Act 3, Scene 1: Going Coastal

An Actor's welcome in Wales.

Approaching the final leg of the tour we sail into a feisty incoming tide on the coast of Llandudno hoping to seek refuge in its large arena theatre, Venue Cymru. It was a fleeting visit, just 2 nights. But we decided to make the most of it by getting the majority of the cast (except for those commuting to Manchester) checked into the world's most actor-friendly digs - the Can-y-Bae hotel on the promenade. For those unaware of the strange nightly habits of the lesser spotted Turn, accommodating the needs of a bunch of actors can be be hard for some in the 'hospitality' industry to comprehend. We're not  your typical 'on business' guest or quiet B&B type. We sleep in late, unable to rise for anything much earlier than brunch. We work till late, stumbling back from a show around 11pm, hungry, with a thirst on, and feeling the night is still young. We then sit around gassing till the early hours until the banter finally wears thin and we pine for our beds. Our hosts David and Michael at Can-ye-Bae were the first hotel landlords I've met that seemed to not only understand our needs, but actually relish them. Our angels in the night, and devoted patrons of the theatre, not only stayed up to welcome us back after the show, but they also opened up the cosy hotel bar (plastered with show posters and photos of the many famous faces that have stayed there). They plied us with some delicious home cooked curries, pulled pints of local ale on demand and settled in with us chatting away till the early hours. As we eventually trundled bleary eyed to our beds, they even allowed us a slightly later breakfast call and a promise for a similar night tomorrow, if we so wished. Bliss.

Venue Cymru

A town of extremes.
Who knew Llandudno was so famous? Home to 'the longest toboggan ride in Europe!' and 'the oldest  working cable tramway!!' as well as 'the longest travelling Cable Car in the UK!!! and not forgetting 'the longest Pier in Wales!!!!' Unfortunately for us, also home to 'the smallest audiences on tour, ever!' Venue Cymru is a beautifully equipped theatre and conference arena, set in the foothills of Snowdonia and looking out to the sea.  The theatre is a vast 1500 seat receiving house, often showing big musicals, concerts and plays on the no.1 touring circuit. The staff both front of house and backstage gave us a warm welcome and were sorry that tickets had not been selling better. "The comedians do very well here" we're told with a sympathetic smile. Once again, the irony of doing a play about the social importance of theatre and the need to keep our theatrical heritage alive is glaringly present. Nevertheless, our two performances went without a hitch, an excellent rig meant it was beautifully lit and I enjoyed having a large stage to gad about on.
Aside from the shows,  there was plenty of time to explore. Hoping for some adventure Chris and I headed off to check out the Toboggan slide that winds its way through the mountains, and the Ariel cable car. Both were closed due to weather conditions.  A walk along the pier and a blustery tram ride up The Great Orme sufficed, until "the sharp air from the Welsh Mountains made our noses drop" and it was time to scramble back down again. On Wednesday we woke to torrential winds and rain, and a breathtaking view of a fiercely turbulent sea from the comfort of the hotel window. The cast bade each other and our lovely hosts farewell and 'happy Easter' before I began making my way back down south for a well earned 10 day break in the tour. Next stop: the pearly gates of Eastbourne.


West end Wales to Eastbourne tales...

Affectionately known as god's waiting room, Eastbourne has a lot to offer the weary travelling actor. Stunning coastal views, beautiful walks along the summit of Beachy Head (and somewhere to throw yourself off if it all gets too much) and of course the well-loved Devonshire Park Theatre, complete with some of the friendliest 'Friends of the Theatre' I've come across. The theatre is another beautifully restored Frank Matcham, housed in a grade 2 listed building close to the sea-front. The 900 or so seat auditorium is well equipped and a good example of a traditional Victorian theatre, although I think slightly less ornate than some of the Matchams we've seen.

