What have I been waiting for?

    Some of my closer friends are likely to know that I'm a sucker for horror movies, and also very rarely turn down a night at the theatre. If I'd come to Let The Right One In knowing that the play was a horror of some sort then I would've been incredibly excited, but also somewhat nervous. Being a big fan of Carrie the musical, a great show was let down by it's inability to be scary. Which may not always be the intention, although with the Brian De Palma classic film, it's difficult for people not to expect a horror story.
     On the contrary, Let The Right One In was incredibly chilling, and also took advantage of something most horrors neglect, a sweet heart. Maybe that's why I opened up so much to it only to be shaken by it's true premise. The story of a lonely outcast called Oskar (Portrayed faultlessly by Martin Quinn) who struggles in a world with bullies on his track, a disinterested father. We know it's only a matter of time before he meets somebody who isn't normal, in comes Eli (Rebecca Benson). She is a young girl, or at least she seems to be, with a knack for solving rubix cubes and a distaste for foam bananas. Rebecca's portrayal was eerie throughout and also gripping. We saw her and Oskar slowly fall in love, drawing us even further into their story and leaving us more vulnerable. I admit to making good use of a cider during the interval to calm my sorry nerves. Another element that played with fate to its advantage was the physical theatre that made several appearances, most notably during the "pool scene" where Eli saves Oskar from being drowned by his tormentors. It's very easy for physical theatre mixed with horror to turn into something particularly corny. Where death scenes tend to be unrealistic when performed live, it seems cliche to use dance instead. However this was used appropriately, and as we saw earlier on in the play to our shock, and horror to some. The use of stage blood in this production was effective and spine chilling. Here is where Rebecca stole the show during her killing scenes, and in one particularly blood soaked scene after she reveals her true nature to Oskar.
      Having been waiting for contemporary horror and theatre to blend at some point, Let The Right One In hit me where most productions have never hit me before. The tension was effective, the stagecraft was also incredibly intriguing. My special compliments go to the director and the playwright, who have succeeded in bringing what I have been waiting for to life. I am very thankful to have received the privilege of seeing such a show, especially one that has inspired my directorial interest so much. Seeing this production truly was an eye opener, and has earned it a place in the top 10 shows I have ever seen.

A step above the rest, or was it 39?

    Going to the Criterion Theatre Wednesday night was new and exciting for me. I have seen many shows in my time, but excluding certain amateur productions that my friends have performed in, every show I'd seen had been a musical. Naturally, going to see The 39 Steps was a great way to start this off. Plays on the West End suffer in such a way that Musicals benefit. Whenever you go to London, you expect to see posters of The Lion King riding past on a bus and you'll probably walk down the street afterwards humming Circle of Life. In the same way, I challenge you to spend a day in London and not see an ad for Wicked or Les Miserables. We also know their songs, and that attracts a greater audience. Play's don't benefit from this as much. Indeed they have a much smaller public eye in London. How then has the Mousetrap lasted so long versus some of the great showtunes of the early century? I don't know myself as I am yet to see Mousetrap, however this argument has a similar influence on The 39 Steps, which has been an eye catcher on Piccadilly Circus for many years now, but up until yesterday I knew very little about it. I knew straight away what I'd been missing out on. 

      The 39 Steps is an all round funny production that is likely to please audience members of all ages. I went in with no expectations, but it wouldn't have mattered much if I did. The play makes effective use of physical comedy to bring scenes from Alfred Hitchcock's classic to life in a brand new manner. Some of the brighter gags involve cast members Greg Haiste and Nick Holder taking on multiple roles without even stepping off stage. Another source of light hearted entertainment came from the satire of minimalistic theatre, particularly during a long cat and mouse scene taking place on a moving train. Another example of this is during a windstorm later on in the show. Both sequences were executed impressively by all cast members, especially Ben Righton, who took on the lead role of a man falsely accused of murder. Ellie Beaven, who also played several roles in the production, portrayed his love interest with exceptional elegance, although her highlight of comedy came earlier on when she played the murder victim in black in the first five minutes of the show. This is something I personally attribute to the script not giving her characters as much scope, although not something I consider to be an issue with the script. Alas the contrast only heightened the comedy for the remainder of the performance.

     Leaving the performance, I certainly felt light at heart and jolly. That is what a comedy is meant to do. The 39 Steps succeeds at the core purpose of a comedy, and that is why it stands out to me as an exceptional performance.

