scene where I have most of my lines. I managed to bring it back without relying too much on Katrina's prompting (which is part of the performance). Just as well - she later confessed she was giving me completely the wrong lines.
Ian arrived with his voice thankfully recovering, but Paul reported having been poked in the other eye last night. This prompted some safety advice from Mr. Spaul.
Each night, people stay afterwards to tell us how how much they enjoyed the performance. It's always good to hear this from in situ: members from other projects. They know how much work is involved and make useful observations on particular aspects of the performance.
Even more gratifying are the comments from those who come along not knowing quite what to expect. Every night I've spoken to people who are genuinely surprised how good the production is, how powerful the performances are, what an atmospheric venue we've chosen. How can we turn these people into supporters and advocates for in situ:?
The only witnesses to our final scene this evening were a woman, her cocker spaniel and a cloud of midges. The woman and her dog paused for half a minute, read the information signs outside The Leper Chapel and moved on.
Will they return?
(The woman, I mean. The dog I am less interested in and I will no doubt be reacquainting myself with the midges at the same time tomorrow.)
Ian arrived with his voice thankfully recovering, but Paul reported having been poked in the other eye last night. This prompted some safety advice from Mr. Spaul.
Each night, people stay afterwards to tell us how how much they enjoyed the performance. It's always good to hear this from in situ: members from other projects. They know how much work is involved and make useful observations on particular aspects of the performance.
Even more gratifying are the comments from those who come along not knowing quite what to expect. Every night I've spoken to people who are genuinely surprised how good the production is, how powerful the performances are, what an atmospheric venue we've chosen. How can we turn these people into supporters and advocates for in situ:?
The only witnesses to our final scene this evening were a woman, her cocker spaniel and a cloud of midges. The woman and her dog paused for half a minute, read the information signs outside The Leper Chapel and moved on.
Will they return?
(The woman, I mean. The dog I am less interested in and I will no doubt be reacquainting myself with the midges at the same time tomorrow.)
Monday 9 July 2007
"Ai ai agagagagagagonai!!!!" - Oedipus Rex: Night 2 (Monday)
The final scene is turning into a showstopper (if that makes any sense, given that it's the ending?)
Tonight a small mixed group of teens cycling by spotted us leaving the chapel and began a one-way, shouted interrogation from the pavement which lasted well over five minutes. It was slightly annoying to start with, but got funnier as it went on: "wha' are vey doin'? - why are you walkin' so slowly? - whysat bloke crawlin' on the ground? You look like zombies!" And finally, after about three minutes: "I fink they're actin'." When we broke rank at the end and ran in for the applause, they disappeared quite sharply.
The performance was good. Different to Saturday, fewer people in the audience, but we were all conscious of not letting standards slip and worked hard to maintain focus. Energy levels may have been slightly lower, but it merely made for a different performance. We felt more relaxed and the lines came more easily as a result.
Ian's voice received a pounding on Saturday night, so he tried to nurse it through his 15 minute monologue - difficult when it's so emotionally charged. Four performances remain, so hoping he will make it.
Paul was sporting a black eye from Saturday night when he got an elbow in the face from James. A bit far to go for a bit of symbolism I thought, but no questioning the commitment.
Friday looks like another sellout, making the week nicely symmetrical, while tickets remain for the other three performances.
Tonight a small mixed group of teens cycling by spotted us leaving the chapel and began a one-way, shouted interrogation from the pavement which lasted well over five minutes. It was slightly annoying to start with, but got funnier as it went on: "wha' are vey doin'? - why are you walkin' so slowly? - whysat bloke crawlin' on the ground? You look like zombies!" And finally, after about three minutes: "I fink they're actin'." When we broke rank at the end and ran in for the applause, they disappeared quite sharply.
The performance was good. Different to Saturday, fewer people in the audience, but we were all conscious of not letting standards slip and worked hard to maintain focus. Energy levels may have been slightly lower, but it merely made for a different performance. We felt more relaxed and the lines came more easily as a result.
Ian's voice received a pounding on Saturday night, so he tried to nurse it through his 15 minute monologue - difficult when it's so emotionally charged. Four performances remain, so hoping he will make it.
Paul was sporting a black eye from Saturday night when he got an elbow in the face from James. A bit far to go for a bit of symbolism I thought, but no questioning the commitment.
Friday looks like another sellout, making the week nicely symmetrical, while tickets remain for the other three performances.
Sunday 8 July 2007
Oedipus Rex: Opening Night (Saturday)
The opening night of in situ:'s Oedipus Rex saw an extremely satisfying sold out show in aid of the Cambridge Preservation Society.
The full house raised the temperature in The Leper Chapel, something we could've used in the months of rehearsals through the winter. We've spent four terms meeting weekly to improvise scenes, practice choruses and develop the text with writer and director Richard Spaul. Rehearsals indicated it was coming together well, thanks in no small part to the effort put in over the previous two weeks.
My favourite memory of the day was not from the performance, but the final rehearsal in the afternoon. It was approaching 4:30pm, we'd been working for a couple of hours and were putting the final touches to the last scene. Most of the cast were slow-walking out of the chapel door and up the path. Ian - the final Oedipus - reached the doorway, thrashing about, ranting and swearing, his face wrapped in a bloodied bandage.
We're quite used to the bemused looks of cyclists and pedestrians as we filter, zombie-like towards the gate, but it's still amusing to see the reactions and wonder what people are thinking. Suddenly, a double decker bus appeared, packed upstairs and downstairs with returning afternoon shoppers. Every single mouth dropped open, heads turned with a "what the hell..?" look - and just as quickly they were gone.
I wonder if anyone came back for the performance..?!
The full house raised the temperature in The Leper Chapel, something we could've used in the months of rehearsals through the winter. We've spent four terms meeting weekly to improvise scenes, practice choruses and develop the text with writer and director Richard Spaul. Rehearsals indicated it was coming together well, thanks in no small part to the effort put in over the previous two weeks.
My favourite memory of the day was not from the performance, but the final rehearsal in the afternoon. It was approaching 4:30pm, we'd been working for a couple of hours and were putting the final touches to the last scene. Most of the cast were slow-walking out of the chapel door and up the path. Ian - the final Oedipus - reached the doorway, thrashing about, ranting and swearing, his face wrapped in a bloodied bandage.
We're quite used to the bemused looks of cyclists and pedestrians as we filter, zombie-like towards the gate, but it's still amusing to see the reactions and wonder what people are thinking. Suddenly, a double decker bus appeared, packed upstairs and downstairs with returning afternoon shoppers. Every single mouth dropped open, heads turned with a "what the hell..?" look - and just as quickly they were gone.
I wonder if anyone came back for the performance..?!
Monday 2 July 2007
"The suffering's bad, the knowledge is worse..."
Two solid days of work rehearsing Oedipus with in situ: this weekend capped a great week which saw everyone in the group making huge strides with their lines.
Which is pretty handy, one week from the first night.
Which is pretty handy, one week from the first night.
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