We arrived at the venue early for a line run of the play. Having not performed the show for nearly 2 weeks it was wise to refresh ourselves and get tuned in for the first show back. The actors brain seems to have an amazing ability to store vast amounts of lines, yet only retains what is essential at the time. I often find that even if I've been doing the same play for months, once the job is over and I know I won't be speaking that script again, the lines will quickly drift away making room for the next part. Retaining lines for TV is a different ball game altogether. Rather than having a luxurious rehearsal process to embed the words, you find yourself picking up newly edited scripts hot off the press, and then it's about learning the words quickly and shooting the scene. Those scripts will be completely forgotten by the next day when you're on to something else.
Back to Eastbourne and...the first night was a joy. After the dwindling numbers in Wales we had a wonderfully full crowd, making all the right appreciative noises and spurring us on for  what felt like a really 'fresh' performance for all of us. Just 10 days off meant that the need to really listen to each other came flooding back and I could rediscover some of Mary's moments anew. After the show we had a welcome drinks reception in the bar held by the friends of the theatre. It was lovely to chat to many of them and to hear about their observations or perceptions of the show. The 'Friends' are such an important to asset to many regional theatres. They are the guardians of our theatres. The support they give in helping to publicise events and organise crucial fund-raising is invaluable at a time when arts cuts are forever looming. We actors owe a lot to these people. I just hope  the next generation will follow suit to keep the cultural beacons of their communities alive.


The Battle of Whatley.

On Wednesday, Alastair, Adam, Chris and I headed off for an afternoon at Battle. We spent an informative hour or so exploring the site of the Battle of Hastings, followed by a brisk walk though Hastings Country Park down to the beautiful sea coves. As we headed back to the car for the journey  to theatre, Alastair's phone bleeped. It was Jess, our Stage Manager. John was stuck in horrendous traffic near Guildford and had been at a complete standstill since 5pm. He was not going to make it in time for the show. So, at last it was time for Alastair to make his understudy debut! He did a wonderful job, bravely facing Governor Phillip and John Wisehammer head on in front of a large and receptive audience. It certainly shook the bottle and I think we all stepped up brilliantly to the challenge of having someone completely new on stage. At the interval John arrived exhausted but ready to take back the reigns for Act Two. Alastair had done well, but being an actor down is a nail-biting time for the rest for the cast, and that kind of 'mucking together' in front of a live and paying audience does raise the stress levels somewhat. A well deserved drink in the pub afterwards and a pat on the back for Alastair ended a somewhat adventurous day for us all.


Next week. 
Can you believe it? It's the final showdown! We're all incredibly excited about performing our last few shows at The South Hill Park theatre in Bracknell, followed by an explosive finish (we hope!) at the Finchley Arts Depot. Watch this space for the final something about mary blog!


PS. My final Sneak Peak of the Week is coming soon...An Interview with Original Theatre Company founder, producer, director and (occasional understudy!) Sir Alastair Whatley himself!

Act 2, Scene 10: A maritime adventure.

On home turf.

The sun setting over Greenwich park

Being back in London in the sunshine has been a restorative tonic. I’m very happy on the road. I’m comfortably nomadic and have enjoyed my train, plane and automobile existence. I’ve never had a problem sleeping in ’strangers’ houses or finding my way around somewhere entirely new. I love that my knowledge of the theatrical landscape of this country is ever-expanding. But there’s something about being at home, in London, that makes me breath a sigh of relief. Having something to show for yourself when family and friends wonder what the hell you’ve been doing with you’re life over the last 3 months.

Naval Gazing. 

The Cutty Sark

Greenwich is a beautiful part of south-east London, famous for it’s maritime history and home of the magnificent ship The Cutty Sark, the Royal Obervatorty and stunning parkland and markets. Greenwich Theatre sadly feels like the theatre that time forgot. The black and white photo’s backstage of famous faces that once trod the boards, Joanna Lumley, Linda Basset (wonderful actress and original Liz Morden) show a venue that was once firmly ‘on the map’. What a shame then that once you step backstage there’s a sense that a place once loved has become neglected, dishevelled, not so much in a charming cluttered old theatre type way, but rather dirty, uncared for and a little unwelcoming. The theatre itself, an old Music Hall dating back to the 1870's was bombed during the second world war and remained derelict and empty until it was saved from demolition and refurbished in 1969 to the building you see today. The modern 400 seater proscenium arch is well designed and easy to play although the spacious auditorium is deceptive in hiding a very cramped backstage/wings area for the performers. The theatre has been saved on numerous occasions from closure, most notably by local individuals and benefactors (more so than the Arts Council) and it’s a prime example of theatre in need quite simply of more funding and a lot more love. It was amazing to see the street signpost in Greenwich pointing the public every which way to all the various historical and cultural delights in the area, but inexplicably Greenwich Theatre was not one of them.

