Happy Birthday Theatre West

I knew it had been a while since I had last posted on the blog, but I didn’t realise just how long it had been until I actually checked the date. June? June? Surely not...

In my head it doesn’t seem that long because I have been planning pieces and starting to write them in the intervening period, but have had to abandon them as events have taken over my time.

The last couple of months have been incredibly busy and I have had the opportunity to work on some really interesting and unusual pieces with some brilliant people, including Consulting with Chekhov at the Alma Tavern and Trading Local with Show of Strength. I am currently rehearsing a new play called Serendip at The Bikeshed Theatre in Exeter, so my ‘spare’ time is limited, but over the coming weeks, I plan to write about the production whenever possible. This piece, however, is one I’ve been planning to write for the last month, about the current Theatre West season.

Front cover of the 2010 brochure 

This season marks the 20^th birthday of Theatre West and Co-Artistic Directors Alison Comley & Ann Stiddard have programmed some really thought-provoking work from writers with very distinctive voices.

Children of Salt image Copyright Toby Farrow 2010

The season opened with the powerful Children of Salt by Edson Burton, directed by Amanda Horlock. It dealt with life after genocide and how you rebuild your life. Suspicion and guilt seeped through the play as the characters tried to hold onto the love they once shared. In the end you see that they have all been existing and not living as the psychological wounds continue to weep long after the physical wounds have healed.

A Laughing Matter image Copyright Toby Farrow 2010

Next up it was A Laughing Matter by Dom Rowe, directed by Ed Viney. It was darkly comic piece following a failing ‘suicide-mime’ artist and the inventor of canned laughter, as they go ‘on the run’. Full of cultural references and set in the desert somewhere in America, it was soon apparent that the people they were running from were insignificant and ultimately they were trying to out-run their past in order to escape their future.

Watching this one was particularly interesting as I had read an earlier version of the script, which had a completely different ending, so I wasn’t expecting it to end how and when it did end. At the time I felt the ending was positive and full of hope, but on reflection, I think this was influenced by my knowledge of the previous ending. The ending I watched was more open ended and although it still suggested hope, I think that for Audrey, the mime artist her future was far from certain.

Page from 2010 brochure



Pavement by Sharon Clark, directed by Emma Earle is the current production in the season and is described as a ‘fierce, funny and tender meditation on love, loss and broken engines’. Although I haven’t seen it yet, I’m really looking forward to it as I am familiar with Sharon’s previous work.

Page from 2010 brochure

The penultimate production will be the final part in Steve Hennessy’s Lullabies of Broadmoor series, Venus at Broadmoor, directed by Chris Loveless. Set in the infamous lunatic asylum, the story is based on the real-life ‘Chocolate Cream Poisoner’, Christiana Edmunds, the most notorious female patient at Broadmoor. Watch it and it will make you question your resistance to such enigmatic characters.

Page from 2010 brochure

As the programme points out, the season opened with a play about the effect of war on ordinary people and it closes in the same way. Rabbit Ears by Bruce Fellows is about women at home waiting for news of their men, soldiers fighting in Afghanistan. It will be directed by Theatre West’s very own Alison Comley and Bruce is the winner of their initiative with Southwest Scriptwriters. It sounds great, but unfortunately I won’t be able to see this one as I will be performing in Exeter.

Ann and Alison outside The Alma Tavern

I think Ann and Alison are amazing – the sheer amount of time they dedicate to sourcing and supporting new work is admirable and Theatre West is a fantastic asset to our region. We all know that the government and Arts Council cuts are coming, but I really hope that Theatre West weathers the storm. With Ann and Alison at the helm I have every faith it will be here to celebrate its 21^st birthday and beyond.

Happy Birthday Theatre West!

