Act Two, Scene Four. A tale of two towns.

Hello lovely readers, and firstly apologies for the lateness of this post. Carrying my poor mac book around the country in a suitcase appeared to have taken it's toll and I thought my little white baby had given up the ghost. Thankfully, what I thought was a dead computer turned out to be simply a broken power switch (very high tech). So it's now all been all fixed and ready for me to unleash my latest blog. Thanks for your patience!


A fleeting visit to Reading.

The Hexagon, Reading.

We began the week at the vast space that is the Hexagon Theatre in Reading, a large 950 seat venue built in the late 1970's. The Hexagon we are told due to it's size is more often used for music concerts and gigs so a visit by Original Theatre was a rare (and as later expressed by one audience member) relished opportunity to see some good drama at home.


We played just 2 nights in Reading and the audiences on both nights were almost entirely made up of school groups. And I must say they were the sweetest, most audibly involved and responsive audience we've had yet. It's a real joy to perform this piece to young people. There was a definte sense that those watching had some understanding of the play and yet were completely open to coming along on a visual journey with us.
I was surprised looking through the theatre's programme to see that Our Country's Good was one of the only large scale 'straight plays' showing that season. Plenty of comedians and concerts and commercial events. But where was the drama? Undoubtedly the theatre knows it audience, and perhaps it's Reading's close proximity to London theatre-land that makes it a less desirable venue to visit for traditional plays. But it's a shame. I'm realising just how spoilt I was to growing up with the Bristol Old Vic and Tobacco Factory Theatre on my doorstep, both of which produced a varied and challenging body of wonderful work that kept me captivated and inspired throughout my teenage years. In fact my first steps on stage (aside from a few school plays) were with the Bristol Old Vic Youth Theatre, in a production of Our Country's Good no less. (I was 17 and made a rather hard, bristolian Duckling.)  I hope we've inspired some of the young people watching this week to seek out decent theatre and enjoy it as a regular part of their cultural lives.


"And I would walk 400 miles"...

Hiding Away in our little Berwick nook.

With fingers and toes crossed against another bout of snowfall, the latter half of the week saw us all trekking the 370 mile trip up to the beautiful Berwick-Upon-Tweed and The Maltings Theatre. And now the tour really begins! Jen had booked a number of us into the lovely little rabbit warren that is the Hideaway Hostel within minutes from the theatre. And as we checked in, spying the comfy communal lounge and gorgeous log fire, plans were made for a night in with copious bottles of wine and hi-jinx. AFTER the show. Of course.


The Maltings is a very sweet and ornate little theatre, well loved by it's local audience and equipped with a lovely cafe and spacious rehearsal room where the youth theatre regularly meet. There's a real sense of it's place within the community. The dressing room allocated to us ladies was unlike any other I've been in, a comfy little haven seemingly designed more for tea and lounging than pre-show preparations. The Maltings also has the kitchest of theatre bars plastered with theatre and film posters, ornate mismatched lampshades and trinkets, and old black and white movies streaming on a small screen above the bar. It's the kind of watering hole that wouldn't be out of place in shabby-chic Hoxton. But the beauty of this place is that it's unaware of the fact. And the best thing? It stays open! After the show! Till very late! (or at least until the last sodden actor stumbles out). More of that later. Back to the play in hand.

Our diminutive, cosy dressing room

Our first night at The Maltings played to a sadly small but warm audience. Alastair's decision for us to make a plea at the curtain call for those watching to spread the word worked a treat though, and the numbers did increase for the following night. The stage at The Maltings is the smallest we've been to yet (our set just about fitted on!) but with few small adjustments to exits and entrances we made it work. And after the large scale of our last two venues, what a treat it was to get back some real intimacy in the scenes and not have to worry about being heard on the back row. I was particularly happy to feel a sense of delicacy coming back and as a cast it was noticeable to see many of the others relaxing and playing again with the smaller moments. 

Jack and Sheun overjoyed to settle in as roomies.