Meantime in Greenwich.

Despite all of this, our first night in Greenwich opened to a good crowd of a few hundred punters and audibly appreciative students. Although numbers fluctuated massively from almost full houses  midweek to a depressing 40 or so on a Friday night, I felt as a company we were all relishing the opportunity to perform in London again. On a long tour, it can be beacon of light to know that family or friends are in and it was great to have some loyal supporters along with casting directors and industry professionals watching pretty much every night of the week.

Having just one mid-week matinee meant plenty of time off too to explore Greenwich’s fab markets selling all kinds of quirky bric-a-bac, enjoy a picnic in the park, checkout the Royal Observatory and Greenwich Meantime clock, and take a gander at the Cutty Sark, the magnificent 19th century clipper ship docked there.

Chris, clocking off.

Something About Mary: 
A SURPRISE VIST FROM TIMBERLAKE!

On our final Saturday at Greenwich the glorious week of weather had turned. It was suddenly grey, cold and like winter again and worse still, 80% of the cast had come down with some awful stomach bug. As I gazed dizzily down the bowl of the toilet, I pondered whether we'd picked up some thing horrible from the copious pigeon poo in our dressing room left behind by a feathered friend who'd managed to break in through a window and set up roost with us. That is until it was caught, Mr Miyagi style, and set free by Chris. Whatever the cause the bug left most of us fighting for the loos and generally feeling completely lack luster for our final show. What a joyous surprise then, as we all began packing up and saying our goodbyes, to see Timberlake Wertenbaker herself poke her head around the dressing room door! I cannot tell you how thrilled we were to see her – she’d heard about our production through a friend and unable to make our week at The Rose in Kingston back in February, she'd decided to pop along, sneak herself in at the back with her husband and see how we were all getting along! 

Timberlake's girls.

I instantly recognised her, that wonderful eccentric hair and gentle voice.  Before we could ask the dreaded 'what did you think?' she launched into praise for our production and despite it being a quiet night audience-wise, she was very complimentary about all of our work, and loved the overall design of the show. We chatted about the tour so far, how much the students have been loving it, about Jersey and our prison workshop there. We also talked a little about Max Stafford-Clark's up and coming revival of Our Country's Good happening later this year, which Timberlake will be involved in. It'll be produced by Out of Joint and Bolton Octagon to tour and eventually land in the West End. As far as I'm aware Max won't be coming to see our production. Timberlake suggested from a producing point of view the launch of our production may have stirred things up a bit as the two productions are touring within in the same year.
I mentioned my blog to Timberlake and she agreed to a quick photo before heading over to the pub next door to catch up with Alastair and a few of the other actors already there tucking into their first pint. What a fantastic end to the week!


NEXT WEEK: We're back to Wales again for a whistle-stop tour at Venue Cymru and the coastal shores of Llandudno...


Emily x

Sneak Peak of the Week:

Our company's Deputy Stage Manager, Jess Davey, gives us the low-down on life behind the curtain and all the hard work that goes into keeping the show ticking along...

So Jess, when did you decide you wanted to work in stage management and what kind of training or work has led you to this point? 

I decided I wanted to work in stage management from about 14 years old when I was supporting the work of my local theatre group up at the Edinburgh festival every year. My passion for stage management grew as I saw so many different types of performances, theatre companies and site specific work whilst up there (for example seeing a show that took place in a castle and one really interesting show taking place in 2 cars around driving Edinburgh!). I had an urge to know how it was all put together and who managed it all: who controlled the lights, how did the cast and set get to the festival, who was in charge of the show once in performance and how did the set go together...