Useful Links:

Theatre West

Alma Tavern

Farrows Creative

The Bikeshed Theatre

Looking for Love in Script Space: An Interview with Gareth Jandrell

If you haven’t been to ‘Script Space’ before, it’s a fantastic opportunity to watch a series of rehearsed readings of short plays selected by the Tobacco Factory as part of their development programme. It’s also an opportunity to get involved and give feedback in a Q&A session with the actors, directors and writers.

Working with new and emerging writers, the third and final ‘Script Space’ of the 2010 season is happening this Sunday (27th June) at the Tobacco Factory.

I caught up with one of the writers, Gareth Jandrell, author of ‘Ache’ and asked him a few questions…

Can you tell us a bit about ‘Ache’?

”It's about four people who attend a speed dating night at a less than salubrious pub. It's a grimy, dingy venue but they're still looking for love, they're still hoping for something to happen. They're all funny and charming and caring, it's just it hasn't quite happened for them yet, so they end up here, tonight.”

What inspired you to write it?

”I walked past a terrible pub that had a chalk board outside that said 'singles night: come and meet that special someone.' (Which actually appears in the play) and I thought 'imagine trying to find the love of your life there', then I thought 'why not? Why not there, it's as good a place as any' and then slowly these characters who find themselves in a completely unlikely setting suddenly having to get along with each other appeared, trying to make the evening bearable, trying to make conversation and maybe, just maybe, trying to find even more than that.”

How did you find out about ‘Script Space’?

”There was a posting on the BBC Writersroom website and I had the play finished and in a moment of madness I thought I'd apply, not thinking anything of it. Then I found I'd been shortlisted, then that my play was going to be performed. A totally unexpected treat. To be at a great venue like the Tobacco Factory is a huge opportunity, let alone with a play which I enjoyed writing so much. I can't wait to see how the audience respond to the piece.”

Which comes first, the play or the development opportunity? By this I mean, do you already have an idea for a production (or maybe even an initial script) when you apply for an opportunity like ‘Script Space’ or do you see an opportunity/competition and start thinking of a plot so that you can enter?

“The play comes first for me. I think if you write to the opportunity you loose the drive which is behind the piece. For me, you write the play then if the right opportunity comes along that's amazing, it was meant to be. If you do it the other way round you risk writing things you never set out to write, and then end up being judged by them later on. You don't want to end up having to justify writing something you never actually believed in yourself.”

Looking at your previous success, you’ve already had some of your short plays performed in places like the Soho Theatre and The White Bear and now you’re working on a full length play, which will be read at The Southwark Playhouse in July. Is this your first full length piece?

“It's the first one I've fully developed with a production company. Luckily Ugly Sister Productions took a chance on developing a short play I wrote last year and now it's in good shape thanks to their dedication to it. So much of writing is people believing in your work and Esther and Julia at Ugly Sisters took a huge chance on me and I hope it works out for them, I owe them a lot.”

Do you remember your first piece of ‘creative writing’?

”My God, yes. I wrote a lot of angsty 'woe is me' unrequited love poetry as a teen. I still have it. It's terrible. Terrible. They say you learn from your mistakes. I learnt this: never show a girl a poem you have written about them. It's not romantic. It's weird.”

Why do you want to be a writer? What drives you?

“I don't know. When it's going badly I think I'll give up, tell all my friends I'll give up, go into a Heathcliff-esque brood. Then I'll think of a bit of dialogue or an idea for a scene or get angry about the world and start writing again... Until I get a rejection letter then the cycle starts back up... That's what great about schemes like Script Space - it gives new writers a platform for their work and the confidence to press on with their writing, as I will. Until the next rejection letter...”

Name one play you think everyone should read in their lifetime…

”Love and Money by Dennis Kelly. Incredible. Dramaturgically immaculate. Not a wasted word, and each syllable relates to the theme completely. His only mistake was to write it 3 years too early. Read it now, you'll assume it was written yesterday. A masterpiece.”


