tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25549864306094774752024-03-19T04:26:24.953-07:00Shrew StoriesAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.comBlogger25125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-89733471058835578232017-01-10T11:14:00.000-08:002017-01-10T11:14:22.544-08:00A new blog!Hello my Shrew pals!<br />
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I've started a new blog.<br />
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It's not all going to be about theatre, but you might still like it.<br />
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Please give it a go...<br />
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<a href="http://stillbletheringon.blogspot.co.uk/2017/01/lonely-sole.html">here it is!</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-24419205015190106552014-05-02T04:11:00.000-07:002014-05-02T04:11:54.154-07:00Shrew ReviewFor our more academic shrew friends...<br />
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The Shrews will be reviewed, alongside Propeller's all male Shrew in the 2013 Shakespeare Survey<br />
<a href="http://www.cambridge.org/uk/literature/shakespearesurvey/">http://www.cambridge.org/uk/literature/shakespearesurvey/</a><br />
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I have had a sneak pre publication peek...and fear not Hortensio fans...the lute gets a mention!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9UxYwzNNKJLRmXfv7RWG4nDa7wpS3w_nCj9dP-6ogezOBTkhXilpJYM2JmqvTEBTBX_nB6fIBvUBB6crWEOlI9mZ02OdyFkMhuHbwtSzNgTI454j81X3ijD5tmBkImB-aDrxfKbIbkCs/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ9UxYwzNNKJLRmXfv7RWG4nDa7wpS3w_nCj9dP-6ogezOBTkhXilpJYM2JmqvTEBTBX_nB6fIBvUBB6crWEOlI9mZ02OdyFkMhuHbwtSzNgTI454j81X3ijD5tmBkImB-aDrxfKbIbkCs/s1600/photo+%25282%2529.JPG" height="200" width="149" /></a><br />
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Shrew's very own Joy Richardson is back on the road this year with the Globe's touring Much Ado - watch out for her coming to a town near you - including our beloved Kilkenny festival...<br />
Book here <a href="http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/whats-on/globe-theatre/much-ado-about-nothing-2014">GIVE ME JOY IN MY HEART, KEEP ME BURNING</a><br />
I'm going to the Globe and can't wait.<br />
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Our marvellous stage managers Dave and Carrie have embarked (literally on a Barge to Amsterdam!) on the first leg of the Hamlet world tour...what an endeavour. You can donate to their quest to perform in EVERY SINGLE COUNTRY IN THE GLOBE here: <br />
<a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1898580232/globe-to-globe-hamlet">https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1898580232/globe-to-globe-hamlet</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-72491843775106019072013-10-27T10:48:00.000-07:002013-10-27T10:48:47.438-07:00The Last PostI'm not really sure if this <i>will </i>be the last ever post on Shrew Stories...but we have certainly done our last ever show and gone our separate shrew ways...<br />
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There are shows, as an actor, that you never want to do again...you've flogged them to death...and a few of your fellow actors have a glazed look in their eyes; there are others where you feel cheated, you were just getting into your stride, just beginning to discover things, when it is taken away.<br />
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At the moment Shrew feels somewhere in the middle (although without any glazed eyes I might add) - with nearly 100 shows we probably had done it enough, but I was never bored, and every show was different. It won't sink in for a while that we're not just having a break, that I've really hung up the nylon suit and packed away the Wicker glasses for one last time (and, please God, the violin).<br />
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I'm sure we will all meet up, probably paths will also cross in work - but if there's one thing I now know after about ten years of shows - however hard you try, you will never get the whole cast and crew in one room (tent) again - the nature of our work means we don't stay put.<br />
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Here we are on the night of the storm singing 'Health to the Company' from the show -<br />
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<a href="https://www.dropbox.com/s/6252jnuqj5nl3r6/2013-10-10%2019.08.36.mov">The Full Shrew Crew - Here's a health to the company</a><br />
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Thanks for reading in your thousands, and for coming to see the show in your tens of thousands...and as for Hortensio...to misunderstand the words of Rosalind in <i>As you like it:</i><br />
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<i>Farewell, Monsieur Traveller; look you lisp and wear strange suits</i></div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-11800501983918614782013-10-10T08:51:00.000-07:002013-10-10T08:51:04.583-07:00Singapore Here we are in Singapore, guests of the amazingly glamorous pan pacific hotel, and despite several shrews being struck down with severe lurgy, the shows have gone down a storm...(more of which later).<br />
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We are in Fort Canning Park, and as well as our bullfrog friends we have some exciting sounding birds and beautiful trees keeping us company...<br />
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and the team here have built a wonderful 'mini globe' to enclose the back of the playing space...<br />
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Some of the Shrews also managed to catch 'The Reduced Shakespeare Company' who are out here with ABA productions as well and it was good to meet the boys for an actorly beverage.<br />
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We also managed the night safari on a rare night off - in celebration of Becci Shrew's birthday.<br />
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I last did a show in Singapore about eight years ago and am glad to be back. Since I was last here the University of Singapore have acquired a house which they have restored to its 1920's glory, and it is an excellent way to make sense of the Peranakan culture that is unique to Singapore. If you ever get the chance, book a (free!) tour - it's well worth it.<br />
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find out more here:<br />
<a href="http://www.nus.edu.sg/cfa/museum/about.php">http://www.nus.edu.sg/cfa/museum/about.php</a><br />
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and here I am with our wonderful guide Ailee.<br />
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p.s. about that storm...I am able to catch up on our blog tonight because for the first time EVER the shrews were beaten by the weather - it took a tropical storm, thunder and lightening - and rivers of water running down the paths - but the show was called off! This leaves us with only 3 shows and much as tonight was crazy and fun, and ended with the Shrews hiding from the rain drinking prosecco - we don't want to lose another.</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-17607372483261196442013-10-03T10:42:00.000-07:002013-10-03T10:42:09.656-07:00HONG KONG!!!!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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And so we have finally begun the Far East leg of our tour, arriving in Hong Kong 'just clipping the edge of the tornado' to quote our pilot....so for many many reasons we were very glad to arrive! </div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Globe Cupcakes<br /><br /></td></tr>
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We are hosted here, and in Singapore by aba productions <a href="http://www.aba-productions.com/about_us.asp">http://www.aba-productions.com/about_us.asp</a></div>
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and Matthew and Emma, along with their team, made sure that we were very well looked after. Their amazing hospitality extended to trips to the beach, several meals out and hiring a junk boat to take us on a tour of the harbour...complete with Pimms. </div>