I did 3 years at Rose Bruford college and got a 2:1 BA (Hons) in Stage Management. From there on I've been lucky enough to have worked solidly as a freelance Stage Manager.

What advice would you give to anyone looking to go into stage management?

I would advise them simply getting as much experience as they could. And to meet contacts as a lot of work in the production side of theatre is about who you know, and knowing when new projects are coming up. I would also advice that you work under a variety of managers and people with a knowledge to be patient and open minded to challenges.

How did you first come across Original Theatre Company?

I came across Original Theatre Company when replying to a job advert for an Assistant Stage Manager for a six month tour with two shows. I had never been on tour before, but I had managed three shows performing in rep previously. After looking into the company I applied for the role and began what was then my unknown world of touring.

What's been your highlight of the tour so far?

The highlight so far has been meeting Timberlake Wertenbaker. I had previously directed Our Country's Good for my A Level piece while at school - and was just a tiny bit star struck! Unluckily I was doing the get out for the show at the time, otherwise I would've loved to have talked to her about her show and what she thought of what we had done with her play.

What do you hate most about your job?

There are perks and down points of every job. Luckily my role involves a variety of responsibilities and challenges so I'm always kept on my toes - if there is something I don't enjoy I know I will be doing something different very soon. Saying that, laundry is not a enjoyable part of my role, or motivating a cast that might be tired from a long hard week (but then I find buying muffins and chocolates helps).

Can you give us an idea of what the day to day role of a DSM is?

No day for me is the same. It varies depending on if we are getting into a new venue that day to set up for a performance that night, or if I am coming in for a show call. Typically on a day we are getting into a new performance space I will be fitting the set into the venue (with a few bruises and cuts thrown in from having a set made out of timber), rigging the lights, setting up dressing rooms, laundry, maintenance of costumes, setting props, aiding the re-light of the show, going through the LX plot, teching the show with the cast, setting up sound, rigging the hazer and any other technical aspects of the show, cuing the performance and then taking myself to the pub! On a show day I can be setting up the show, arranging laundry if needed, maintenance, opening the house and cuing the show and pre-setting the show during the interval. Everything to keep you on your toes!

Are you bored of watching the play yet?!

After watching the show over 100 times there are moments that can get repetitive to watch. However, I get to see something different every time I see the show as it's never the same. Lots of moments are re-discovered by the cast, and those are the times it's great to watch your cast playing with what is already a brilliant show.

Do you have any other exciting work coming up after this?

Being a freelancer there are always opportunities that you can discover. There are a few opportunities that I would love to be a part of - but we'll see what happens. For now I'm enjoying looking after my cast and seeing the rest of the tour through til the end of April.

http://www.originaltheatre.com/ 

Act 2, Scene 9: Over the hills and far away.

A Buxton Spring.
It was a flying visit to Buxton Opera House but what a treat it was. I arrived the night before in order to get a good night's rest after the long drive North. And I'm glad I did - the free morning meant I could take a rejuvenating stroll around the Pavilion Gardens, take a gander at some feathered friends, and fill a bottle of the good stuff at the Buxton hillside spring.

Duckling was non-plussed at the Buxton family re-union

You can't match a Macham.
The Opera House is a glorious Frank Macham theatre, designed by the famous Edwardian theatrical architect around 1903. Macham and his trainees were responsible for the creation of hundreds of beautifully designed theatres and music halls around the building boom of the late 19th/early 20th century. The breath-taking architecture and wonderful acoustics mean that it's a real pleasure for actors to perform in one, and it's certainly one of the most impressive theatres we've toured to so far. 

After the get-in and top and tail of scenes, I spent a little more time than usual warming up on stage - it was a big space to fill and despite the wonderful acoustics, I wanted to make sure the few family and friends I had watching that night were not going to miss a syllable! The way each actor warms up for a show is as individual as the actor themselves, whether it's an hour of intense yoga, or coffee and fag outside stage door. I personally like to spend around 20mins each night going through a number of physical and vocal exercises. I start by warming up my body and then concentrate on resonance and diction using a number of exercises I picked up at Drama School, or through other practitioners I've worked with along the way. For me it's a time just to focus, to push to the back of mind any other stuff I've been dealing with that day and make sure I'm physically ready to perform.