If you want to see ‘Ache’, then head ‘Script Space III’ on Sunday 27th June at 1.30pm, entry is £3. For further information visit the Tobacco Factory Website

Meisner, Jack and Ridley Scott

A little while ago I was contacted by Jack Price of Studio Films. Over the coming months he will be running courses in Meisner technique for actors at the Tobacco Factory. 

Taken from the flyer for the upcoming course

The first course begins on Thursday 6th May 2010 and it's a practical short course that takes you step-by-step through Meisner's core exercise and text analysis over 6 days. But if you've never heard of Meisner or, like me, only know the name, you're probably wondering what it's all about and why you should be interested.

You can look Meisner up on Wikipedia, but for this blog post I thought it was probably best if the answers came from Jack:

Sanford Meisner worked with Lee Strasberg as part of The Group Theatre  in New York, but he left the group and developed his own technique. In a nutshell what is 'Meisner' and how does it differ from ‘The Method’?

"Meisner is almost anti-method, its not about you its about the other person. The oft quoted Meisner line is its “About Living truthfully under a given set of circumstances” To live truthfully in the circumstances of a man who has murdered do you have to know what it feels like to murder? I don't believe so."

How did you discover Meisner?

"I studied with Scott Williams at the Impulse company in London. Scott is generous, brilliant and supportive. One of the best teachers I have ever had. "

I see you are developing a film course with Impulse company. How does Meisner for screen differ to Meisner for stage?

"I don't believe there is any difference between acting for stage or screen, except you have to have different types of stamina and the voice work is different. I believe people's bullshit-ometters are the same, if it's great it's great and if it's pants, we walk."

What does Meisner offer that other techniques/practices don’t?

"Meisner created a set of core exercises which connect you to impulse, they tune your instrument, in the case of the actor the instrument is the body, mind. I have not found another exercise which gives me a workout, makes me a better actor, connects me more to truth and as a note improves my writing and directing."

Do you need previous experience of the technique to attend the course at the Tobacco Factory?

"No. You just need to want to act and be willing to have some myths destroyed."

Reading about Jack on the Studio Film website (and IMDB), I had a few questions about the man behind the course:

The Man Himself

You say you’ve filmed extensively for Ridley Scott Associates, have you ever met Ridley Scott?

"I worked for Ridley Scott for 8 years as one of his directors, I have met him. I have also sat at his desk naked with Russell Crowe's Gladiator Helmet and Sword."

As you do...That was a much better answer than I was expecting, but I'll leave it there and let your students quizz you further in the workshop.

I understand your most recent film is Indigo, tell me more about it

"Indigo is a short film I wrote and directed about a boy who has a gift. You can see the trailer online at http://www.studiofilm.co.uk/. The film recently won special mention at the Berlin Film festival and I am developing it into a feature film with producer Andrea Cornwell whose last film was Scouting Book For Boys which is in cinemas now. The film stars Thomas Turgoose who was in This is England and right now I should be rewriting the synopsis."

Indigo received a Special Mention at the Berlin Film Festival

Just before you get back to your writing, I have to ask the question anyone who looks you up on IMDB will really want to know… is it true you were in an episode of Blossom?!

"I love that! I only just saw IMDB had added that to my profile. Do you think if I pay for IMDB pro they will remove it? For the record, No, I was not in the episode where Blossom gets her period!"

[Meanwhile, somewhere in the world, another Jack Price is miffed that his credit has been allocated to the wrong 'Jack Price', and wonders if he could reclaim his rightful title by joining IMDB Pro.]

The course dates are 6th - 8th and 13th - 15th May 2010 and there are only a couple of places left. The cost is £265, but if you mention that you read about it on this blog, you will receive a £15 discount, making it £240.

Click here for booking details and further information about the course or visit the Studio Film website to find out more about Jack and his work.

If you can't make the course in May, he will be running a 5 day course 4th - 9th July 2010, a taster session 1st - 2nd June 2010 or, if you have experience of Meisner there will be a drop-in session on 4th June 2010.

