Amazing

My kids that is. They were AMAZING tonight.

We started off finishing off blocking Act One. I don't know if it's cos they're bored of Act One, as that's what we did at the Festival, but it seemed a bit lacking in "oomph". Jack was tired as he's been playing Rugby today, Tommi still isn't well, I was shattered from driving to Oxford and back, so only Suzi had any energy.

Anyway, we finished Act One and I gave them a quick break. I was quietly dreading blocking Act Two as it's unknown territory. With this in mind, I asked them to start, and waited to see what would happen...

These kids don't need directing. They really don't. They worked most of it out on their own, with just a few places that needed a bit of help. Two or three times they did something I had noted down in the script as an idea without prompting, just off their own backs. They were fabulous. We managed to block right up to page 26 - very impressive stuff for a Sunday night!

And the Hut problems? We're now rehearsing at New Haw Library, until the Hut is sorted. Of course, even without the barge in the middle it'll still be freezing, but if they can keep up the levels of enthusiasm they had tonight, they'll soon get warm!

Like a bad smell

I'm back again...

Yes Teechers is back in rehearsal for our "full length" outing in April. With a slightly smaller cast, and slightly different techinical team we're on our way to what should hopefully be a good show - if we ever get to have a decent rehearsal....

We've managed two Sunday rehearsals in the Hall where we're doing the show. This in itself is unusual, as we're not normally in the Hall until just before the performance week. Anyway, we've had two rehearsals there. Last Thursday I got a text from a member of the cast to say she "didn't think there was a rehearsal, as it was half term"...There are only three members of the cast and one of them is her brother, who was also under this delusion, so the rehearsal was cancelled.

Last night, we turned up at what Ottershaw Players generously call "The Hut" but is actually a glorified shed. It's an interesting place, with loads of bits of old set and paraphenalia tucked away so you never know what you'll find. I'll try to take a picture to show you what I mean. Anyway, when we turned up yesterday, the entire set of the winter show "The Wind in the Willows", was in the middle of the room. Including a barge. An actual barge. Consequently the rehearsal became a read through, which wasn't at all helpful.

We have two months to put on this show. It wasn't really my choice not to start til February, but two members of the three-man show were involved in a large scale production down the road until the end of January, and couldn't have done both. So, we started a few weeks ago and so far have been beset with problems.

I can't help but wonder if my production is just considered to be "a bit on the side" for Ottershaw. It's probably not going to be a huge money spinner, but it should be a really good show, and I do think it's important that we keep doing shows in the village hall - after all we are a village drama group. Anyway, I think I'm just bitter and feeling ranty!

A more positive post soon (and photos), I promise!

It's been a while...

Well, such a lot has happened. Hmm, a slight overexaggeration... I have started uni and until today had no internet in the house, so consequently have not been blogging. I'm sure you're all devastated!

Anyway, the dress rehearsal... It went really well, far better than I expected. There are a few creases to iron out, and I need to make sure that the lights are what I think they're going to be, but the kids did well. The lines weren't 100%, but no prompts were taken, and the audience said they enjoyed it. They even laughed!

Teechers - Dress Rehearsal

Then this weekend we had our Stage Time at the Rhoda. It was very useful to have some time on the stage, and set it all up how we need it. I was, obviously, over-stressed about the whole idea, especially as we only have 35 mins of stage time, which doesn't seem very long when you have 15 lighting cues and 16 sound cues to try out. It went well, in that Phil got all his sound levels sorted out, so he was happy. We didn't get to run the lighting as Rob was programming them all in, but I am hoping that we can iron out any queries tonight, our last rehearsal.

I really feel I should be saying something philosophical about coming to the end of the rehearsal period. I don't know what to say though. It's been an interesting (and fun!) experience and definitely hasn't put me off the idea of directing something in the future. I would love to do a prodcution of both Acts of the play, but whether I'll be able to is up to the Committee. Oh, and how many essays I have to write this coming year!

