Sneak Peak of the Week:

Actress Rachel Donovan takes time out to discuss her multiple roles in the play and experiences so far....


So Rach, how did you come to work for Original Theatre Company?

I first heard about Original when I was doing 'The Miser' at the Coventry Belgrade, with the actress Lin Blakley.  She had worked with Original on 'Vincent in Brixton' and mentioned what a wonderful experience it had been.  Ever since then they were on my radar, so when a breakdown came into my co-op agency looking for Irish actresses for their next production of 'Dancing at Lughnasa' I forwarded the details to a cracking actress, Siobhan O'Kelly.  She subsequently got the job, and so when their following tour for 'See How They Run/Twelfth Night' came in, Siobhan kindly returned the favour and submitted my name.
 


You play 3 roles in the play, including a hilarious scene stealing cameo as 'Shitty Meg'. Have you done a lot of comedy before?

I trained in Clown and Mask under John Wright.  This background seems to steer me towards seeking the 'funny bone' in any character I play.  Comedy is definitely what thrills me the most.  My worry with 'Shitty Meg' is that she's very easily played for laughs, so I consciously try to fight against this.  I want her to represent the 'lowest of the low', a convict who has reached a ripe old age by being manipulative, bold and opportunistic.
 



What was your favourite part of rehearsals?

Controversially I loved the early research period in the first week.  We studied individually then reported our findings back to the group, consequently it felt like a collective learning process.
 


The real-life Dabby Bryant's incredible escape from the Australian penal colony, and subsequent survival, has been well documented and dramatised. Were you able to practically feed any of this research into your playing of the Dabby we see in the play?

Ultimately the Dabby I'm playing has been informed by Timberlake's script.  Initially I was seduced by other 'versions' of this historical figure (because there are so many) and I foolishly thought I could incorporate them all into one mega Dabby!  I attempted to draw up a factual timeline - from her arrival on the colony to her daring escape - but this clashed with the chronology of the play.  Same thing happened when I collated a list of Dabby'swants/desires/needs (imagined from the 'historical fiction' books about her) but this just got in the way of trying to play the intentions of each scene.  However, what I have taken from all these Dabbys is the overriding sense that she was a survivor - someone who had bags of resolve and an inner resource of hope.  Someone who would employ a mixture of bullying and encouragement to achieve results.  
 

Do you have any pre-performance rituals which help you prepare each night?

I found a couple of folk songs about Dabby, so they are now on my ipod and I love listening to them while I'm warming up.
 

The complex 'friendship' between Dabby and Mary is initiated with Mary being 'pimped out' for food on the ship. But there's a real shift in their relationship throughout the play. Is it Mary that needs Dabby or vice versa?
This shift is nicely tweaked each time they appear.  On the face of things, Mary relies on Dabby to be her mouthpiece and to secure all her 'contracts'.  But the tide begins to turn by Act 1 Scene 8.  In which Mary finally speaks up, in turn Dabby suppresses her.  Dabby treads a delicate line of motherly manipulation for selfish gain, but it is Mary who has to 'spoon feed' her the lines.  Dabby is eventually left behind (literally, at the top of Act 2 when she doesn't appear in 'Visiting Hours') but is this because she has distanced herself - perhaps preparing physically and mentally for her escape.   
 

If Dabby had one item that she was allowed to bring to Australia, what would it be?

Unbelievably she did bring something back from Oz.  Despite being recaptured and subjected to the worst treatment of all on her return journey to England, Dabby clutched onto a parcel of dried sweet tea.  She had collected this before they embarked, and eventually gave it in thanks to her emancipator James Boswell.  But my choice item would be....well considering she had nothing, a piece of Plymouth rock - which would act as her Talisman. A little piece of home. 

http://www.originaltheatre.com/

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

http://www.originaltheatre.com/

Act Two, Scene Three: Kingston for a stage.