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It's amazing we managed to fit in any shows...although with a 4 show weekend we did begin to feel we might have been burning the candle at both ends, perhaps.</div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-58775133331670703172013-10-01T10:10:00.000-07:002013-10-02T08:51:24.157-07:00bury st edmunds and the minack<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzfR01RT575adW4ZdSh3ofy4x9_YG7sLySlpNDpdcxwoLkB8JiAAE_cUcVgfvECF58MIebyhb9zOf0J6Vp82hR-LKvnP6u0jfV9RJLU8th_CVYpfacvCsxQeOrIHUe8SUNFvnMgQ-L9sr/s1600/IMAG1074.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYzfR01RT575adW4ZdSh3ofy4x9_YG7sLySlpNDpdcxwoLkB8JiAAE_cUcVgfvECF58MIebyhb9zOf0J6Vp82hR-LKvnP6u0jfV9RJLU8th_CVYpfacvCsxQeOrIHUe8SUNFvnMgQ-L9sr/s200/IMAG1074.jpg" width="133" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMdCjQuxSpzbaGQFcDbjgs26p-a1_UiNMaBn7IHG1NSCHmhv8bEBkLq3LgLzn7hQoyxlfv9zfqI5GlhDsweFVorgnxkWj9wdGFKilH9mJmtAXuuVGjMHTFs0WSES5OhWBJCBFqCoo82Dj/s1600/IMAG1070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaMdCjQuxSpzbaGQFcDbjgs26p-a1_UiNMaBn7IHG1NSCHmhv8bEBkLq3LgLzn7hQoyxlfv9zfqI5GlhDsweFVorgnxkWj9wdGFKilH9mJmtAXuuVGjMHTFs0WSES5OhWBJCBFqCoo82Dj/s200/IMAG1070.jpg" width="200" /></a>And so to the Theatre Royal, Bury St Edmunds, a theatre I have loved working in before and so was glad to return with Shrew...<br />
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The theatre was built in 1819, is Grade 1 listed and is the only surviving Regency Theatre. Our time there coincided with three Shrew birthdays, Sally, Josh and Joy - so it was cakes all round...<br />
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We shrews then descended on Cornwall in what seemed like promising weather, for a week like no other, involving more hill, cliff and stone step climbing than some of our knees could take!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLm-uTSIPiDSsDyK1ethr5slxLSL7QcmSZ8Nxr5j5hNbNQDLUj5odA7y-lAEr2uefMgKh_l12VOlnGjZBzEHD4kYfOCqBX0cM66XcRJIRSX0XqbfiQyjVdfExt3B7EGUJ8DP0-w_No_vKh/s1600/IMAG1097.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLm-uTSIPiDSsDyK1ethr5slxLSL7QcmSZ8Nxr5j5hNbNQDLUj5odA7y-lAEr2uefMgKh_l12VOlnGjZBzEHD4kYfOCqBX0cM66XcRJIRSX0XqbfiQyjVdfExt3B7EGUJ8DP0-w_No_vKh/s640/IMAG1097.jpg" width="427" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The theatre was built by Rowena Cade, an extraordinary woman, and posthumous honorary shrew. Having already built herself a house at Minack Point, in 1929, having seen a local village version of the Dream, she offered the use of her garden for their next production (The Tempest) and literally began lugging great chunks of rock to make a basic seating area, with the sea as a stunning (some might say upstaging) backdrop. She and her gardener continued to built up the theatre in the winters for the rest of her long life!</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtGVdhvi-4f8SGuZ40_22IJ1U9YpnK4jSbiCerBP-GLhjm_bjmDt_t2_iEk9ByGXWmdSDJWHzMuIea9eIlfjjmTBjhyV56g5oLsY5TlqhcCvqjZk8WflEkRWm6DHKK6Eqso_CdrmTqxaO/s1600/IMAG1088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWtGVdhvi-4f8SGuZ40_22IJ1U9YpnK4jSbiCerBP-GLhjm_bjmDt_t2_iEk9ByGXWmdSDJWHzMuIea9eIlfjjmTBjhyV56g5oLsY5TlqhcCvqjZk8WflEkRWm6DHKK6Eqso_CdrmTqxaO/s320/IMAG1088.jpg" width="213" /></a><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It is a very bizarre space to perform in, and we had to rework a lot of the show with Josh, to allow for the very different entrances and exits, and the permanent stone features.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">It seats 700, and for the first time ever we shrews were amplified, to help us contend with the sea. This was just as well, as on our second matinee it blew up a gale, with rain and mist and the tent nearly took off. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The minack have a wonderful website with live webcam which I urge you to have a gander at.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s4jAR2ps4is/UksDcnccPlI/AAAAAAAAAiU/HS-ysRK-8M0/s1600/image.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s4jAR2ps4is/UksDcnccPlI/AAAAAAAAAiU/HS-ysRK-8M0/s640/image.jpg" width="640" /></a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-29300465909976834292013-09-03T07:14:00.001-07:002013-09-03T07:14:17.344-07:00St Donats and Georgian Theatre Royal, Richmond<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFklDmw1CTxQEK-DfF3y3nzdllZ6NXck9IqexvGzNeThmDE0rUaeoJcJWVaiN_TB7x9M33mdUv7ZF4DkNdc4z7Oepodhu7dVZjA72MKJ5pOsoUct2R2cbeQIidrYwmnmdfV26hBckZbtm/s1600/IMAG1058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhcFklDmw1CTxQEK-DfF3y3nzdllZ6NXck9IqexvGzNeThmDE0rUaeoJcJWVaiN_TB7x9M33mdUv7ZF4DkNdc4z7Oepodhu7dVZjA72MKJ5pOsoUct2R2cbeQIidrYwmnmdfV26hBckZbtm/s320/IMAG1058.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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First a couple of photos from St Donats, where we had only one show - our only show in Wales, in the shadow of the castle (some of which dates to the 13th century) and with the sea to stage right...<span style="background-color: #fce5cd;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XTUSL6aIFh2t8UezeCmjbxc8e7sAbQOJfnNF4plxtwbg841NeK34sr6sj519zKqx9nC79FRz8lStozqTAFyuCTwKGBG0E3oMouc7wMrlGxoX9ObCzh3VCTZeFPMHLmbqXtRl7X3wK6au/s1600/IMAG1061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: black;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1XTUSL6aIFh2t8UezeCmjbxc8e7sAbQOJfnNF4plxtwbg841NeK34sr6sj519zKqx9nC79FRz8lStozqTAFyuCTwKGBG0E3oMouc7wMrlGxoX9ObCzh3VCTZeFPMHLmbqXtRl7X3wK6au/s320/IMAG1061.jpg" width="320" /></span></a><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; font-family: inherit;"><br /></span><br />
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<i><br />Have I not heard the sea, puff'd up with winds, Rage like an angry boar chafed with sweat? </i><div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPx4rohraZhyphenhyphenDPWUDn-hkhOeIjSA2gbgr-PQvo00FzA0AxerMVPZPtCFfqhPGjnV6chJGrLyBcfHSj_DrfIifhVQy6vYwV61WROYj1-oDT6lEEVzjHM-wb30BRceV0Zn9AhMSOYcCKkgL/s1600/IMAG1066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirPx4rohraZhyphenhyphenDPWUDn-hkhOeIjSA2gbgr-PQvo00FzA0AxerMVPZPtCFfqhPGjnV6chJGrLyBcfHSj_DrfIifhVQy6vYwV61WROYj1-oDT6lEEVzjHM-wb30BRceV0Zn9AhMSOYcCKkgL/s320/IMAG1066.jpg" width="213" /></span></a>...luckily both weather and water were calm.<br /><br /> <br /><br />Then it was onto The Georgian Theatre Royal, Britain's oldest working theatre in its original form.<br /><br />
<br />To quote the <a href="http://www.georgiantheatreroyal.co.uk/">georgian theatre royal website</a><br /><br />'The Georgian Theatre Royal is Britain's most complete Georgian playhouse. Built by the actor-manager Samuel Butler in 1788, the theatre was in regular use until 1830 when performances became less frequent.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnv8WlI3yEF_CxQ6W3z5AYJgwaXQBvjIq0aPxoceDrmW0D52USs2UNsXifsuZbXcwX1SJQ0ce0pfE_9xaAGwlJaX-lxye1kCkshgrM8Wrnw7inWCweVuFL3QiKD8ydUoXNViX2v6ag_NA6/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; color: black;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnv8WlI3yEF_CxQ6W3z5AYJgwaXQBvjIq0aPxoceDrmW0D52USs2UNsXifsuZbXcwX1SJQ0ce0pfE_9xaAGwlJaX-lxye1kCkshgrM8Wrnw7inWCweVuFL3QiKD8ydUoXNViX2v6ag_NA6/s320/photo+(3).JPG" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd;">I'm sure it made sense at the time...</span></td></tr>
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Built by actor-manager Samuel Butler in 1788, the Georgian Theatre Royal was managed by Butler along with his circuit of theatres at Beverley, Harrogate, Kendal, Northallerton, Ripon, Ulverston and Whitby.'<div style="border: 0px; font-family: Calibri, Candara, Segoe, 'Segoe UI', Optima, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 18px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 14px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: top;">
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<br /> I've worked at Harrogate Theatre before and it was lovely to work in another Butler Theatre. The theatre itself is tiny - and the stage was twice the depth we are used to but half the width - which took some adjustment. The audiences were wonderful - funny, enthusiastic and insistent on repeat curtain calls...</div>
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<br />and...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAh6afW9JPYSRNNxx0ADGlks5CUiKGhfxkWkrTzidkqIhT-6nfuH8EEYWXT0T7-DyFmUa7mwRc-rSawkv12itxFKNgDPiahqhb7Z47DfM25C-T2tjlXQi_5mqQAnDUdUfR-54et6TZN2GS/s1600/100_2539.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="background-color: #fce5cd; line-height: 22px;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAh6afW9JPYSRNNxx0ADGlks5CUiKGhfxkWkrTzidkqIhT-6nfuH8EEYWXT0T7-DyFmUa7mwRc-rSawkv12itxFKNgDPiahqhb7Z47DfM25C-T2tjlXQi_5mqQAnDUdUfR-54et6TZN2GS/s320/100_2539.jpeg" width="240" /></span></a>depending on your point of view...<br /><br /> I may or may not have seen a theatre ghost. <br /><br />Although the only staff member I asked insisted he had never heard of one...and I don't think I believe in them myself...</div>