Buxtons beautiful auditorium

We had a fantastic crowd in that night. I played Buxton Opera House on another tour about 4 years ago and I was reminded what a warm and loyal audience they get at there. The theatre had arranged for us to hold a "Post-Show Discussion" that night. It's quite a common occurrence in many regional venues where the audience grill the actors, and actors the get a free drink. I always enjoy the post-show talks - it's interesting to hear what an audience has picked up on and to get an idea of their immediate response to the play, straight from the horses mouth so to speak. We talked a bit about the rehearsal process and improvisation, about Timberlake's writing and there was some interesting feedback about the cross-gender casting. Sometimes the questions you get in the these talks can be a little tedious - the dreaded "how did you learn your lines" always makes me squirm. Not only because the real answer is dull  (pretty much parrot fashion until it goes in) but also because of all the things one could ask about, it's really the most mechanical and monotonous part of much larger process, a tiny cog in the wheel that powers the production. I suppose most people have little idea of what an actor does 'in rehearsal' so I do understand why that question arises, but it's a little like eating a 3 course meal and then asking the chef how he found the cutlery!


Reminiscing in at Clwyd.
On Tuesday morning I met with Al, Rach, Chris and Sheun at the well loved Cafe on the Green Pavilion and enjoyed one of the best breakfasts I've had in ages. With a full belly and a good dose of caffeine running through our veins we made our way back to the car for a sunny drive through the hills to our next venue - Theatre Clwyd.
Theatre Clwyd holds a special place in my heart as it's where I took my first professional stage job after graduating from drama school. I played Daphne Stillington, the young debutante and wannabe actress in Noel Coward's Present Laughter, directed by Christopher Morahan. It was a wonderful comic role, and working with a fantastic cast of experienced actors I learnt more on that job than I did in almost my entire time training. As I walked backstage into my old dressing room the nerves and excitement of taking that first big step in my career all came flooding back. Theatre Clwyd is pretty much regarded in the industry as the national theatre of Wales and although seemingly tucked away in the North-Waleian market town of Mold, has been producing an extensive body of reputable work under the leadership of Terry Hands for many years.

Our set looking great in the Antony Hopkins Theatre, Clwyd.

Our first night opened to a good sized crowd and it was nice to hear afterwards that an old school friend, now a teacher in Chester, had brought along his A-Level group who really enjoyed the show. Sadly, the audiences for the rest of the week dwindled and petered out. This seemed more than ever to really knock the morale of the company. We're now three months in to the tour and it can be hard to keep the positive energy going when we're getting such wonderful feedback from those who do come along, but for whatever reason the marketing at a particular venue lets us down and we don't have the bums on seats to show for it.

Perks of the job: a view of my digs in the heart of the Welsh valleys.

We Three at Loggerheads.

They said it doesn't grow on trees...

Later in the week to cheer ourselves up, Rach, Chris and I took a little day trip to Loggerheads Country Park. It was a beautiful clear sunny day and the chance to lark about in the woods, climb some hills and and explore a cave or two really blew away the cobwebs. I even stumbled across a money tree - lets hope that's a good omen for the weeks to come.

Rach adds a coin and makes a wish

By happy co-incidence, we also happened to be performing at Clwyd the same week as an old Drama School friend and brilliant actress, Caryl Morgan was playing in A Dolls House in the studio. It was great to catch up with her on marriage, babies and careers so far. Suddenly drama school feels like an age ago (nearly 7 years ago in fact) and so much has changed. I'm just glad to still be doing what I love most.

Next week, it's back south to London for a week at Greenwich Theatre - stay tuned for info about a surprise exclusive meeting! And in this week's Sneak Peak interview I'll be breaking away from the acting side of things for an insight behind the scenes.....


Emily x