Baptism of fire at The Rose.
After just 4 preview shows at The Haymarket, we arrived at The Rose in Kingston ready to launch into an eight show week in a completely new and unusual space. Alastair had made us all aware the week before that some adaptions to the staging would need to be made. Coming from a traditional proscenium arch theatre to the large open half-moon stage of the Rose, with its close up pit for audience on cushions, meant a little re-blocking was in order! We arrived early on the Monday to give ourselves time to check out the space and its rather more challenging acoustics. Our set is very open and as there are only cloth curtains enclosing the back of the stage (rather than lovely sound-bouncy, reverberating hard walls) I soon realised that diction and projection were going to be key. Once the cast had assembled we walked through a 'top and tail' of each scene working out where exits and entrances would be made and how to navigate all our quick costume changes and 'push and pull' business in the horseshoe like corridor of the backstage area. 


It was cold backstage. VERY cold. I was not surprised to see snow by the end of the week, even though I always think London might avoid it somehow. If you took a sneak peak behind the scenes you'd have been greeted with the sight of half dressed turns toasting their feet and mitts on a large electric heater, like giant 18th century Donner kebabs, primed with a marinade of glycerin water. That's the stage 'sweat' spray we use to make ourselves look like we're in sweltering Sydney. How ironic.


We had some lovely audiences at the Rose, a nice mix of students and regular 'punters' and perhaps due to the presence of the 'creative' types of Kingston we noticed that the references to theatrical traditions and Wisehammer's play-writing quips went down particularly well.  Being in London also meant that many of us city-dwellers were able to enjoy the attendance of friends and loved ones, as well as agents and casting directors - all very important in the world of 'self promotion'. Whether we enjoy it or not, it's something we actors need to keep on top of. As much as you can get sucked into the world of your current project, there's always a constant nag wondering how you're going to secure your next job....

Phil, playing Asrcott, playing Kite, on mic.

As well as performing in the evenings and matinees, there were various calls from Alastair to further tighten some of the scenes. We also had a final session with Tim Van Eyken who made some more musical adjustments to the songs in the piece, and taught us a strong warm-up routine to keep us all vocally tight  and sounding sweet once on the road. On Wednesday we were all asked to assist with the pre-recording of Arscott's final speech. Our Country's Good ends with the the opening of the Recruiting Officer with John Arscott playing Sargent Kite. As he begins the colony's first performance behind the makeshift curtain, we watch the actors hear the rowdy but positive response to the play. The play ends with the excitement and exhilaration of the convicts and Ralph as their show appears to be a success. It's a powerful theatrical device to end on, so it was important to get it right. In the previews we'd tried Phil speaking this closing speech live from behind the curtain accompanied by canned laughter and cheering. But the timing never seemed quite right and the live speech jarred with the recorded responses. So we decided to record our own versions of the convict and officer audience responses. The opportunity for some company rhubarbing didn't go amiss. We made a somewhat more rowdy, excited crowd. Phil then recorded his speech as well and the two were mixed together along with the closing strains of Beethoven's 5th symphony. The result is far clearer and cleaner and certainly helps punctuate the end of the show with a real fervour and oomph. And it's neat that we now play the entire first fleet of New South Wales.


Congrats in order!
It's been an exciting time for the company this week. Not only have we received some wonderful reviews for the show, including 4 Stars from Libby Purves in The Times, it's also been announced that Original Theatre Company have been nominated for the MEN Awards Best Touring Production for their recent show Dancing at Lughnasa. It's a fantastic achievement for the company to be recognised alongside some top-class theatrical institutions in the same category including the Donmar Warehouse and The National Theatre. Here's wishing Alastair and the team best of luck! 
And we have an award winner in our midst! On Sunday Aden Gillet (who plays Phillip and Wisehammer) won Best Actor in the Off-West End Awards for his previous showAccolade. 
How lovely to be working with such a talented team.

White Out 
During the performance of the final Kingston show, the snow began to fall rapidly. By the time the curtain had come down and we'd packed away our dressing rooms there was a thick layer of the white fluffy stuff coating the roads. We hurriedly said our goodbyes, anxiously heading off to trains and cars for icy cold and tentative journeys home. 