<br /><br />During the Saturday evening show I saw (in a moment where, in a still tableau, I had chosen to look at the front of a stage right box) the shadow of a graceful woman in a dress, slowly putting on elbow length gloves, and carefully putting on each finger. I watched it for a good minute before having to turn into the scene. It was so clear in shadow the only explanation I could think of was that (as the only shadows were cast from the stage) it was Olivia, as Bianca, for some reason putting on long gloves. But...of course...when I turned to her she wasn't wearing any. It was incredibly clear - and for the two Sunday shows I watched the same area again for any sign of a shadow or flickering that could have tricked my eye. There were no shadows at all.<br /><br />Forgive me if you think the blog has descended into nonsense...I know I've never believed anything 'supernatural' anyone else has ever told me...<br /><br />Still seeking the rational explanation I leave you with Antigonus from The Winter's Tale:</div>
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<i>I have heard, but not believed, </i></div>
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<i>the spirits o' the dead </i></div>
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<i>May walk again...</i></div>
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<i>ne'er was dream </i></div>
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<i>So like waking.</i></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKKEy14Cn1JieiQGQJiIPJuHAIG3Vu5arYJFGP_PAaSS33vPgK8H1qEfcfeFeZrO2RkHr9RXUcaA39dD5bR9y2WrpN050FWStnxtHfYDuaaH9eLgjiB68MTsV9hydU7DpOs5h9NRBnCFV/s1600/IMAG1064.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #fff2cc; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPKKEy14Cn1JieiQGQJiIPJuHAIG3Vu5arYJFGP_PAaSS33vPgK8H1qEfcfeFeZrO2RkHr9RXUcaA39dD5bR9y2WrpN050FWStnxtHfYDuaaH9eLgjiB68MTsV9hydU7DpOs5h9NRBnCFV/s400/IMAG1064.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Richmond Castle</span></td></tr>
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-54210243668438340232013-08-25T14:39:00.000-07:002013-08-25T14:39:26.578-07:00Leaving Kilkenny...onto Cambridge<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJngvNVriGc1Wc4mF7YiPJpoW1ZYCFhGTcsiwsjAw9U-SaoneZGsrT7tr5R7YSKR1Ojs0XcU3LQBPPI2MTXaV8JIBe3WvMelvMWi21NAidDL1vRw0JFtNlnTq9XmPNB7PCZ7CEaYLSz0s/s1600/IMAG1031.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYJngvNVriGc1Wc4mF7YiPJpoW1ZYCFhGTcsiwsjAw9U-SaoneZGsrT7tr5R7YSKR1Ojs0XcU3LQBPPI2MTXaV8JIBe3WvMelvMWi21NAidDL1vRw0JFtNlnTq9XmPNB7PCZ7CEaYLSz0s/s400/IMAG1031.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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Before leaving Kilkenny, the lovely Roisin McQuillan invited me for a tour of Rothe House <a href="https://twitter.com/rothehouse">https://twitter.com/rothehouse</a><br />
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Rothe was a 17th century merchant and the house was built between 1594-1610 - and as <i>Shrew </i>is
thought to have been written between 1590 and 1594, it seemed a timely
visit. Roisin also showed me the gardens and orchard which they are
re-establishing with plants of the period.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RLAe1eQ-jg-AfmWsP8kBluSgw-19C-bdevrJXADVxRy_NVacumN0eKk1grFUWQUTCCMoYqP0HpxJhn0Ph0863jU0nmDM2ewnewM1kxH1mP_ncZep_z-gI2_hQqiKDrB2yDDeq0VUyjwy/s1600/IMAG1029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="211" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_RLAe1eQ-jg-AfmWsP8kBluSgw-19C-bdevrJXADVxRy_NVacumN0eKk1grFUWQUTCCMoYqP0HpxJhn0Ph0863jU0nmDM2ewnewM1kxH1mP_ncZep_z-gI2_hQqiKDrB2yDDeq0VUyjwy/s320/IMAG1029.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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We also visited the luminarium for a little Shrew downtime... <a href="http://www.architects-of-air.com/luminaria/miracoco.html">architects-of-air</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1vfElPSQT0L_ncwhwa0pTY9hKMD9G0CAmOoxiYAPQHgYOI45ML9K1o3EaQlh0EvGhqJgzXK5MWLsNerKrwbMEUU6ys1y4KyWLSZ-qTSCn9fMbSBc9Pu8uiJ8AnNSHwPhMFPRp33ACv43/s1600/IMAG1036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs1vfElPSQT0L_ncwhwa0pTY9hKMD9G0CAmOoxiYAPQHgYOI45ML9K1o3EaQlh0EvGhqJgzXK5MWLsNerKrwbMEUU6ys1y4KyWLSZ-qTSCn9fMbSBc9Pu8uiJ8AnNSHwPhMFPRp33ACv43/s400/IMAG1036.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0us_t0z5DkARNoFBFQn4gLEmI7yCoZEk8NbWjWsKqwStfoMLqF8_synD1Gcj8Wec_P3GIcjYmP4miIoNwby37iebEZKuxawsCSnuZNfADGamVnElwU3I1tN5iNRk3EFmdirpGQqYCwrkH/s1600/IMAG1048.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0us_t0z5DkARNoFBFQn4gLEmI7yCoZEk8NbWjWsKqwStfoMLqF8_synD1Gcj8Wec_P3GIcjYmP4miIoNwby37iebEZKuxawsCSnuZNfADGamVnElwU3I1tN5iNRk3EFmdirpGQqYCwrkH/s320/IMAG1048.jpg" width="213" /></a><br />
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And Leah and I were visited by our good friend and 'Earthquakes in London' stage manager Catherine Buffrey who is currently working in Dublin...<br />
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From Ireland to Cambridge, and six shows in four days in the beautiful gardens of the Master's House of Corpus Christi...where we just about avoided the worst of the rain...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-82303768572197129942013-08-13T07:56:00.000-07:002013-08-13T07:56:41.292-07:00Kilkenny Arts FestivalWe've landed at The Kilkenny Arts Festival, <a href="http://www.kilkennyarts.ie/">http://www.kilkennyarts.ie/</a> and the Shrews have enjoyed a very warm welcome - infact I think all this being stopped in the streets by all and sundry to say how much they love the show could go to our heads...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The courtyard of the Design Centre - beshrewed!</td></tr>
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I remember now the warm, and vocal responses last time I worked in Ireland - and the Kilkenny crowd have topped my previous expectations. It's great for us as we hit half way through the shows (last night was show 45 out of 90) to be reminded that everything <i>is</i> landing - even when (with quieter audiences) people don't vocalise their feelings. And, conversely, if it doesn't work in Ireland...it just doesn't work! We were so pleased that Josh, our assistant director, got to see our first show here and be overwhelmed, alongside us, at the fantastic response.<br />
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The festival have made a beauteous promo video of us - which I urge you to watch here:<br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_joI3bWXd70&sns=fb">The Shrews at Kilkenny</a> We are so delighted with the way it captures the feel of the show.<br />
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The festival is a gathering of all types of Art and Artists and we've managed to see some of it so far...although a lot of the performances clash with our show so we have to get a bit creative....<br />
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Luckily Junk Ensemble, a dance theatre company whose new work <i>Dusk </i><i>Ahead</i> <a href="http://junkensemble.com/the-work">http://junkensemble.com/the-work</a> has been specially created for the festival, allowed us to watch their dress rehearsal. It was a magical piece touching on themes of dusk, twilight, where light meets dark, and stories shift into the realms of fairy tales - and as well as being astounded as I always am when I see dance, at just what the performers can make their bodies do (and ashamed at my own lack of fitness!) I thought the duets were particularly strong - if you get a chance to see it and see the chair and the kiss duets you'll see what I mean!<br />
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We also went to see James Shapiro and Finton O'Toole discuss Shakespeare's relationship with Ireland, which was a great chance to have a bit of a Bard-think.<br />
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Looking through the programme I had noticed another 'talk' called 'meet the actors', and circled it as something interesting to go and see. It was only later that I realised <i>we</i> were the actors...luckily the Shrew word was spread in plenty of time, and along with Carrie turned up ready to answer as many questions as we could on the play, performing in Kilkenny, performing at the Globe, stage managing such an unusual tour etc. As ever, dear reader, you are very welcome to tweet or message me on here any questions for any of the cast, and I'll do my best to catch them in a reflective moment... <a href="https://twitter.com/picul">tweet!</a><br />
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We also had our first Shrew Darts Championship - won by the valiant Leah Whitaker...I did not participate as I know my lack of aim...and that Darts in the head of my fellow actors do not a happy company make.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNtvb57Z_fXyjvHWc3DCc_5_QwZR-MSrCHAX01LHdYt-rCEl3oaVZEn9mI_1yEcgQxO7srHTuoXfyIBAMyxPkzUzsjj4FaKJxZ3ta7S1YLICCoX-48qUty30X6o74UPDFforstY8ptRTp/s1600/IMAG1025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfNtvb57Z_fXyjvHWc3DCc_5_QwZR-MSrCHAX01LHdYt-rCEl3oaVZEn9mI_1yEcgQxO7srHTuoXfyIBAMyxPkzUzsjj4FaKJxZ3ta7S1YLICCoX-48qUty30X6o74UPDFforstY8ptRTp/s320/IMAG1025.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-36133446657664232022013-08-05T13:14:00.000-07:002013-08-05T13:14:23.112-07:00Bungay and Buxton<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidO28hVnhws-jGy23DKEWxGrpVIg3gKf-NVUuMFG2mwBSPOe60WJ5uVhR-BrNGUKqjNJpxpLbhSZC794ct6rM3g6ci4JPV0LkfYoYmvoc6ccvqsu1o86D3hdKwDHMoSxixHPUWUTW3h41L/s1600/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidO28hVnhws-jGy23DKEWxGrpVIg3gKf-NVUuMFG2mwBSPOe60WJ5uVhR-BrNGUKqjNJpxpLbhSZC794ct6rM3g6ci4JPV0LkfYoYmvoc6ccvqsu1o86D3hdKwDHMoSxixHPUWUTW3h41L/s320/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+011.jpg" width="320" /></a>Firstly, as you too will learn to your cost if you get onto the local bus and ask to go to bun-gay - it is pronounced bun-gey...oops...<br />