It was great to spend some time with the actors and crew after the show. It's important to have a bit of non-work bonding time. I really do think it's reflected in the work done on stage and a number of us enjoyed for the first time being able to hang out together in the evening. It'd been a relentlessly busy few weeks getting the play up and running and as our rehearsal/playing venues up until this point had been within commuting distance, few of us had had the chance to really socialise together without dashing off to catch trains. Being right up on the Scottish border without a paddle meant there was no choice but to entertain ourselves after hours. Particular high-lights (or low-lights depending on your stance) include Jack's fearless whiskey and wine chasers, Alastair's late night dance show in the living room, dog-sitting for John's impossibly large yet tiny-bladdered furry friend, Adam and Ed's laptop DJ wars and bleary eyed breakfasts with Jen.


Preparing for Prison.
On the Friday a group of us met up with Alastair to discuss and draw up a plan for the Prison Worskhop we'll be running next week. Alongside performing the show at the Jersey Opera House we'll be running a drama session with a small group at Jersey's Le Moye Prison. I'm looking forward to being involved in the workshop. Max Stafford-Clark's company of actors did a fair bit of research talking to prisoners when creating their characters for Our Country's Good and some even watched a prison performance at Wormwood scrubs. It comes as second nature for actors to take an acute interest in people from all walks of life, to watch and study their attitudes and their behaviour. You never know when you might need to draw on it. But any insights we take away from working with the prisoners should really be secondary to our aim in delivering a fun, engaging and I hope creatively inspiring workshop, as well as passing on a knowledge and basic understanding of the play. A few actors in our company have been involved in running similar prison workshops before so they're suggestions as to what to expect have been useful. Although I've not worked within a prison environment before, I do have experience of performing and work-shopping with young people in a number of detention centres and pupil referral units. The experience was emotionally tough at times but extremely rewarding. Their engagement with the play we were doing was so funny, so moving, and occasionally truly inspiring.  I look forward to letting you know how we get on next week!


Conjuring Silvia's Shrewsbury.

Saturday in Berwick gave me the chance to explore a bit of the history of this Georgian market town and I discovered that Berwick has more than a few similarities to the picture of Shrewsbury painted by Farquar in The Recruiting Officer.
It was facinating to walk around the historic Town Walls, built in 1558 to keep out the marauding Scot's. And wouldn't you know Shrewsbury has a long history of fighting to keep out the Welsh!

Berwick Barracks today

I also came across the town's army barracks, built in the early 18th century, which really established Berwick as important military town. Looking over the Barracks, the castle and town beyond I began to imagine what Silvia's life might have been like, living in a small sleepy town like this, so often shaken up by the coming and going of a military presence that happens to include the soldier she loves. How hard it must have been, with all the excitement and disruption these men brought with them to then be left behind. Only to wait and hope she'd see her Plume again, safe and sound returned. No wonder she became so "tired of her sex". 

A depiction of old Shrewsbury. Painting by Louise Rayner 

Something About Mary.
Having a week off before going to Jersey has meant that I've had the chance to go and watch some theatre while back in London - a real treat when you're in the middle of job as you never get the chance. Even though some theatres now do Sunday shows, spending your one day off in a dark auditorium is the last thing you want to do. So I was over the moon this week to bag myself a standing ticket for the entirely sold out run of The Recruiting Officer at The Donmar. 
And what a show it was. I could harp on about the wonderful casting, the hilarious energy and spirit of the performers and the beautiful live soundtrack. I could wax lyrical about Josie Rourke's clever salute to the Georgian theatre experience by flooding the stage with candles and embracing a real sense of restoration audience/actor interaction. But you can read the reviews. For me, it was just so exciting to see 'the play within the play' brought to life. Watching Nancy Carroll's bewitching portrayal of Silvia and Wilful I could see exactly why Ralph would have become so drawn Mary in her playing the part.
And how lovely for us that in a BBC Radio 2 interview this week, two of the stars of the show Mark Gatiss and Mackenzie Crook mentioned our production of Our Country's Good with a very kind plug! Thanks lads! I doff my cap.


Next week, we'll be flying to Jersey so stay tuned for the the low-down on our week abroad at the Opera House.


PS. Keep your eye's peeled for this week's cast sneak peek interview with Rachel Donovan coming soon!


Emily x

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