Okay, sorry everyone. I know I have been lapse in my blogging this week but I have extenuating circumstances and they are... Er...
Anyway, we had to swap our rehearsal this week from Thursday to Monday so we had a really short time between last rehearsal and this one. However, this didn't stop my wonderful cast from really knuckling down and learning their lines. All of the cast went without their scripts even though my scripts down day wasn't until Thursday so considering this, I was extremely pleased with them, they just continue to make me proud. We managed two run throughs including stop starts for dropped lines, not that many really, and notes that I wanted to make, again only a few.
In other news, the box office is now open and we have had last very nice pick up so far and when I say very nice, I mean that we have sold just under 25% of the tickets available for Saturday nights performance! Already! Just need to make sure that we keep up the momentum and get sales. It's always the most worrying part of any show, ticket sales. The majority of the audiences come as a result of knowing people in the cast, so it's a lot of pressure on the cast to get their friends, families, colleagues and strangers in the streets to come and see a show. I do have to say that I have had pretty positive feedback from the people I have spoken to as £12 for two plays and supper is an absolute bargain, right?
Unfortunately, I am missing next weeks rehearsal as I have to go to Germany for work. I am leaving the Hobbit in charge so I hope that the cast all give him the same commitment as they do for me. I'm sure they will.
Sunday, we have our media day, filming for our trailers and I am very excited! And the weather forecast says that there's only 20% chance of rain on Sunday, it would be great if it could be dry. I have story boarded what I want to film and Director Zombie will be in charge of the filming, he was talking about needing someone to work the clapper boards between takes - it'll be just like the real movies!!! I will be linking to the trailer on my next blog, now you can't wait either can you?
Song of the day - Alien Ant Farm - Movies
Thursday 27 February 2014
Friday 21 February 2014
Missing, believed on a bus
For some reason that had nothing to do with the weather, traffic was awful getting to Colnbrook last night. So awful that it took Kelley and hour and a half to get from Hayes to Colnbrook (which really isn't far) and Joshua sat on a bus for nearly two hours (not because he wanted to, he doesn't have a bus thing going on or anything) and didn't make it at all. URGH!
We were without Sophie which was pre-planned (although I totally forgot about it until Caroline called her and she reminded us) so, because of the traffic challenges and the fact I had to eat my dinner having come straight from work, we got going a little later than usual.
Luckily I had a spare man that could stand in for Joshua, well, actually I had two, so they took it in turns. It does always make it more difficult when you have a stand in because they don't know the blocking so you spend some time moving them around to where they are supposed to be. My stand-ins did a pretty good job but did make me laugh when one of them just started wandering around!
Three lovely run-throughs with my fabulous cast, all of them trying to drop their scripts with, on the whole, pretty good results. It makes it so much easier to actually direct the cast when you don't have them clutching scripts, facial expressions come, movements are easier and actors actually act. I am very pleased with how well they are all doing, a bit more study and they'll be there.
I added in the music in the beginning, middle and end bits that will have music (see, can't give too much away) so that the cast could get a feel for them and I'm pretty pleased actually. I think the music works and sets the atmosphere as I want it. I am particularly pleased with the end as I like the way the music starts and then builds. Who would have thought a good drum and bass number would work here (kidding!!!).
Quick turn around this week as our next rehearsal has been swapped with the zombies so we are going again on Monday, I'm quite pleased with that really as I am in Germany the week after so will miss the rehearsal completely and will have to leave the Hobbit in charge. Not sure he'll be as good a task-master as me, but needs must when the devil drives...
Song of the day - The Cars - Drive
We were without Sophie which was pre-planned (although I totally forgot about it until Caroline called her and she reminded us) so, because of the traffic challenges and the fact I had to eat my dinner having come straight from work, we got going a little later than usual.
Luckily I had a spare man that could stand in for Joshua, well, actually I had two, so they took it in turns. It does always make it more difficult when you have a stand in because they don't know the blocking so you spend some time moving them around to where they are supposed to be. My stand-ins did a pretty good job but did make me laugh when one of them just started wandering around!
Three lovely run-throughs with my fabulous cast, all of them trying to drop their scripts with, on the whole, pretty good results. It makes it so much easier to actually direct the cast when you don't have them clutching scripts, facial expressions come, movements are easier and actors actually act. I am very pleased with how well they are all doing, a bit more study and they'll be there.