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A great three shows in the grounds of a Bigod castle - hosted by the friendly local Fisher Theatre <br />
<a href="http://www.fishertheatre.org/">http://www.fishertheatre.org/</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgpr-GMVNjmPXqvkWjZLFWyXxt1u9huzD7iS7gtqqQDZ5F-aITxZ2zJOSjJoZoaC40xrfprsVA-IGBgKxkkOoG5GKdYyGEGNR-rDMXwSIed_hWnfgmcaLTUtZl1OH6gOR4IiE5jl0omHl/s1600/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiTgpr-GMVNjmPXqvkWjZLFWyXxt1u9huzD7iS7gtqqQDZ5F-aITxZ2zJOSjJoZoaC40xrfprsVA-IGBgKxkkOoG5GKdYyGEGNR-rDMXwSIed_hWnfgmcaLTUtZl1OH6gOR4IiE5jl0omHl/s320/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+026.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">our view from the stage</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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and where we were also put up in the homes of the theatre's volunteers who keep the place going through giving their time and efforts - we were also well fed by Fay who runs the theatre cafe.<br />
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And then onward to Buxton - and the pavilion gardens next to my previous haunt, the beautiful, Matcham designed, warm and DRY Opera House...I think you might be able to guess where I'm going with this...<br />
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Yes, the Shrew luck has finally broken and we had two very wet shows, in what was always going to be a bit of a challenging venue (a good 5 minute walk from toilets and dressing room, and no electricity on site would have been interesting in the dry...but in the rain...cue some very soggy cold Shrews).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBSfMcIF2h26tc5ocuZdF64f1K8bTpevLnWOVPPh3lPwq-8zEn5Z0ctzSKLEQIPQQ0MAjYXzOOmf1DQwFNVrfbLxRgkVHiguQ8RkO06Sr6LKPE6gMvyd5VspqlpdyvoPMvXFAADkXEOC7/s1600/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+029.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhBSfMcIF2h26tc5ocuZdF64f1K8bTpevLnWOVPPh3lPwq-8zEn5Z0ctzSKLEQIPQQ0MAjYXzOOmf1DQwFNVrfbLxRgkVHiguQ8RkO06Sr6LKPE6gMvyd5VspqlpdyvoPMvXFAADkXEOC7/s320/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+029.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">attractive rain ponchos were on offer!</td></tr>
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But, as Carrie, our Stage Manager, had previously told (warned?) us, it takes a lot for the British Public to admit defeat - and a determined and anoraked crowd turned up each night, showing spirit, determination, and tenacity - and seemed to have a whale of a time.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-42675708500651991072013-08-05T12:46:00.002-07:002013-08-05T12:46:30.212-07:00AustriaAnd so to Austria as the guests of the art carnuntum world theatre festival - and more specifically our genial host Pierrot and his family.<a href="http://www.artcarnuntum.at/"> http://www.artcarnuntum.at/</a><br />
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We ate our body weights in cheese and bread and managed to spend an afternoon in Vienna - all around performing in a roman amphitheatre.<br />
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The experience of performing in Austria had similarities to Malta - in that the laughs were very text based - we also discovered that Austrians like a LOT of curtain calls - all very flattering of course.<br />
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How was the 38 degree heat? Never mind the heat - you're talking to the girl who managed to collect nearly 40 insect bites in one performance...to quote a fellow shrew 'how did they manage to get into your socks???'<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGycyD5pfAyv7M73FPbz8i551YiN0hT5Xa195GPEN49JoGG7INRdwxG4cvXqELOHGgXPkPXmE6h1h1NzDUAEH7a2xN2ubWKEjjPoLrAT6kKtxe_hnSeZCBEeinvFXzFDSPnf3nyuY9KBnf/s1600/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+019.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGycyD5pfAyv7M73FPbz8i551YiN0hT5Xa195GPEN49JoGG7INRdwxG4cvXqELOHGgXPkPXmE6h1h1NzDUAEH7a2xN2ubWKEjjPoLrAT6kKtxe_hnSeZCBEeinvFXzFDSPnf3nyuY9KBnf/s320/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+019.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">a pre show austrian storm</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugW78P22mldj1YNnB3YZ-0g883_fQIFhx8Gpgx6XifLP5_jakSQBt445nDV6VRiufdfZEChaKjKq4cCmjCfsO0L8jqoEEf2NR1gZQf17ZSyO6u7LisE7-LO_bADe-r_JGT2sFI2JLSjxR/s1600/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgugW78P22mldj1YNnB3YZ-0g883_fQIFhx8Gpgx6XifLP5_jakSQBt445nDV6VRiufdfZEChaKjKq4cCmjCfsO0L8jqoEEf2NR1gZQf17ZSyO6u7LisE7-LO_bADe-r_JGT2sFI2JLSjxR/s320/shrew+austria+oxford+bungay+buxton+021.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the rain was so heavy the fire brigade helped to clear the flood!</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-72802808915054102662013-07-18T03:39:00.001-07:002013-07-18T03:42:10.978-07:00A couple of Oxford Pics<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksUl-zVWzo8RTTt8F0cl9CBav1Ac9kQzYor0MnGAMBuKN_ButgSzmwpvteLt_wsQPsVmFe3tPTrYma4HfRc2UlJvl8OaTiWp4RA8vUrERpQ7f_MaPsibWtNEs3huO6gSYoG_rtiyLfPRH/s1600/DSC00310+copy+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiksUl-zVWzo8RTTt8F0cl9CBav1Ac9kQzYor0MnGAMBuKN_ButgSzmwpvteLt_wsQPsVmFe3tPTrYma4HfRc2UlJvl8OaTiWp4RA8vUrERpQ7f_MaPsibWtNEs3huO6gSYoG_rtiyLfPRH/s640/DSC00310+copy+(1).jpg" width="640" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">photo courtesy of - <span style="background-color: white; font-family: Tahoma; font-size: xx-small; text-align: start;">Helena Miscioscia</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joy and me backstage.</td></tr>
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A couple of pictures by way of a midweek blog as we hit our second week here in Oxford...where the 30+ heat threatens to melt the shrews at every nylon-clad performance...<br />
I took the opportunity this week to see the Bodleian's first folio Shakespeare, which the library acquired in 1623.<br />
more info here:<br />
<a href="http://shakespeare.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/the-bodleians-first-folio/">http://shakespeare.bodleian.ox.ac.uk/the-bodleians-first-folio/</a><br />
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The folio is on display in their 'Magical Books' exhibition which is also a must for fans of Phillip Pullman (like me), or indeed Tolkien or C.S.Lewis. It's free and highly recommended.<br />
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More Oxford thoughts to follow after the weekend four-show heat challenge!<br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-71358068212210421892013-07-15T05:11:00.001-07:002013-07-15T05:11:27.612-07:00Oxford Week One<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicp9a6VpbrPwCoSPk_AL38wrJQ7bmy_GP055qVtsy-hAjqIabea0pbOR_O6zc_9L30tP7ICLgWP6Oq0jw7746-pSEXi_aIeUlDzaEAe_q__elx5Irht3vRGMpZ9noXEwNIvjH6rfXb5Hfx/s1600/IMAG0976.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicp9a6VpbrPwCoSPk_AL38wrJQ7bmy_GP055qVtsy-hAjqIabea0pbOR_O6zc_9L30tP7ICLgWP6Oq0jw7746-pSEXi_aIeUlDzaEAe_q__elx5Irht3vRGMpZ9noXEwNIvjH6rfXb5Hfx/s400/IMAG0976.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our poster at the Playhouse</td></tr>
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And so to Oxford and the beautiful Bodleian Quad for a whole two weeks.<br />
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I've been looking forward to Oxford as it is (apart from the Globe) my 'home' venue and not far from the village where I grew up. Leah and I also have great memories of doing 'Earthquakes in London' at the Playhouse. The first week of shows have been filled with friends and family, and it's been great to catch up with Katy and Michelle at the Playhouse, and the lovely Fiona at the Bodleian (who was an expert costume designer in a previous life and made the wonderful costumes for the 'Vincent in Brixton' I toured with several years ago).<br />