Next up on the touring schedule - it's the North/South hop where we begin the week at the Reading Hexagon Theatre and finish up at the Maltings Theatre in Berwick-upon-Tweed. Let's hope we thaw out in time and continue to get a warm reception!
That's me done for this week but in order to give you lovely readers out there a further insight into the play and our company, here's the first of my weekly interview's for a real peek behind the scenes.
Enjoy.


Emily x


SNEAK PEEK OF THE WEEK:  Chris Harper on playing Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark.


So Chris, how did you get the part?


"Well, two years ago I played Stanhope in Journey's End for Original Theatre Company. Then I assisted Alastair on Dancing at Lughnasa and went on to direct See How They Run last year, so this is my fourth project with the company. But I didn't expect to get cast in this one at all. Ralph has always been a mystery to me and there are elements to him that I'm still discovering every night in performance. And that was really what my audition was: I told Alastair that I was completely lost when it came to Ralph and although it's a part I've known of for a long time I no idea who he was. So I'm amazed I got cast."


You say you know about the part of Ralph before. When did you first come across the play?


"I played John Arscott in my Bristol Old Vic Theatre School production. I had long hair and a beard and tattoos all over my body for the part.  Ralph was played by a lovely actor called Bruce Godfrey, who was certainly very good at portraying uptight and 'pure as driven snow'. But upon reading Ralph's diaries this time round and reading the novel the play was set against, and the history in The Fatal Shore, I've realised there's a lot more to Ralph than I expected. The diary entries in the first act of the play I find particularly tricky because they're neither clear exposition or narrative as such, and they are taken verbatim from the diary entries of the real Ralph Clark (not even in sequential order). So I'm having to speak them out loud and they were written to be read, so that's an interesting theatrical question. I have to admit I've also been very aware of the fact the original Ralph was played by David Haig. He's such a distinctive actor so I've really wanted to make Ralph my own."


Would you say that's been the biggest challenge of rehearsing Ralph?


"Well aside from all that there's a far more internal, human challenge of finding someone who's desperately shy and desperately unhappy, who's having to lead a group of people he has very little respect for. And trying to find his core, his sense of humour, his attitude throughout scenes where he's very aware of he should be behaving. So there's a struggle there, and I find find he starts a very tangled web of an unhappy man."


What did you enjoy most about rehearsals?


"One of my favourite moments is when you see the first full run through and you see what everyone else has been doing. We have a fantastically strong cast, all of whom are deeply involved in their characters and have done some excellent work. And as well as enjoying watching them, I also only then really began to understand where Ralph sat in terms of his place in the team. The actor playing Ralph is the only actor who plays just one part, and I think of him very much as a continuous thread- we definitely see the play through him. So from from the outside I'm very aware that Ralph is the audience's way in to the play. I felt I understood Ralph better once I saw the world he was in come to life"


Have a you done a play set in this period before?


"I've got a big old period face and I tend to do a lot of stuff set in war-time Britain, but yes, actually just recently I was playing 3 parts in a production of Persuasion at Salisbury Playhouse for Kate Saxon. That's a Jane Austen so it's set a just a few years later than Our Country's Good."


What's been your a favourite role to date?


"I'm now beginning to really enjoy playing Ralph because he's been one of the most difficult I've ever attempted and the last few performances I've caught myself actually enjoying it at times! I found Stanhope in Journey's End incredibly rewarding. I think I had most fun playing Don Pedro in Much Ado. He's always played so urbane and formal, he's always so respectable. I think he's more like Oberon- he comes up with all the ideas, all the mischief, he's great fun.


What attracts you to Our Country's Good?


Every time we perform this I see something new in it. Something someone will do or say, some word will resonate differently. It gets funnier and it gets sadder. And everyday and it gets more pertinent. Whether you're thinking of the way society treats prisoners today, or the way a teacher tries to control a class, or the way a director may work with a cast today, or perhaps how a play is received by someone watching it today, this show echoes all of these. You can hear it in the audience, every page has something that makes you think "that happens now, to me". The audience hang on every word because of that.

http://www.originaltheatre.com/