Backstage with the acting company of La Boite Theatre Company’s As You Like It by William Shakespeare, Directed by David Berthold.
Helen Howard, Thomas Larkin, Helen Cassidy, Trevor Stuart, Bryan Probets, Hayden Spencer, Luke Cadden, Kathryn Marquet, Dominic Nimo, and Kate Wilson with Alec Snow, Jordan Kadell, Thomas Hutchins, Thomas Carney, Jerome Meyer, Lucy-Ann Langkilde, Hannah Galbraith, and Mahala Wallace.
Original Music: Guy Webster Images: Kate Foy
Actors’ Warmup - voice and body
Thomas Carney (Charles the Wrestler) and Thomas Larkin (Orlando) in the pre-show warmup period assist each other with their physical and vocal preparation. They fight each other in an unarmed wrestling sequence in La Boite Theatre Company’s production of As You Like It (2012).
Both actors use the fight-choreo warmup time to focus and get in tune with each other and their routine. Tapping lightly all over the body, releasing breath and encouraging resonance seemed to me a great way to combine the physical ‘combative’ nature of their roles and one aspect of their individual voice warmups before the show.
Thanks Tom and Thom for sharing!
Arriving at work an hour and a half before curtain - first things to do: check in with others, maybe grab a bite to eat in the greenroom, a cup of tea, read the notices …
There is a lovely one this evening from the Marketing department about some of our audience members this morning - a group from a retirement home. Two guests in the party had never been to the theatre before - a 7 year old (one of the nurse’s grandsons) and one of the ladies aged 86. I can’t think of a nicer introduction to the theatre than our As You Like from Messrs Shakespeare and Berthold. She loved it all; he loved the wrestling! Another guest hadn’t been to the theatre for 35 years.
The home rang to say they all had a ball and that they’ve been talking about it all afternoon.
*Glow*
@2 months ago with 1 noteIt’s been nearly a week since I set fingers to keyboard - as a colleague in the company reminded me tonight. Nice to know someone has been reading my scribbles!
The week since opening has gone by in a bit of a blur. Each day’s rhythms are geared towards readying for the task of performance. Some days this week have seen us playing two shows - matinee and evenings. These days require the most discipline to ensure you get enough rest and that energy is focussed in the right direction. This is my excuse for not writing more regularly here, perhaps!
Audiences -and there have been a lot of lively and enthusiastic student houses this week - have been wonderfully responsive, as have the critics. Not one review has been less than highly complimentary and everyone has read the reviews that have been coming in daily since opening night one week ago. As a side note, there seem to be more voices joining in the commentary. It’s nice to see independent theatre bloggers adding their often thoughtful and well-informed commentary to the writing of the mainstream and other professional critics.
Now that the first, nearly-a-dozen performances are chalked up, one can feel a definite relaxation (in the best possible way) in the playing. Everyone is confident, and the show feels more assured. Exploration of the action through playing to various audiences is providing the payoff. The language, one of only many of the elements in the production, is working on us, and its riches are being savoured and released like a good wine that’s been allowed to breathe. Whilst some productions can become flabby - usually an increase in running time is the give-away - this one is actually keeping up the pace really well. The Stage Manager gives the company the running time at show’s end, so the actors have another mark to work with.
As far as the development of a performance is concerned, it’s surprising how sensitive one becomes to the nuances of the text being spoken, to being aware of small changes from performance to performance. Sitting in the dressing rooms, or pacing the corridors behind the stage waiting for entrances one can hear - and listens for - the cast on stage and the audience reaction. There are quick pats on the back, high-fives, whispered ‘Lovely work,’ or ‘Great job’ as we pass in the semi-darkness backstage. The supportive atmosphere in the company is palpable. Whilst what the reviewers and the audiences say is understood and appreciated, there is nothing quite as treasured by an actor than an accolade that comes from a colleague, from one really in the know, a member of the team.
I suppose, given the fact that we are also having such a joyous time playing this lovely piece, that we’re all on an understandable high.
The last night pre-show. Backstage is as busy as ever with usual show duties in full-swing. There is, however, another energy at play - we are readying for our final performance. It’s joyous and sad in equal measure. Full house to farewell us … a post-show party and the little grieving begins. There are farewell gifts, photographs - yes, sharing will happen on the social networks - and the show ‘canvas’ to complete. More on that in another post.
@2 months agoIt’s been nearly a week since I set fingers to keyboard - as a colleague in the company reminded me tonight. Nice to know someone has been reading my scribbles!
The week since opening has gone by in a bit of a blur. Each day’s rhythms are geared towards readying for the task of performance. Some days this week have seen us playing two shows - matinee and evenings. These days require the most discipline to ensure you get enough rest and that energy is focussed in the right direction. This is my excuse for not writing more regularly here, perhaps!
Audiences -and there have been a lot of lively and enthusiastic student houses this week - have been wonderfully responsive, as have the critics. Not one review has been less than highly complimentary and everyone has read the reviews that have been coming in daily since opening night one week ago. As a side note, there seem to be more voices joining in the commentary. It’s nice to see independent theatre bloggers adding their often thoughtful and well-informed commentary to the writing of the mainstream and other professional critics.
Now that the first, nearly-a-dozen performances are chalked up, one can feel a definite relaxation (in the best possible way) in the playing. Everyone is confident, and the show feels more assured. Exploration of the action through playing to various audiences is providing the payoff. The language, one of only many of the elements in the production, is working on us, and its riches are being savoured and released like a good wine that’s been allowed to breathe. Whilst some productions can become flabby - usually an increase in running time is the give-away - this one is actually keeping up the pace really well. The Stage Manager gives the company the running time at show’s end, so the actors have another mark to work with.
As far as the development of a performance is concerned, it’s surprising how sensitive one becomes to the nuances of the text being spoken, to being aware of small changes from performance to performance. Sitting in the dressing rooms, or pacing the corridors behind the stage waiting for entrances one can hear - and listens for - the cast on stage and the audience reaction. There are quick pats on the back, high-fives, whispered ‘Lovely work,’ or ‘Great job’ as we pass in the semi-darkness backstage. The supportive atmosphere in the company is palpable. Whilst what the reviewers and the audiences say is understood and appreciated, there is nothing quite as treasured by an actor than an accolade that comes from a colleague, from one really in the know, a member of the team.
I suppose, given the fact that we are also having such a joyous time playing this lovely piece, that we’re all on an understandable high.
@3 months ago