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My mum also came to see the show, having seen it at the Globe and it was interesting to get the perspective of someone who saw such an early stage...Much like being on a diet, you don't notice the gradual results day-to-day yourself, it takes a friend who hasn't seen you for a while to remind you of how far you've come...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhN-WjS4d9hfoUdQmXLaF-j1KUeu-TooCBu5aYuU7AtglFELKG4iYEbiwsMjvmnfH8hfc3ESw5JLCQy1gKiirsNjMEbRE1Eolp2qtOD5aJ87aC3rJPDPnTB9jPoF2PbC3kiROHCybUeTc/s1600/IMAG0978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidhN-WjS4d9hfoUdQmXLaF-j1KUeu-TooCBu5aYuU7AtglFELKG4iYEbiwsMjvmnfH8hfc3ESw5JLCQy1gKiirsNjMEbRE1Eolp2qtOD5aJ87aC3rJPDPnTB9jPoF2PbC3kiROHCybUeTc/s640/IMAG0978.jpg" width="426" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">View of the Quad lying on the stage</td></tr>
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It's a beautiful space to be in, and although a little echoey the general acoustics make for a fairly easy vocal ride - which is just as well because hot, dry weather does odd things to your voice.<br />
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We had a lovely review of our first night in Oxford which you can find here:<br />
<a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/10174331/The-Taming-of-The-Shrew-Old-Schools-Quadrangle-Bodleian-Library.html">http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/10174331/The-Taming-of-The-Shrew-Old-Schools-Quadrangle-Bodleian-Library.html</a><br />
(Yes, that's me in the photo <i>uncredited</i> next to Kate....I'm trying to put on a brave face and get over it).<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybIzYOeeI3M8GZI9x3Uz3KfwC6j_yjmBS5qkSc8gG694eZjO6803sEOiFOUBJs5PZDDBDUEvHbNh5Naf0_kJPdfo01SxrXa5nmMTtpPnJEHCd8HKqR8mKxy2MJzZ9DsPGaMrNpL8RLtNn/s1600/IMAG0983.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiybIzYOeeI3M8GZI9x3Uz3KfwC6j_yjmBS5qkSc8gG694eZjO6803sEOiFOUBJs5PZDDBDUEvHbNh5Naf0_kJPdfo01SxrXa5nmMTtpPnJEHCd8HKqR8mKxy2MJzZ9DsPGaMrNpL8RLtNn/s400/IMAG0983.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>
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It has been boiling...and it turns out that, of a matinee, the quad is essentially an oven. We have cold flannels, iced water, fans, magicool spray etc. backstage - and I've given up on makeup which slides down my face within the opening scene...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXZ2NHLOQs65PvvJlI0dHOor3AvcKkjplGBLJVRVVcJw9k2dQ2A4F3edKuEf8aPWwLX-rX4_YlFgkIQOQFvshkbQXzH5odKnYaLLH_uHTFQ-aMWWn8OBvkZ0PuVLd3qSg8iiibM0cuL3E/s1600/IMAG0977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCXZ2NHLOQs65PvvJlI0dHOor3AvcKkjplGBLJVRVVcJw9k2dQ2A4F3edKuEf8aPWwLX-rX4_YlFgkIQOQFvshkbQXzH5odKnYaLLH_uHTFQ-aMWWn8OBvkZ0PuVLd3qSg8iiibM0cuL3E/s200/IMAG0977.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A well earned shrew-beverage</td></tr>
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We are slightly dreading the predicted high temperatures of next weekend - when we have four shows. But we are trying to curb our whinging by reminding our shrewselves of two things:<br />
1) The alternative might be pouring rain<br />
2) The poor 'Henry' cast. When we were sweating it out on a two show sweltering Sunday yesterday...they were at Towton Battlefields Site, fighting their way through what must have been a punishing triple bill in what looks like super hot trad dress. We Shrews salute them and their epic quest. We're hoping to see them soon - you can too, the dates are here: <a href="http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/whats-on/globe-theatre-on-tour">http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/whats-on/globe-theatre-on-tour</a><br />
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KUVDESR9-LQmi0wlDR19X9cas2cQ5xGIAVL0jU7EQfbLwXfAaT81ZJl_NUGBnd3a-hdrTo7M2DYb206HmZAEX4BHu-WJF3NuV3LhUXt61yLWSMg4PE8ouov5YXM9oWgl0nBZAOfbLusW/s1600/IMAG0982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7KUVDESR9-LQmi0wlDR19X9cas2cQ5xGIAVL0jU7EQfbLwXfAaT81ZJl_NUGBnd3a-hdrTo7M2DYb206HmZAEX4BHu-WJF3NuV3LhUXt61yLWSMg4PE8ouov5YXM9oWgl0nBZAOfbLusW/s320/IMAG0982.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">If you build it...they will come.</td></tr>
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P.S. <br />
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If you're coming to Oxford look out for G and D's who have been bringing their local and fab ice cream to the Quad on a magical bicycle...mmm...<br />
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I have been a lifelong admirer of their work and recommend the 'Dime Bar Crunch'.<br />
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We Shrews do love us some sugar.<br />
<a href="http://www.gdcafe.com/website/index.php">http://www.gdcafe.com/website/index.php</a><br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-81506125663286069102013-07-08T07:52:00.002-07:002013-07-08T07:52:43.856-07:00Malta<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVdUg9eMIbfXCBl3CdIngj29lkf0ejnHrOGeCjoHtWnsRGCZw3pZWI9r1oZygdSxMoYwa4D0k4DEkOa800mzSxcoczVn0xpFuU8trHKSFadBlFeB85qAmsbYwScft-qokKdUPWAK6UfFO/s1600/IMAG0951.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdVdUg9eMIbfXCBl3CdIngj29lkf0ejnHrOGeCjoHtWnsRGCZw3pZWI9r1oZygdSxMoYwa4D0k4DEkOa800mzSxcoczVn0xpFuU8trHKSFadBlFeB85qAmsbYwScft-qokKdUPWAK6UfFO/s320/IMAG0951.jpg" width="213" /></a>Last week the Shrews landed in Malta...and it was tough. We were happy to have the lovely Helena from the Globe with us, and we faced the trials of a five star hotel with a pool, temperatures in the mid thirties, and exploring Valletta together like the brave little soldiers we are...<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmP978gMVFK05evAdMxFfunGgYKO4Ng11vxyP3CNu3U_eQZnctlG5SGM50fqj-DqU2tvaKYEzpLGXVSygTLcPHLZwFX9adlmd_zDp9y6Aiz4Z_OkM2A_U9D2ZOF0ACvfjOl89AVAWRouF/s1600/IMAG0958.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvmP978gMVFK05evAdMxFfunGgYKO4Ng11vxyP3CNu3U_eQZnctlG5SGM50fqj-DqU2tvaKYEzpLGXVSygTLcPHLZwFX9adlmd_zDp9y6Aiz4Z_OkM2A_U9D2ZOF0ACvfjOl89AVAWRouF/s320/IMAG0958.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">sweet sweet joy!</td></tr>
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We began with a line run round the pool - but I promised the Shrews not to put any bikini shots on here... <br />
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Our shows were at 9pm to avoid the heat o' the sun, and insect repellent was liberally applied to avoid being eaten alive.<br />
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The Maltese audiences and crew were so welcoming, and the response to the show was great. We noticed that the audience were particularly hot on the text, some lines getting laughs that never have before...<br />
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We also split in two to run two acting workshops for the Arts Festival...we were apprehensive about this as we had received no information about who might be coming, what they might be expecting, and what we were expected to do...despite our stage manager Carrie's best efforts to find out anything that might help. Luckily Joy and I have many years experience in running Shakespeare workshops so we came together to make a makeshift plan...with the understanding that we would have to quickly adapt once we found out the ages / experience / expectations / volume of the group....it turned out to be a really great experience - and the undisputed star of our group was 10 year old Roxie, who was expecting to read her book in the corner while her mum took part...little did she know!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6Rk0GQBCevQiRdCQdObh2R4aqkAQJGemEXTghEeJqDwACZ3eKHDtltqo-3L_OXRVS1RvxcKNQJ3NcjgVMXoLtb6TEEUpcHCmO_fYpipjFDtYWDALGMm-k2lD681Rfxq20BN_S41j3Vuu/s1600/IMAG0947.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja6Rk0GQBCevQiRdCQdObh2R4aqkAQJGemEXTghEeJqDwACZ3eKHDtltqo-3L_OXRVS1RvxcKNQJ3NcjgVMXoLtb6TEEUpcHCmO_fYpipjFDtYWDALGMm-k2lD681Rfxq20BN_S41j3Vuu/s320/IMAG0947.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the view from the pool deck</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-52999090270528392812013-06-28T06:46:00.000-07:002013-06-28T06:46:56.906-07:00Tring and WhitstableThis week the Shrews were originally going to be in Romania...but sadly complications meant we were unable to go. However the Globe managed to organise two one nighters to keep us Shrewing...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aHEg8MH6NfP_Z8KsYKsO8n7M1O2Ys7R0HG6xmREaznKql0FVotSsZMNKYxyLAyutIGdsWTVuGvmFCxxZebecm-szdRmS2Xk1svtw3Mp9qQakp8YgbgJ_P8yxSiNJ_UufIwtBdos52CZT/s1600/IMAG0906.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8aHEg8MH6NfP_Z8KsYKsO8n7M1O2Ys7R0HG6xmREaznKql0FVotSsZMNKYxyLAyutIGdsWTVuGvmFCxxZebecm-szdRmS2Xk1svtw3Mp9qQakp8YgbgJ_P8yxSiNJ_UufIwtBdos52CZT/s320/IMAG0906.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backstage at Tring</td></tr>
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On tuesday we went to Tring Park School for the Performing Arts http://www.tringpark.com/ which was Arts Ed. back in the day I think. We had a very enthusiastic audience of students and locals and once again the weather smiled on us.<br />