Useful Links

Tobacco Factory

Studio Film

Impulse Company

Wikipedia: Sanford Meisner

Jack Price on IMDB

Why Iceni Needs Your Help

Over the last few days you may have spotted the trailers for the upcoming three-part BBC Drama, ‘Five Daughters’ about the murders of five young women in Ipswich in 2006.

Click Here to visit the BBC page

Until I auditioned for a small role in the drama, I could only remember basic elements of the case. Like me, you may remember the hunt for the murderer; you may even remember the name of the murderer (Steve Wright), but you probably don’t remember the names of his victims or anything about their lives other than they were prostitutes.

The thing is, they were not ‘just prostitutes’, they were many things and Gemma Adams, Anneli Alderton, Tania Nicol, Paula Clennell and Annette Nicholls were all someone’s daughter.

The production has a stellar cast and gives an insight into the lives of these five women currently consigned to common knowledge as a vague series of names and faces, defined by their work in the sex industry.

They all had something else in common: drug addiction. Ultimately, it was this addiction that led them to their deaths, not prostitution.

Each of the women was known to The Iceni Project, an innovative, pioneering centre that tries to tackle drug addiction in a different way, and its success has been phenomenal.

I recently received an email from Simon Lewis, producer of 'Five Daughters', explaining that Iceni’s local council has made changes to their funding, meaning the Project is now £70,000 under the amount they need to continue their work. As soon as I read the email I knew I wanted to write a post about what was happening.

I had never heard of The Iceni Project until I received the audition scene, which was set in ‘The Iceni Centre’, and I had to research the location. Through my research I discovered the amazing work taking place at Iceni.

Click Here to Visit Iceni's Website

Set up in 1999 by Brian Tobin and Patrick Palmer, after they lost loved ones to addiction, they felt the way  of tackling addiction they had observed wasn’t working and a fresh approach was needed. Instead of substituting the illegal drugs for legal versions before attempting to wean the addict, Iceni creates a controversial all-round care package to break the cycle of addiction.

Each package is tailored to an individual’s needs because they recognise that one-size does not ‘fit all’ and addiction does not just affect the addict, but people close to them and the community at large, which is invariably plagued by associated crime.

We tend to think that addicts turn to crime to feed their addiction and in essence they do, but it’s not that simple. If you take prostitution as an example, an addict may be working that night because they need to pay the rent, buy food or pay the gas bill the following day, not because, at that point in time, they need to pay for their next ‘fix’. This means that just focussing on the drug won’t change their lifestyle or help them out of the self-destructive situation they are in, they need support to find an alternative way to live.

The murders in Ipswich highlighted this problem, as women who felt there was no alternative still worked the streets, even though they knew a serial killer was targeting them. I remember wanting to shout at the TV as women, who knew they could be next, explained that they would be working the streets that night. If I felt like that as an observer, I cannot imagine the pain of those close to the women who watched those interviews and were equally helpless to prevent their actions. One of the victims, Paula Clennell, was one of those interviewed shortly before her death and this is surely the most painful viewing of all.

However, it doesn’t have to be this way. As part of a tailored package The Iceni Project can help with the cost of rent and household bills, make sure the women are seen by doctors, and even ensure those in need of dental care receive it, as many addicts suffer from decaying or damaged teeth because of their drug use. They provide one-to-one counselling and even offer a range of holistic alternatives in their approach to helping those who battle addiction.

You may be sceptical, but they have been so successful that in 2008 they even received a Guardian award for their work. Click Here to view the article.

After hearing about the financial deficit The Iceni Project is facing, I emailed them and received a reply from Brian Tobin. He explained that the actual deficit is £90,000 and although they have now secured some funding (largely due to the support of individuals and local businesses), they still need to find another £30,000 to continue their work over the coming year. They have been forced to make redundancies and are incredibly vulnerable to any variables in expenditure which may arise.