I added in the music in the beginning, middle and end bits that will have music (see, can't give too much away) so that the cast could get a feel for them and I'm pretty pleased actually. I think the music works and sets the atmosphere as I want it. I am particularly pleased with the end as I like the way the music starts and then builds. Who would have thought a good drum and bass number would work here (kidding!!!).
Quick turn around this week as our next rehearsal has been swapped with the zombies so we are going again on Monday, I'm quite pleased with that really as I am in Germany the week after so will miss the rehearsal completely and will have to leave the Hobbit in charge. Not sure he'll be as good a task-master as me, but needs must when the devil drives...
Song of the day - The Cars - Drive
Saturday 15 February 2014
Evicted...
Floods, floods, floods... It's what's on every news bulletin and, if you live in our neck of the woods, on a load of Facebook feeds either because people are under water, being evacuated or spending their time filling sand bags, sometimes with royalty!
Well, it came to hit home this week for the Woods cast as on Tuesday on my way home from the office, I get a phone call from the Chairman explaining to me that the Village Hall, where we rehearse, had been designated as a "Evacuation Centre" for those affected by the floods and so we would not be able to use the hall on Thursday night. We would still have one of the smaller rooms, but there was the distinct possibility that there would be a whole load of people there so I wasn't too sure about keeping the rehearsals there.
Now I could have cancelled the rehearsals but, because I had to cancel last weeks and we are only rehearsing once a week, I didn't think we should take another week off. It had also been 3 weeks since the Hobbit had rehearsed with us and it was the first opportunity I'd had for everyone to be together, so I kept the smaller room, but it wouldn't be easy. Although we started our rehearsals in the smaller rooms, we have definitely outgrown them now! Luckily I have some contacts within the hotel industry and called in a favour. Our rehearsal was off to a new space, the Marriott Hotel Heathrow (for which I thank them very much).
Jenna was working late so we started without her and had a good run through with Sophie standing in until her part and then Caroline standing in after that. Everyone remembered their blocking (yay!) and Joshua had even gone a long way to learning his lines (very pleased with that indeed!). We worked on some delivery of lines, but on the whole, the cast are just doing what I knew they would do when I cast them - they're being excellent.
After Jenna arrived, we started again from the beginning and managed to get two more full run-throughs in, which was brilliant. There is some great chemistry between the cast and the emotions are really coming through. I think they will all be in tears at the end, maybe even me. All in all, they are making me very, very proud.
Just some behind-the-scenes things to get sorted now, then we can really get on the promotional trail. I need to work out my story board for my trailer, we need to get posters and flyers designed and printed and then we can really get selling.
Song of the Day - Fightstar - Floods (well, what else?)
Well, it came to hit home this week for the Woods cast as on Tuesday on my way home from the office, I get a phone call from the Chairman explaining to me that the Village Hall, where we rehearse, had been designated as a "Evacuation Centre" for those affected by the floods and so we would not be able to use the hall on Thursday night. We would still have one of the smaller rooms, but there was the distinct possibility that there would be a whole load of people there so I wasn't too sure about keeping the rehearsals there.
Now I could have cancelled the rehearsals but, because I had to cancel last weeks and we are only rehearsing once a week, I didn't think we should take another week off. It had also been 3 weeks since the Hobbit had rehearsed with us and it was the first opportunity I'd had for everyone to be together, so I kept the smaller room, but it wouldn't be easy. Although we started our rehearsals in the smaller rooms, we have definitely outgrown them now! Luckily I have some contacts within the hotel industry and called in a favour. Our rehearsal was off to a new space, the Marriott Hotel Heathrow (for which I thank them very much).
Jenna was working late so we started without her and had a good run through with Sophie standing in until her part and then Caroline standing in after that. Everyone remembered their blocking (yay!) and Joshua had even gone a long way to learning his lines (very pleased with that indeed!). We worked on some delivery of lines, but on the whole, the cast are just doing what I knew they would do when I cast them - they're being excellent.
After Jenna arrived, we started again from the beginning and managed to get two more full run-throughs in, which was brilliant. There is some great chemistry between the cast and the emotions are really coming through. I think they will all be in tears at the end, maybe even me. All in all, they are making me very, very proud.
Just some behind-the-scenes things to get sorted now, then we can really get on the promotional trail. I need to work out my story board for my trailer, we need to get posters and flyers designed and printed and then we can really get selling.
Song of the Day - Fightstar - Floods (well, what else?)
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