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I think this might be the only time we perform to rows of students in pajamas and onsies under duvets...but watch this space...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3DG238HHSrfu2e4KItOKLkkNGqMJ6qsgGl3SApp0VjfeALn2VJo9NFU4kcV9njosZIm36X3v3d6UDP06Nc8jJfMgNpaWO-4ZrJZ3zPCj_yJtM8OE0U2u_jtNx1An5ydwsMHJXbkTkJk8/s1600/IMAG0915.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgN3DG238HHSrfu2e4KItOKLkkNGqMJ6qsgGl3SApp0VjfeALn2VJo9NFU4kcV9njosZIm36X3v3d6UDP06Nc8jJfMgNpaWO-4ZrJZ3zPCj_yJtM8OE0U2u_jtNx1An5ydwsMHJXbkTkJk8/s400/IMAG0915.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Whitstable Ahoy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqnUq5IfcHrgaQWDrCq3n4ReU4zFRaK0wICxQ5MUKxc8A-bYaKp_7sz2r4itZCS_PRdIY6Sz21jgSRJj7Ni3uCYog7RO8hYDFdUsBb-hQ5Fck50cI2ohWnrvFNnrVT82KTGeCee-98OAD/s1600/IMAG0913.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoqnUq5IfcHrgaQWDrCq3n4ReU4zFRaK0wICxQ5MUKxc8A-bYaKp_7sz2r4itZCS_PRdIY6Sz21jgSRJj7Ni3uCYog7RO8hYDFdUsBb-hQ5Fck50cI2ohWnrvFNnrVT82KTGeCee-98OAD/s320/IMAG0913.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh we do like to Shrew beside the seaside</td></tr>
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<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzu8PPHgZ6lFTHccuVCLz3Vwi58dfUkrcstDyw7D2E85e7JqRJ5aRpKapxa5Ty3STsaQwkDx1TJr1pkPCoICuZLFPRfnEyvt9Wlf33voIwazBhXCkLoHYtee6fLzdiBI6O7n_9zemcddm/s1600/IMAG0923.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMzu8PPHgZ6lFTHccuVCLz3Vwi58dfUkrcstDyw7D2E85e7JqRJ5aRpKapxa5Ty3STsaQwkDx1TJr1pkPCoICuZLFPRfnEyvt9Wlf33voIwazBhXCkLoHYtee6fLzdiBI6O7n_9zemcddm/s320/IMAG0923.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fish and Chips by the front</td></tr>
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Yesterday we went to lovely Whitstable and the amazingly cute Playhouse Theatre...which proudly boasts a beautiful balcony despite being the size of your average studio theatre. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUM3OHcyT4KFzE9HU7VEVLnzk0LOealkaeSgTM87CuS3OhCIlGQ5WSpNqPZ4hMWVEnVcOopLS8tU0v_9trGKVwPtJTVoK8P34JYTodgpCrLQvucV4OKG31as9teVWDgjDNeJq4w2FyNSxx/s1600/IMAG0925.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUM3OHcyT4KFzE9HU7VEVLnzk0LOealkaeSgTM87CuS3OhCIlGQ5WSpNqPZ4hMWVEnVcOopLS8tU0v_9trGKVwPtJTVoK8P34JYTodgpCrLQvucV4OKG31as9teVWDgjDNeJq4w2FyNSxx/s320/IMAG0925.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">behold the balcony!</td></tr>
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We were made very welcome, and the audience were so enthusiastic we managed an extra curtain call.<br />
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Afterwards Leah met <span class="st">Simon Paisley Day at the Stage Door, who lives in Whitstable...and played Petruccio in last year's Taming of the Shrew at the Globe - I think it's always a bit intimidating to think that another actor who has played the same role has been watching you - but she took it in her shrew-stride...</span><br />
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<span class="st">Next stop...Malta!</span><br />
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follow me on twitter: <a href="https://twitter.com/picul" target="_blank">https://twitter.com/picul</a><br />
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<br /><span class="st"></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-49366788272899746252013-06-22T14:21:00.000-07:002013-06-22T14:21:50.152-07:00Week Two at the Globe and Midnight Matinee<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXeJzPgRn4IRGwZBlV9AB992LYLnVjaNwprJVx_R1mhLcJnd2NqbcbbJAt1vxl7v7kLMrTNlWrbLDHTDhlPahUmDs5iF7XQKkua8h33fTVlJu_hMeN7Qea-eJuXS7MReJh9ui4wTAyrV5/s1600/globe+1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvXeJzPgRn4IRGwZBlV9AB992LYLnVjaNwprJVx_R1mhLcJnd2NqbcbbJAt1vxl7v7kLMrTNlWrbLDHTDhlPahUmDs5iF7XQKkua8h33fTVlJu_hMeN7Qea-eJuXS7MReJh9ui4wTAyrV5/s640/globe+1.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>
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What a mad week of Shrewing it has been. We returned to the Globe to do shows on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday nights at 7.30...and an extra midnight matinee on the Friday.<br />
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Here are some pics of our warm up on our last day at the Globe, Friday, which was also filmed for the BBC world service...not quite sure if and when we'll get to see that...<br />
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The Globe shows have continued to be an amazing experience, and sold out, which is great - but nothing quite prepared us for the midnight matinee.<br />
We knew that everyone who was coming was going to be fairly hardcore Globegoers, Shakespeare lovers, or at the very least up for a unique experience - but when we walked out on stage the cheering meant that we couldn't begin for quite some time...<br />
The audience were <i>so</i> responsive and enthusiastic - there were times I was worried the laughter would mean we would grind to a halt - and I would be lying if I didn't say that they were the best lubricated audience we have performed to...which probably helped their responses along a bit...<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoMiLKrj5RODP-Q_spoGQiMNuSkJDxIjueDZ53JKQGT2tauly3b2f8EmxlMeaD2_rVrUtJIPvIlQnMPoPBrIHd_DKfIrGxjZQNqWBhcCpynVKFxVxip8Ae3x2TgLCfTYZw7nw6OCx0coD/s1600/IMAG0884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCoMiLKrj5RODP-Q_spoGQiMNuSkJDxIjueDZ53JKQGT2tauly3b2f8EmxlMeaD2_rVrUtJIPvIlQnMPoPBrIHd_DKfIrGxjZQNqWBhcCpynVKFxVxip8Ae3x2TgLCfTYZw7nw6OCx0coD/s400/IMAG0884.jpg" width="400" /></a>But the show was also a surprising learning curve- I don't think I've ever let myself enjoy a show as much. I always worry that if I relax too much I'll lose focus and the plot...but I suppose it's true that if you're relaxed, the audience also breathe out and just go with you...and we were tired, and it was mad, and yes some of the audience were a bit blotto - but I actually think it might have been the best show we've done so far.<br />
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And what a privilege to share such a unique experience with 1500 odd people in such an amazing place.<br />
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And to spare the blushes of the cast and crew I have not put up any photos of after the show...when we watched the sun come up in the yard of the Globe, with wine and hotdogs and so much adrenaline that even when I got home at 6am I couldn't sleep...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-67755727092299934562013-06-18T05:14:00.000-07:002013-06-18T05:14:08.437-07:00Herstmonceux<br />
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Amongst our Globe dates this weekend we had two nights at Herstmonceux Castle, outdoors, by the moat.<br />
It was the first venue that Josh, our assistant director, teched us into and we spent some time checking for sound levels, checking we hadn't forgotten how to work the smaller, touring stage (we had a bit), and Josh had a few notes for us from our last few performances at the Globe too... <br />
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Here are some things we learnt while at Herstmonceux...<br />
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Wind is not the friend of the actor trying to be heard.<br />
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Herstmonceux is a brick castle built in 1441, only the exterior is still original, and it is now home to the Queen's International Study Centre hosting students through the Canadian
University Study Abroad Program - this meant the Shrews have been well fed in the student canteen.<br />
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It's 'Herstmon-zoo'... not 'Herstmon-sir'...who knew?<br />
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Although I worked out in Portsmouth this was going to be a tour of alternately boiling / freezing / being soaked - I had not previously thought (until performing at dusk next to still water) about biting insects - luckily Carrie, our stage manager was one step ahead with the bug spray!<br />
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You can get a haircut for £10.60 in neighbouring Hailsham.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shrew Tree</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Shrews enjoy the Nature Trail between shows...</td></tr>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-77074852910867151112013-06-11T15:03:00.001-07:002013-06-11T15:03:58.484-07:00First show at the Globe <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">What's that Miss Hunt? Our names on the door of our dressing room at the globe...why, yes, it is...</span></span><br />
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">After Sunday off for good behaviour, we Shrews hit the Globe on Monday with not a little trepidation.</span></span><br />