I cannot help recognising that the role I read only existed on paper because The Iceni Project exists in real life, and although my involvement in ‘Five Daughters’ has ended, I believe the work of Iceni needs to carry on.

“The work they have done, and continue to do, is quite extraordinary - they literally save and change lives of people who are seldom noticed and live right on the edges of society. It would be a genuine tragedy if Iceni were unable to continue their work.”
Simon Lewis, Producer, ‘Five Daughters’

If, like me, you would like to make a donation, no matter how big or small, here’s what to do:

Send a cheque payable to ‘Iceni’ to:

Brian Tobin

Iceni

64-70 Foundation Street

Ipswich

Suffolk

IP4 1BN

Alternatively, if you would rather pay directly into their bank account, email me (downstagewrite[at]rocketmail.com) and I can send you their bank details.

Below are links to some of the sources I have used and other sites or articles which may be of interest:

The Iceni Project Website

'Five Daughters' Programme Information

'Five Daughters' Press Release

Guardian Award Article 2008

BBC Suffolk Article

Article from The Independent

BBC Article

To be or Not to be an Actor (or 'So you want to be an Actor?' Part 2)

The other day I wrote a post about the course taking place at the Tobacco Factory Theatre during Half Term. Well, the course is well under way and today I popped along with my agent to talk about ‘being an actor’ and all things agent-actor related, so this post is largely for those who attended the talk, but not exclusively aimed at them.

I mentioned a couple of books which are listed with links at the bottom of this post and I will try to cover points that may have been confused or I never returned to explain during the discussion. If you have any other questions, either ask in a ‘comment’ at the bottom of this post or email me.

Is there work available in Bristol and the South West and what kind of work is it?

Yes there is work available in the locality and in every discipline (theatre, film, television and radio).

However, just because it is made in Bristol does not mean the audition will be in Bristol. It is very common to be asked to audition in London even though the entire production will be created in Bristol.

Should I dress like the character in an audition?

This probably became a bit confusing for those of you who had fallen into the deadly post-lunch switch-off phase as ideas went back and forth across the room.

Essentially, the only thing you need to do is dress ‘appropriately’ for an audition, which can mean different things depending on the audition. We all agreed that in theatre you are less likely to need to dress like the character than you are for a TV or film audition. As Caroline correctly pointed out, you only ever reflect your interpretation of the character and this isn’t necessarily how the director sees the character, so this could have the opposite effect by making them think you are unsuitable.

The examples Lou gave of me turning up ‘in character’ were specific auditions where we both knew that the character's appearance differed so drastically to my natural look, I needed to demonstrate that I could achieve the look required.

What Lou was also trying to convey is the trust she places in an actor when she sends them to an audition; she needs to know that an actor understands how they are perceived and that they are prepared to do whatever they can to give themselves the best chance in an audition.

‘Representation’ is a Two-Way street

This is something we didn’t cover in the session, but leads on from the above point.

Your agent represents you to potential employers and you represent the agency when you audition and work as an actor.

An agent needs a good reputation so that they can attract business, including casting directors (I’ll explain who they are in the minute) who contact them with casting opportunities. Equally, you need an agent with a good reputation so that you stand a chance of getting auditions and hopefully work. How you present yourself (not just how you dress, but making sure you know your lines and turn up on time) reflects on you and the other members of the agency, and how other members present themselves reflects on you. Therefore, you need to make sure you are prepared for casting opportunities in every way possible so that the cycle keeps going. Basically it’s like this:

Well prepared actor = happy casting people = they like the agency = they send future castings to the agent = agent trusts well prepared actor = agent puts actor up for more work

This also means that you need to research potential agents (as best you can) before you approach them, because if they have a bad reputation (it might not be because of the behaviour of their actors, it could be that they’ve upset a lot of casting people or they are known for not paying their actors) the diagram looks more like this:

Agent has bad reputation = no one wants to deal with that agent = no one sends them casting opportunities or they don’t select their actors for audition = hardly any opportunities for work = no point in having the agent, they're doing you more harm than good

What is a Casting Director?