Joining the dots

     I must say it seems like the past month has flown by. Has it really been over a month since I last posted? Nonetheless I have a lot to discuss about my adventures and two reviews to share with you. So time to discuss.

     

     Last time I spoke to you all, I was preparing for a weekend long crew experience at the University of Bath Summer Ball. Although I didn't do much technical work, I spent a lot of time in the designing department. We had the privilege of Rizzle Kicks coming to perform for many "recently ex students" and students having a few drinks and a party to celebrate the end of a triumphant year. In my department, I worked with a designer who was working with the theme of Midsummer Night's Dream, which was because of a recent production at the university amphitheatre. Naturally, this meant I spent a great deal of the weekend painting papier mache trees, leaves and other midsummer features to decorate the stage where Rizzle Kicks performed. I never got to see the performance, and only went backstage to grab some kit, but from what I heard it was a great success. Most of my other duties were unrelated to performance, so let's move on.

      As soon as I was out of the event, and caffeine starting to wear off sadly enough, we went into rehearsals for a performance of Death Inc at Bath Fringe. A new play directed by the playwright, Andy Massey, the script drew satire from the failures of technology that is rapidly replacing human labour in modern times, with a dark twist, after all the play is set in the afterlife. The director here was a lot more specific about the characters motives and nature, which helped me find a comfortable suit within my role. I guess this is the advantage of working with the playwright. He also gave us a lot more physical freedom in terms of blocking. Seeing as I spent most of my time on stage rolling a pebble around, I was given a lot more freedom; this I found daunting to begin with, however I grew to relish that freedom. The characterization also gave me a chance to work on my voice acting, which I have been hoping to improve for a while. We performed alongside a very different production called Ever Hopeful, written and directed by Maddie Winn. This tackled something that almost every actor faces, unless they're lucky enough to make a big break early on. The theatrical world takes dog eats dog to a whole new level, there's competition everywhere, and there reaches a point for many "Ever Hopeful"'s that maybe it makes more sense to look closer to home. The four characters are all a broad portrayal of this time in an actors life. We have Dom, who holds out and by the end of the show is looking to make it; then his best friend James, long ago James was also hopeful but since then he is now working in a bank, the dreams of being spotted long have passed. Next we have Cecily, a sweet girl eager to discover musical theatre, but there are only so many hurdles she can cross. Finally there is Meg, who's dream is a little more self destructive. Her desire to become an object of men's dreams drives her to more complicated and difficult scenarios. Whilst the premise is a strong one, the concept of dreams vs reality is somewhat lost in a love triangle and personal issues which gain significance in the play's story. How different would the play have been had the story been more loyal to the difficulties of performing? Only Maddie knows, and we can only speculate.

      Alongside this, I made a brief debut in radio acting. Over a week I offered my voice to some cameo roles in another original radio show called Crowe. A mystery set in Bath. Broadcast is estimated to be in July on 1449 URB. Do keep an eye out if you are interested.

     Fast forward two weeks, after my theatrical life got put on hold to move back in with my parents briefly before I begin my new job in September, I returned to my roots at an acting workshop this Wednesday in London. City Academy offered a two hour workshop on creating a character. I as an individual got to work with my directors hat back on. The workshop focused on emphasis to a characters motives, I also got to work alongside two incredibly talented performers to act out a scene from the play Cipher. In this scene, a suspected man is confronted by an undercover spy, she knows he's innocent and is out to prove them wrong, but she can't do it alone. Having no other knowledge of the play, I had to assume a lot about the characters bond. What I found useful was listening to the actors reading through. Following this workshop, I am tempted to investigate this play further. We then followed our experience with two shows on the West End, first a comedy entitled "The 39 Steps" and a darker piece called "Let The Right One In". These are what I will review in later posts. They were a great opportunity to recap what we learnt in the workshop, and were both incredibly enjoyable productions. But more on that in the next two posts.

My theatrical life is looking a bit bleak at the moment, although I am preparing for an audition to join an amateur dramatics company in Southampton when I move there in August. Next year I will be visiting many productions put on by my good friends back in Bath. So in truth, it'll never grow old. Until then, continue to be ever hopeful guys.

Things are getting interesting again.