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Our Portsmouth shows seemed to have gone down so surprisingly well I think we were still in shock. But how would the show translate to the (much bigger) Globe stage and (much bigger) Globe audience?</span></span><br />
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">And...with Joe having only 4 hours rehearsal scheduled on the stage itself before the first show...how would we have time to re-block etc...</span></span><br />
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">I suppose the answer is, if the thoughts and intentions are right (and we hope they are)...you just physically (but not mentally) spread out a bit...</span></span><br />
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">And of course our Globe friends were there to help us re-jig the jig, re-tune our tuning, hone our text and look after our voices.</span></span><br />
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">I think we were intimidated by the thought of treading the hallowed boards...how would we fill the space? Then the truth slowly dawned on us (well...perhaps it dawned more quickly for the smartest shrews...but it didn't hit me til about halfway through our first show on Monday night) It's EASIER than outside. You can be heard, you can be seen, the sound and the audience are focused in on the stage in a way that outdoors we really have to work for - yes, there are pigeons, yes there are planes (a lot of them) - but the audience really stay with you.</span></span><br />
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Josh, our assistant director, sort of summed it up when he said after our first show that he wished we could have seen our open mouthed, amazed faces during the bows. I think we were just gobsmacked. We had somehow done it, it seemed to go down a storm...and suddenly we knew what it sounded like to have 1500 people clapping and cheering you. Overwhelming.</span></span><br />
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">There are some rehearsal pics and audience comments on the Globe's facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShakespearesGlobe?fref=ts">Shakespeare's Globe</a></span></span><br />
<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">and don't forget you can follow me on twitter <a href="https://twitter.com/picul">https://twitter.com/picul</a> </span></span><br />
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<span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{"type":45}" id="fbPhotoPageCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">God give you good night!</span></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-36620737239387835592013-06-09T03:21:00.003-07:002013-06-09T03:21:53.331-07:00Portsmouth Part TwoAhhh! How much simpler to be blogging from my laptop to you all instead of fiddling with my phone. We Shrews are enjoying a well earned day off before the Globe - having travelled back from Portsmouth after last night's show - rammed with all out luggage into Leah and Kate's speedy little cars.<br />
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Although a bit of a blur - an exhausting, fun, sunny, blur - we seem to have moved forward miles in a week. <br />
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The shape of the play backstage is becoming familiar to us - this is a whole new play you can only learn once up and running - when do I have to change, and into what, where should I be next, what should I have in my pocket, when should I leap out of the way of an exiting trombone / actor / stage manager, what are the real timings (there is the line I need to be one by, sure, but the line I need to be moving by), when and how can I help others / when is it best to clear out of the way, etc. etc.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Thanks to Kate Lamb for this lovely pic!</td></tr>
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Learning to do all this silently is the next challenge...<br />
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We have learnt a little about the weather - we have not yet done rain...but we have done extreme sun (Malta practice?) and poor Kate Lamb was freeeeezing in her dress last night. She has already developed a special backstage look of dress + dressing gown + puffa jacket...<br />
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We have learnt that the good folk of Portsmouth love the shrews - huzzah! <br />
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We also had the learning curve that was our first schools matinee.<br />
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Some of you will know that I taught Shakespeare workshops in schools for several years, from primary to sixth form and so am very much on the side of the kids here....<br />
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but....<br />
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On a sunny day, with some quite young year groups who don't know the play (it's june, exams are over, so it looked to me like they would be studying it <i>next</i> year for gcse or <i>even</i> sats, so we are talking 12 and up), and a fair few teachers hiding away at the back to keep in the shade (caveat - this was not typical of the entire audience!) it provided some real challenges. It's hard to win over a crowd who see it as a couple of hours of sunbathing and texting...<br />
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We did learn a lot from it -<br />
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The play is robust enough, and so are we, to continue amongst difficult circumstances.<br />
The play does speak to a young audience, and many were clearly engaged and following the story, even in the face of the disruption of their peers.<br />
We mustn't try and engage loud crowds through volume - we know this really, it will only ruin our voices and we will only lose - but it is such a tempting instinct...<br />
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On the whole I think (given the sun and the lack of supervision of large groups in the audience) the level of engagement was exceptional - it just felt like such hard work at the time.<br />
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One really sad realisation I took from the experience was the level of peer led homophobia that is clearly still prevalent in schools. It (naively) hadn't crossed my mind that schools audiences would struggle with the concept of a female actor kissing another female actor. I do remember from schools performances of Midsummer Night's Dream that there were sometimes a few 'yuck' reactions when (the male) Lysander kissed me (sometimes even from me when the actor concerned had insisted on eating pickled chillies for dinner). But this was different. Every time Petruccio mentioned kissing Kate they would call out 'don't kiss her' 'that's disgusting' etc.<br />
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I think it brought a few of us back to school days, remembering when being seen to fit in is so important. And feeling that you have to prove that you are not gay (and presumably hide it if you think you are) is such a part of that. It was a bit heartbreaking to remember. <br />
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Joy, wisely as ever, pointed out that there will have been some quiet minds in the audience who would have been strengthened to see a same sex kiss, unapologetic and unexplained...my worry is that the reactions around them would have unbalanced any positive. But she's right, just as there will have been kids who thought:<br />
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'I can't believe it's Shakespeare and I can understand it'<br />
'I think I want to be an actor'<br />
'These jokes are actually funny'<br />
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there will have been some for whom it was the first time they saw a same-gender kiss as something other than something to laugh about...<br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-74619787343412027682013-06-07T01:31:00.001-07:002013-06-07T04:23:11.914-07:00portsmouthGreetings from Portsmouth and shrew towers (ambitiously described when we rented it as a holiday villa...but twill serve)! After two very long tech days in very hot sun we are all pretty exhausted...I may have had a bit if a Victorian moment and passed out...embarrassingly...but our stage manager Carrie was at least able to proudly christen her new accident book. The set looks amazing in the gardens of Portsmouth museum, and I have to say, the staff have been amazingly patient as we have to walk back and forth through exhibitions to get to our dressing rooms. I had the slightly surreal experience of warming up in the Sherlock Holmes exhibition yesterday...it was the coolest place I could find. The dulcet tones of stephen fry on loop the while.
