Recently we have been knee deep in rehearsals for our version of HMS Pinafore. Here are a selection of behind the scenes shots of rehearsals and the set construction phases. Mostly we like to re-use elements from previous productions then update them with tweaks and paint. Ultimately we need to buy our own set of scaffolding, as it is so versatile. Continue reading Behind the Scenes
To summarise my experience with the Teachers Go Global programme has been the hardest thing to write. To say the experience was life altering seems trite, but so true. For most of my life, I have never really felt “at home”. This has extended to frequent moves, an extended list of places I don’t want to live, and a need to be near a certain … Continue reading Performing on the Globe Theatre Stage
There are times in my life where I throw caution to the wind and live reckless. This is probably 100% of the time these days. On the first day in London we went to the Albert Memorial to stretch our legs, and there it was, the Royal Albert Hall. Then I fell in love with Prince Albert and how he wanted the people to have … Continue reading The BBC Proms at the Royal Albert Hall
I was in London, preparing to perform at the Globe Theatre. Pretty special stuff. Then I found out that I had a day off from my schedule. What did I do? I totally blew all my money on “Hamilton” with zero regrets. Firstly, I bought a VIP Champagne package because I wanted to guarantee a seat. As I only found out my exact schedule a … Continue reading That time I went to see “Hamilton” on the West End
It has been a crazy, crazy year. This year Theatre has become my priority and taken over so much of my life. I have had the best time, from directing, to writing, to creating, to performing. This has included working on original projects, working on my Masters in Creative Writing (scriptwriting), traveling to London to study and perform at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, devising, starting a … Continue reading Back on the Bandwagon
Welcome to Day 9. Traditionally the 9th day of Christmas is for the well-traveled saints… and who do we know who is well-traveled? The Moor of Venice. Othello is a well crafted tragedy setting up the relationship between the Moor Othello, a general, and his fair wife, Desdemona. It doesn’t help that they initially ran off in secret to get married, or that Othello overlooked … Continue reading The 12 Plays of Christmas – Day 9 – Othello
Today we shall dive headfirst into the “Merry Wives of Windsor” for the 12 Plays of Christmas…. why? Well, long story short, there are many places called Windsor, and many plays with Falstaff in them. There are 2 plots within the play. The first involves Falstaff attempting to trick married women, saying that he loves them (in identical letters). The women are smart and compare … Continue reading 12 Plays of Christmas – Day 6 – The Merry Wives of Windsor
This year we participated in the Write for Rights event from Amnesty International. Our aim was to help highlight the issues surrounding illegal timber poaching in Madagascar and the wrongful imprisonment of Clovis. So we wrote and performed a play, loosely connected to Dr Seuss’s “The Lorax”, using elements of Brecht and Commedia in performance. Here is the play live: Continue reading Amnesty International – Write for Rights – I speak for the trees
It’s not often that I get to post about a thing on multiple blogs…. sadly. But today I do. And it’s a bonus of living in a thriving small town, with an awesome arts buzz. Now, Featherston hasn’t always been a thriving town. In fact when we moved here, it wasn’t. But the potential was there. In the last few years we have become a … Continue reading Featherston’s First Fridays
Obviously we all know that the tech crew are the unsung heroes of the theatre. They work long hours behind the scenes, thanklessly, often to be disregarded by the cast in the wings. However, it is these guys that are the heart and soul of a team. Actors have one job- to do their character well. The tech team always have the whole cast, and … Continue reading The importance of your Backstage Tech Crew
Beyond Theatre 