Hi folks, 

         It's that time of year again where I finish my exams and all my attention goes towards anything an audience appreciates. Who am I kidding? Most of the time it's building my collection of whacky ideas, but one day they'll be appreciated. Recently, I'm getting a bit more hands on (Yes I know, naughty!) as I've been a crew member for my university's Summer Ball. This is the event that celebrates a long and exciting year, with performances from artists such as Rizzle Kicks. My role here is hardly as theatrical as my usual adventures, here involves a lot of putting stuff together, today I was working on some papier mache trees for the guests to admire, hardly authentic, but still creative. Tomorrow I will continue with this, spending 25 hours on call making sure the event runs smoothly, I expect a lot of coffee throughout and the best sleep of my life afterwards.

          But there's no rest for the wicked. On the contrary, I am going straight into rehearsals after this event for a brand new original play titled Death Inc, which will be performed at the Bath Fringe Festival this year. Here I will get the experience of working with the director who also holds the title of playwright. This is something new for me, I look forward to seeing his approach.

         A short entry I know, just a little update before I go on my weekend long adventure. So hopefully I'll see you all very soon.

If we shadows have offended, think but this, and all is mended.

      The weather was lovely, our picnics were out, we all flocked to the lake to see Bath University Student Theatre's production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. I myself have never seen a Shakespeare performance before, but believe me I was impressed. Having studied this play when I was 12, I was not in need of an interpreter as is many the case of Shakespeare. Alas the lines were delivered accurately and with intent, which was a great help.

The Amphitheatre

      Performing at the University of Bath amphitheatre was without a doubt a good call by director Brian Murray, who took advantage of the beautiful scenery to create a minimalist, but ideal setting for this comedy. Indeed, Mr Murray never forgot that Midsummer is Shakespeare's great comedy, whilst keeping the tradition and style of the piece loyal to Shakespeare's age, subtle updating was used to retain a few laughs from the audience.

      Performers were eager to take on the challenge of Shakespeare, which BUST hadn't delved into for a long time. Memorable performances came from Oscar Brennecke-Dunn as Bottom and Sam Lamont as Quince, who harnessed the power struggle between these characters in a way that was both believable, and pleasing to watch. Other highlights for me included Anny Hughes' Puck, who's mischievous actions act as an essential catalyst for the story, Anny's delivery was consistent with the style and thoroughly enjoyable.

Anny Hughes as Puck

     Other highlights included the mechanicals' performance of "Pyramus and Thisby" at the end of the play. Stealing most of the play's laughs, a majority of which come from Thom Kidgell's Flute performing as Thisby, the tragic lover of Pyramus. 

(L-R) Oscar Brennecke-Dunn as Bottom, Emily Light

as Snout, Sam Lamont as Quince, Thom Kidgell as

Flute.

     Whilst the development of the four lovers central to the comedy felt a bit neglected at places, the performances for these characters were also strong, including the fight scene sparked by Puck's intervention. Which provided strong acting and some great comedy from Guiseppe Guarino as a bold Demetrius, Lizzie Wood as a vulnerable but headstrong Hermia, Cameron Morrissey, who approaches Lysander with a slick approach to his manipulation by the fairies, and last but not least, Hollie Christian-Brookes plays Helena with great confidence, with a touch of victimization during her confusion later on in the play.

(L-R) Cameron Morrissey as Lysander, Hollie

Christian-Brookes as Helena, Lizzie Wood as Hermia

      Other comments should be made to Rafael San Martin and Claire O'Riordan Bagnall as Theseus and Hyppolyta respectively, who provide a level headed, yet totalitarian constriction on the events of the play in a completely appropriate way; Janna Chapman as Egeus, who pays particular attention to the Law vs Love themes of the play and executes them well; Oberon and Titania's fallout was maturely delved into by Connor McMorton and Francesca Webster respectively, particularly Titania's infatuation with ass-headed Bottom being one of the more memorable images of the play.

Oscar Brennecke-Dunn as Bottom

Francesca Webster as Titania

      Finally, we have Starveling, played by Terry Thomas, who harnessed the minimalist approach to the show and gave a fluid portrayal of the shy tailor playing moonshine; Anthony De Rauville's portrayal of Philostrate was a pleasant homage to the contrast between the Athenians aristocracy and the simplistic mechanicals; Emily Light as Snout performed beyond the expectation of a wall, her use of facial expressions during the "Pyramus and Thisby" scene added to the scene miraculously. Another highlight was Laz Cunliffe's Snug, an all round comical performance of a lovable character. Something difficult to achieve in the Shakespeare world. She also made a convincing lion.