As well as our stage management team and Joe and josh (director and assistant director) we have had the designer Hannah, ping the text assosiate, Kevin our fight director, the ever smiling corin our md, wardrobe, and many friendly producing and casting globe faces supporting us.
The aforementioned marvellous Martin of the voice arrived to watch our (somewhat disasterous) dress rehearsal and talked to us afterwards about the space from a voice point of view...using the audience and playing out more (essential to outdoor Shakespeare...very counterintuitive to modern actors). He also gave us a great vocal warm up, which did wonders for my tired squeaking.
Somehow it was suddenly time to get ready for our first show, before we really had time to realise it. Half an hour warming up voice, costumes on, not even time to panic.
How did it go?
I have no idea!
It went...we did it all...no major incidents...no quick change fiascos...and the audience seemed to love it.
As I type torrential rain is beating down...schools matinee, our second ever show, in a few hours...this could be interesting!
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-78185468731344213332013-06-01T14:23:00.002-07:002013-06-01T14:23:57.159-07:00Last Week of Rehearsals<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Meet the newest shrew! Kate Lamb's dog Willow, who will be touring some of the venues with us. Here's Joy saying hello to her today, our last day of rehearsals in London before we go to Portsmouth to tech next week.<br />
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This week we managed a few sort of runs...although there are still some mysteries to be solved...and the challenges of next week loom heavily in the shrew brains.<br />
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Set...being outside...costumes (and super fast costume changes)...props...these are all yet to be thrown into the mix and we only really have two days to do it all.<br />
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The (small) silver lining, I think, is that compared to a traditional tech for a show, we <i>should</i> get some acting time. There are no lighting or sound cues - all the music is live and unamplified. Usually teching is a very slow process of moving slowly between lighting states and fixing when they will change, setting sound cues, set changes / things being flown in and out - and there will be none of that...<br />
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No lights, no fancy set changes, no pumping sound track...just eight ladies, a wing, and a prayer...<br />
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Wish us luck...and dry weather...<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-57157067292931834292013-05-26T13:25:00.001-07:002013-05-26T13:29:16.300-07:00Rehearsals Week ThreeThis week we finally got to the last scene of the play (on Friday)...and began learning to jig for the traditional globe end to the show.<br />
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I went to see Martin (McKellan), the voice wizard at the Globe to discuss all things voice - but mainly to panic about Joe (the director)'s decision that the Pendant (the second 'surprise' character I discovered I was playing during the read through) should have a different accent...it does make sense for clarification...but I would've liked a bit more notice! I do a lot of accents for shows, but I always try and work on them with a coach. I really love accents and dialects, and I think when you come from parents with diverse accents, and have a sister who is an expert on pronunciation (you can buy her book here: <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pronunciation-Essential-Superseding-Pronouncing-Dictionary/dp/0192807102">http://www.amazon.co.uk/Pronunciation-Essential-Superseding-Pronouncing-Dictionary/dp/0192807102</a>), you do try not to approximate... Martin was amazingly positive and had some great suggestions to help me maintain my vowel sounds.<br />
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I also spent an hour with Giles (Block), and his assistant Jamie, who work on text with us. I read through some of my lines with him and Giles questioned some of my intonations. He doesn't tell you <i>how</i> to say things, but makes you think about assumptions you've made - and, what I find really useful - suggests ways to make the decisions you've made about the text even clearer.<br />
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On Saturday we spent the day recapping the blocking of the play (most of which we've only really done once, so it was very valuable) with Josh the asst. director - so theoretically we are ready to stagger through the whole play on Tuesday...<br />
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And we also celebrated Joe's birthday with an Elizabethan version of 'Happy Birthday' and a curly wurly cake. <br />
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On a personal note - I'm amazed how many hundreds of people have read my blog so far, from all over the world - <span style="font-size: large;"> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">thank you</span>. </div>
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If there's anything you'd like to know do tweet me <a href="https://twitter.com/picul">https://twitter.com/picul</a> and I'll do my best to answer questions in future blogs.</div>
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Also...do book to come and see the show - we'd love to see you all </div>
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<a href="http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/whats-on/globe-theatre-on-tour/the-taming-of-the-shrew">http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/theatre/whats-on/globe-theatre-on-tour/the-taming-of-the-shrew</a></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-2648123743787235762013-05-19T14:35:00.001-07:002013-05-19T14:40:27.522-07:00Rehearsals week two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Firstly I have to thank my husband, James, for baking shrew bread for us...which kept us going during the week.<br />
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It's scary to think we're halfway through the rehearsals...and there still seems so much to do. After a week of beginning to block we're just over halfway through the play and it's hard to imagine it all being done...I just have to keep reminding myself that I've been here before and it always comes together in the end...<br />
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We did a lot of music on Saturday with our musical director, Corin. He is so enthusiastic, and is encouraging us all to play anything we can get a tune out of...so it seems that at one point in the play I will be playing the violin...has anyone ever learnt the violin in just over two weeks before? Watch this space.<br />
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We had Sunday off and I suspect that most of the Shrews spent it pretty much like me - desperately trying to learn lines. Here I have the advantage of the fabulous Rachel Dale http://www.savemegirlfriday.com/welcome/ A fabulous actor and friend I've been lucky enough to go to TWO drama schools with. When resting Rachel often helps other actors prepare for auditions and roles. A good couple of hours together running lines will hopefully make a big difference in the week ahead.<br />
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When I do post show discussions people often ask about line learning...so perhaps I should write something here. There do seem to be people who can just read lines a couple of times and they are 'in'. My husband is one of these people. I am not. I learn them through repeating them out loud hundreds of time, putting my lines and cues on my ipod and listening to them hundreds of times, and then making another recording with gaps for my lines which I practice with...hundreds of times. I am very dull to live with in rehearsals. I can often be found talking to myself on the tube.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-91252857337636796062013-05-15T14:25:00.000-07:002013-05-16T13:54:34.666-07:00Quick midweek blog...<br />
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Things are moving along at Shrew towers...excitingly we have Macbeth now rehearsing above us at the Chocolate Factory, which if nothing else allows me to show off my new found prowess with the door code.<br />
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We had a big meet and greet at the Globe on wednesday with Macbeth and the Henry plays...<br />
Today we had a lecture in the Globe lecture theatre (there are many things hidden in the bowels of the theatre it seems) from the fabulous Farah who is head of research at the Globe. I hadn't really thought about how unique it is to work at a theatre that is an active centre of research...there is so much going on under that lack of roof.<br />
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2554986430609477475.post-47304993859004877992013-05-12T02:13:00.000-07:002013-05-12T02:17:19.589-07:00<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAq44O1DBsk0ZHdDojakRH7IMUxp8DXLgHUOHuNuNiJYyd_Efo8aV0n5if3GXzyMuJ8ItQe3ORRoc2GQduybpQRmYLDgu6S0sNfjjSKDTK3u7A8bPeV0gtqxjtG2Yy8K1PIyl1J3uvX54U/s1600/IMAG0838.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAq44O1DBsk0ZHdDojakRH7IMUxp8DXLgHUOHuNuNiJYyd_Efo8aV0n5if3GXzyMuJ8ItQe3ORRoc2GQduybpQRmYLDgu6S0sNfjjSKDTK3u7A8bPeV0gtqxjtG2Yy8K1PIyl1J3uvX54U/s320/IMAG0838.jpg" width="212" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">Rehearsals Week One</span><br />
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Sooooooooo....Taming of the Shrew rehearsals have started for the Globe.<br />
We shrews have spent most of the week sitting round the table trying to get the nitty gritty of the play sorted. We've also started some of the music.<br />
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Most bestest moments of the week have probably been:<br />
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our new lanyards - ridiculous excitement<br />
walking out onto the globe stage for the first time<br />
finally meeting each other<br />
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More Challenging moments:<br />
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The sheer brain freeze of eight hours a day round a table talking about language - not since university have I spent so much time discussing the multiple possible meanings of a single word. It's obviously vital stuff, we all need to decide what we all understand as characters and as actors...and it's all money in the bank. But I'm not really a sitter downer...and it is a bit like pulling teeth at times....and I think rather than go home and relax / learn lines we've all just collapsed at the end of every day.<br />
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Cakegate. There is too much cake in the rehearsal room. I have no will power. End of.<br />
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">follow me on twitter @picul</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12787788190875303296noreply@blogger.com1