When it all gets a bit too much we talk in Australian accents and replace words in the script with 'Koala'. Credit must go to Katie Cherry for inventing this simple, but effective game to bring us back at the 13th hour.
Rehearsals are well underway for all shows, and though I can't speak for 'Lord of the Flies' (Maria will blog it at some point) they all seem to be in a good place with about half the rehearsal process left to go. The Bacchae is beginning to take shape, yesterday we spent several hours dressing and undressing our Pentheus (Stuart Mortimer) who is a complete star and such a fantastic sport. As part of the chorus it is a delight, albeit a bleary eyed delight, to watch our leads work this one out. Sam is doing such a stunning job as the messenger, such a tricky part and he is the perfect man to do it! All the boys and Thea are marvellous and I defy anybody not to be moved by these chaps (very much including Charlotte and Nat) in the final scene. I can only watch in awe, and take my cap off to them.
Also HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Sean. Yesterday Sean and Sam stayed with us until the end of rehearsals even when they were told they could go home hours before. Now that's ensemble for you and we all appreciated it!
Us chorus ladies are having a jolly old time, quite often returning to our default screaming with delight at Jack when we get a bit stuck, but we are getting there slowly but surely. We have some real musical talent in this cast. Sadly I am not part of this elite band of actor musicians but yesterday I did shake a maraca for a while! Then Natalie said it wasn't working out and us percussionists got the sack. Devastated. A couple of rounds of singing 'Come koala, come now, down from Olympus, come koala' sorted us right out though. Speaking of singing, the marvellous Rowan Beggs has been unofficially appointed musical director of the chorus. We have had some brilliant stuff composed for us by Assaf Noy but it can get rather complicated. (Particularly if you are in the band of the musically incapable) But dear old Rowan, with the patience of a saint is getting us all in order, and if I do say so myself I think we are sounding rather good. In my effort to contribute to this nice noise I have recorded it on my ipod and listen to it on the tube. Accidentally singing along to the most inappropriate line 'and either put his addled brains right/ or beat him until they are covering the floor' I got almost as many wary looks as when I was sat on the tube reading 'The Suicidal Mind' with a highlighter, sat with an overly large bag (filled with rehearsal things I hasten to add). I will soon be banned from the Northern Line I fear.
4.48 is motoring along as well. The shape of it is laid down now, we managed to have a run on Saturday, and although I was a bit caught up in the middle of it, I think it will be very special indeed. The movement stuff that the cast are doing is unbelievable, and once again I am absolutely in awe of everyone around me. It is turning into something quite stunning and all the respect in the world to Steve, Charlene and David for having the vision (and the patience) to do it. From what they have told us about the lighting and sound design it is going to look awesome!
We had a pretty intense week with it last week. With four extremely long days in a row and discoveries being made all the time it was quite hard to keep your head from spiralling off at some points. I definitely found myself brain dead for a few minutes each day. The 'Slash' backbends are giving all the girls sixpacks! Though they are certainly in pain from their gain.
I think the long days (44 hours in total) took their toll on everybody, I think most people had a little moment at some point. On an (EXCLUSIVELY) personal level I am very sorry for any of the teary moments that I had. I have no reason except frustration at myself and it certainly shouldn't have shown. I am loving every minute of it and there is nowhere else I would rather be, nor a group of people I would rather be in a room with. First morning off in christ knows how long and here I am blogging about it. I am also sat in our ball pool eating bread and butter and sugar and drinking hot ribena like a five year old, but the less said about that the better.
The text is tough and David and I snatched moments whenever we could trying to figure some of the more ambiguous moments out to have something to play with. David is a bit of a genius. A lot of a genius actually. And far too modest about it. With the bare bones laid down we now have got the lovely job of detailing which is going to be exciting.
Everyone is doing an amazing, amazing job. Whenever I am nibbling blueberries on the sidelines and watching everybody working I am stunned. Emma Hanson in particular is the most frightening thing (in the best way possible) I've seen for a while. The hours are paying off, and everyone is truly mesmeric. I wish I had a hundred eyes to look at them all and I know the audience will too. It is rich and detailed already so with the rest of the rehearsal time left I think these guys are going to go stratospheric.
Lou Lou has affected a new way of speaking which has us all in stitches, I often forget how to speak, Steve fell off a chair, Katie Cherry can't stop saying koala, Abby is a saint, Charlotte is probably the funniest person alive accidentally, Georgia can't lift up Lou Lou nor say her penultimate line without becoming hysterical, the girls have to go porno, I've eaten too many blueberries, Tash's boobs need a homing square all of their own, Rowan and Leanne have created two of the most memorable moments of the show, and you will see the best high functioning, intelligent, sentient cockroaches (not slow-mo, idiot cockroaches) that have ever lived.
Definitely not a blanket of koalas at that moment.
Hooray!