Laz Cunliffe as Snug

Although easy to forget about, let us not forget the hard work put in by the producers to make this show what it was. Ethan Duffy, Michelle Walder, Abby Morell and Emily Light took on the role particularly unlike that of a traditional production. With good teamwork and some clever prop-use, they did the show as much justice as Brian did as director or any cast member. With this production came many challenges, and new ventures for an already keen society, it is safe to say that it paid off and I would be returning hungry for more of these productions in the future.

Logical isn't it?

Here is a little detour from my usual ramble. This weekend I was lucky enough to see my first Shakespeare show, a review is upcoming but I am here this morning to share with you something a little bit different. We all know that any career in the arts takes awareness, contacts, and standing out from the crowd. I know this is something I need to work on myself, however I have taken the initiative to help out a good friend in the same area. Logicalee is an upcoming sound artist from the UK, whilst his music is frequently upbeat and discoesque, perfect for a workout or dance, he likes to experiment with diverse music genre's. As a favour I have decided to share this with my keen audience. Although most of you will be keen theatricals or techie wizards, I'm sure some of you will appreciate a bop or swing.

https://soundcloud.com/logicalee/sets/showreel

The arts is a complicated and ruthless business to be involved with, those who jump into it and challenge it are incredibly brave and a lot of trust goes. My decision to share this is because whilst looking for contacts, being a contact of some sort won't harm anybody. Besides, who doesn't like a bit of healthy competition?

Don't worry guys. I'm still here.

After many months of absence, and deadlines looming, I decided to return to this blog for not only your sake but also mine. Despite this, I have not received an opportunity to direct since November. This was an interesting show, we had a very short amount of rehearsal time and I was undertaking a lot during that short time. I was also co-producing and stage managing a different show, starting off on committee for a new society, getting all the paperwork done to start my new job and finally I have a degree to complete. This was an interesting experience to say the least, which I am fully aware from my experience of directing Bad Girls last year that I could've managed far better. Running from commitment to commitment meant I was forced to arrive late regularly, and after completing my commitment to a different show, exhaustion took hold and I committed the ultimate directorial sin and missed the first hour of my rehearsal. Were I to go back to the opportunity, this is the one thing about it that I would change, I now know not to take on so much, even if it's physically possible, the commitment overload really does have an effect on your performance in the role as well as your wellbeing. Now that my commitments are much less dense, I'm happy to say that I feel a lot more at ease. Here is a little bit more about how the show was constructed and my directing process, despite what I said, there was a lot of merit to the event as it was welcoming to new members and was a lot of fun for those involved.

The show itself was constructed of thirteen numbers. Four were assigned to each director, and the remaining number was set up as a choreographed opening number. My four numbers were:-

• I just can't wait to be king, from The Lion King
• Skyfall - from the film of the same name
• Hellfire - from The Hunchback of Notre Dame
• Always Look on the Bright Side of Life - from Life of Brian

The first number that I worked on was Skyfall, and this grew to be like my own child as I arranged it myself for a female choir and three soloists. This went through many different forms on stage, the arrangement itself changed regularly and the interest was beyond the scope of those who took part. Originally formed as a traditional choir with a rumba dance solo between "bond" and a "bond girl". The latter of these was sadly cut as I didn't want it to distract from the arrangement. Also, when we got to the theatre, it was apparent that a spotlight effect was being used for another director's number. I decided to use this to my advantage and rearranged the choir in these spotlights. This number had tricky harmonies, and I am very grateful for having such a patient choir especially with the limited rehearsal time. They gave up a lot of free time to rehearse and I couldn't have pulled it off without them.

My next number was "I just can't wait to be king". A classic that anybody who grew up in the 90s is bound to know. Due to the talent of my lead roles, I decided to expand Nala's role so that all three performers had an equal amount of time in the spotlight. This number had more practise as I completed it earlier, and because it was such a popular song we had an enthusiastic chorus of "animals" who came along to experience the fun. With its bright colours and upbeat singing/choreography. I feel as if this number came out to be my strongest. 