Next post will presumably be after performance...Wish us luck!

tick tick tick

that's the sound of time, trickling away from us...!

Sunday's rehearsal was really useful, as now, thanks to Dancing Dave, we have a full CD of sound cues. I had to shout at the kids a little to get them to either shut up or stop dancing around the stage, but eventually we got it sorted, and topped and tailed the script.

Line learning is still a real problem though. Ollie and Jack are coming early tonight to go through their pages of script, which hopefully will iron it out a bit. The other problem we have is people not being 100% sure of where they're supposed to be at any given time. Quite often Jack gives me a scared look from the "stage" and I have to point and gesture so he knows where he's supposed to be - this, I imagine, is quite distracting for the others! So the plan for this week is to make sure everyone knows exactly where they're supposed to be, and when... (Oh and to get Ollie to learn his lines!!)

I was nominated for the Player's Cup this year :) Not that important really, as most people who read this have either won it, or don't know what it means, but anyway, it made me smile. I just want to know who nominated me...

Prompt? Who needs a prompt?

Well, actually, half of my cast...
Which actually isn't as bad as it sounds. The girls are nigh on word perfect, but Jack admitted as soon as the rehearsal started that he didn't know all his words, and Ollie has obviously tried hard to learn his, but he does have significantly more to learn...
Maybe I do them an injustice. Jack knows about 90% of his, and Ollie about 95%, it's just the last couple of pages where it all falls apart. So, on Sunday we're going to have a special "boys half hour" before the rehearsal starts. Hopefully this'll help them concentrate on the lines a bit better.
Last night we kept going over and over parts, practicing costume changes and changing the blocking so that it all works properly (not majorly changed though Pete, don't worry!), and everyone can get to where they need to be. It's looking good, and we're just adding in a few comedy moments to really pull it together.
We even had some music last night, which again helped us get a feel for it. Of course, in doing this I realised the true beauty of having a sound man (the long suffering Phil)... I found it almost impossible to concentrate on directing and pressing play at the right time! And they say women can multi-task...

Where has the time gone??

Well, here we are. Five weeks from the festival... FIVE WEEKS!! That's ten rehearsals!

However, we have had a couple of promising rehearsals recently, albeit without various members of the cast (note to members of casts through out the world: if you're rehearsing on Tuesdays, remember that you're rehearsing on Tuesdays and don't be on the wrong side of Surrey at the time you're supposed to start). I'm really impressed with the amount of lines that the girls especially have managed to learn. Hopefully they will continue to get the lines in, so we can do things properly without the books.

Pete (lovely SM) and I had a good chat at the pub, supposedly about the play, but we did digress a little (but hey, the world is now set to rights again!). I think I have solved our rehearsal space problems, if the Scouts and Guides let us use the hall, which is a big issue in my mind! Its just a few lighting ideas, and finally sorting out the sound cues... Oh and more directorial ideas to have.

Now begin the "lets break up the script and go over and over and over it" rehearsals, which are always fun. But it needs to be done and it will be! The kids are still really enthusiastic though, which helps! Let's hope I can bottle their enthusiasm for the weeks to come...!

Rehearsals

Hurrah, now I have a cast, I can get on with the joys of rehearsing!

I won't bore you with the details and the ins and outs of my directorial ideas (well, not now, anyway), but we had our first read through yesterday evening and it went really well.

The kids got the whole "swapping characters" thing really quickly, and with a bit of work on accents and posture and things we should be fine. They're also on the look out for things that will make them look like their characters (hats, glasses, etc) so hopefully this will be a very low budget production!

We have our first "moving" rehearsal tomorrow, which should be interesting. I guess I've really got to get my directorial head on now!

Cast at last

Hoorah! I have a cast list for Teechers.

Gail: Suzi Braggins
Hobby: Thomasina Breslin
Salty: Jack Breslin
Nixon: Oliver Moore

So that's one thing off my mind.... Now back to the list of things to do! (along with organising rehearsals....)