Good question. Not all productions have one, but the larger a production is, the more likely it is to have a Casting Director.

Quite simply, a Casting Director is the person in charge of finding actors suitable to audition for the roles in a given production. Crucially, and perhaps slightly confusingly, they do not decide if you get the job that is usually down to the director and producer. However, they often have a lot of experience of working with actors and are consulted by those who make the final decisions.

Since Casting Directors are the people who could potentially select you for an audition they are equally as important as agents if you are trying to find work as an actor. This means that lots of actors will write to Casting Directors when looking for work, but as with agents, you need to approach them in a particular way and if you want to know more, it’s worth reading about how to do this before you make contact (I’m not going to write about it here as there’s lots to cover and there are different opinions on the subject, so it’s worth researching this separately).

Books I Mentioned and Other Things that may be of Interest

Here are the two books I mentioned (click on the links to see them on Amazon):

Contacts

Make Acting Work

Here are a couple of other books which may be of interest:

The Actors’ Yearbook – covers some elements you find in Contacts and has useful articles

Adventures of a No Name Actor – the reality of being an actor means it’s not all glitz and glamour

A Shakespeare Glossary – modern explanations of almost all of Shakespeare’s words, it’s also useful for GCSE/A Level English Literature.

Finally, if you think you might be interested in becoming an actor, write down the names of everyone you have met and worked with on the course. Networking is a really important part of being an actor and you never know who you may bump into again or need to contact on your journey to becoming an actor…

I hope you all enjoy the course and I wish you the best of luck with whatever you choose to do in the future. If there’s anything you forgot to ask about or have thought about since, either ask it in a ‘comment’ below or email me.

So you want to be an Actor?

Yes, yes I do.

Oh, you’re not asking me...

Well, if you were, and I was between the ages of 14 and 16, I’d ask you to send me to the Tobacco Factory this Half Term so that I could find out.

SO YOU WANT TO BE AN ACTOR? Is the brilliant week-long course taking place at the Theatre from Monday 15th – Friday 19th February, combining skill-based workshops and industry tutorials aimed at providing an insight into the acting profession.

Now in its second year, the course is led by Bristol-based director and former actress Caroline Hunt. As a director she has worked with companies including the Royal Shakespeare Company and National Theatre, and she has taught extensively at the East 15 Theatre School. I know her from my days as part of the Bristol Old Vic Young Company, when she directed me in Ibsen’s The League of Youth (one of my favourite productions I performed with the company).

Caroline developed the first course with the Tobacco Factory in 2009, and between them they have created a course that enables students to work with professional directors and performers to explore actor training. There will be dedicated classes on areas such as voice and movement, allowing development of existing skills as well as introducing new techniques.

Perhaps, most exciting of all, are the masterclasses. Why? If you’re seriously considering becoming an actor, here is the chance to practice what is arguably the most important ingredient in the recipe for an actor’s success... NETWORKING. Masterclass leaders include Chris Donnelly (a frequent performer with Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory and co-ordinator of their education programme), Gary Owsten (voice and speech tutor and the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School and director of the Bristol Acting Academy) and the fabulous Andy Burden (his work includes Alice Through the Looking Glass and A Christmas Carol for the Tobacco Factory Theatre) – if I wanted to be an actor I would love the opportunity to be in a masterclass led by Andy...wait, I am an actor and I still want to be in a masterclass led by Andy!

There will also be an opportunity to find out a bit about the ‘business’ side of being an actor, with insiders’ thoughts on subjects including the pros and cons of drama school and working with agents.

So, if you’re considering a career as an actor, or have a teenager who has announced a desire to ‘tread the boards’, this could be just what you are looking for...

For further information, including cost and how to book, visit the Tobacco Factory website.