Following on from this, I started working on the Monty Python number. I incorporated this into the compere slot which was placed just before this number. I was a bit unsure as to how I would attack it, I only had a score for the version used in Monty Python Spamalot, which didn't have the macabre joy and reassurance that the original had. I decided to go with this for simplicity until I spoke to the musical director and realised that we didn't necessarily need sheet music. With this revelation, I quickly reblocked with this in mind. The new ending provided an opportunity to break the fourth wall much as Eric Idle did in the classic film. This breaking gradually became an ad-lib by the two soloists, and it certainly paid off. I had a smaller chorus than I was expecting, and those who were involved put their apsolte best into the performance which involved a lot of swingy clicks and a chorus line esque moment which I had in mind for a full chorus, nonetheless they worked really well with it. Sadly however, due to lack of rehearsal time and mishaps on my part, this number felt a bit sparse, not because of the chorus at all, they were brilliant, but because the blocking itself needed more content. This could've been resolved had there been more rehearsal time. But the fourth wall moment to close was incredibly popular with the audience and a great relief.

My final number was a number with very talented performers. Hellfire was one of my favourite Disney villain songs out there. It only had a week of rehearsals sadly, this was a slight issue as the chorus were expected to learn latin hymns in that time. When we got to the show itself, I was incredibly nervous. Part of me thought it wouldn't work out as it was very reliant on physical theatre to provide an effect that should be considered menacing. The actual performance itself was actually quite good. The chorus put a lot of effort into learning the latin, and were precise with their movements. I was also blessed with a soloist who had such an admirable voice, even if the number had fallen apart he still would've had a bold response from the audience. Another asset to this number was a flamenco dancer who took on the role of Esmeralda, the gypsy who Frollo obsesses over in this song. She mate her choreographing debut with this number and performed a sensual dance that fit swimmingly well into the scene. Even with the short amount of time, this number was pulled off incredibly well. Although simple, it was down to a strong cast.

           Whilst there was a lot that I could've done very differently with this project, I learnt a lot from it, being my first attempt to choreograph movements as I had previously worked with choreographers. This has expanded as I now feel more comfortable with such aspects of theatre. Since then, I have taken up tap dancing as an evening hobby, and research the technical aspects of ballet to expand my knowledge of dance. This being an area of theatre that I lack most experience in, I am glad that I've taken the time to learn more about this.

           Since this experience, I have displayed regular interest in directing again, however an opportunity has not arisen. I have however had the opportunity to see others' approach to directing in the meantime. After Christmas, I was involved in a production of Anything Goes. For the first time since I left home, I was involved in a traditional musical with a full orchestra. The director took a more traditional approach to blocking and gave precise moves to certain cast members as she desired, she also paid a lot of attention to the rule of "every move must have a purpose". This was clear in rehearsals where she placed a certain location for every stage exit (i.e. The exit up the riser on the back of the stage would lead to the ship's bar). I didn't get much more of an insight into her methods or approach, however I would love to learn more about it soon. 

            Recently, I've also been able to attend performances which my friends had directed. Firstly, last month I saw a production of The Miracle Worker which was a moving show about a deaf-blind girl. What took my interest was the directors use of flashback sequences which I have always wanted to experiment with but have never been given an opportunity with a show that includes such aspects. Another merit to the director was her use of split-blocking, with different rooms in the house being present on stage at once, and events going on in more than one. The director was also careful to specify from where should the characters enter or exit when changing rooms. This was another forte that I highly valued. Recently, another friend directed a semi modernised version of "A woman of no importance" by Oscar Wilde that had been updated to the 1930s. Whilst I found the upper class style very enjoyable from an audience perspective, one thing I disliked about the script itself is the imbalance of narrative between acts. The first act seemed more focused on upper class discussions, whilst the second contains a majority of the actual plot. Regardless of this, it was interpreted by a very talented director. One of her best aspects was her use of the servants at the manor at which the play is set as a tool to keep the story going even during the interval or before the play has officially started. This simple addition for me said "This is a great director" before the play even started. At times there were a few cast members turning their back to the audience, which might've been errors on the actual night, but otherwise should've been addressed. Otherwise, the blocking was effective and the emphasis on social class was present in how people stood or where they stood in relation to others.

Currently, I have no greenlit plans to direct in the future. I plan to apply for more opportunities when I return to university after my placement in Southampton next academic year. Currently, I am focusing on my course, and on the organisation of an awards ceremony hosted by the students union. I might use this blog to review performances that I've seen and appreciated. But until next time. I hope you have a good day! It's been far too long.

Much Love

Ben