Thursday 30 September 2010

The NIGHT LIGHT WORLD of Romeo and Juliet

I spent the afternoon with Rich (Night Light Artistic Director) who is trying to get to grips with the way that the new production of Romeo and Juliet will feel. Where it will exist and how it will come to life.

He says

“I think our Verona is a fantasy world. A land of myth, a Shakespearian land free from reality, a place where anything is possible, a place of magic where stories make their own rules. I feel very safe with storytellers, I like using them as a backbone. It is starting to become clear that this should be a highly theatrical, vibrant production with simple storytelling at its core”

How do you justify the fantastical element of your concept for the show?
“I don’t feel I have to justify anything Dave- it's really exciting because all of my fears about 'this is how you are meant to do it' are just fading away the more we work, there are no rules in what we are attempting. Shakespeare weaves the most majestic fictional web combining originality, pre-existing folklore and popular culture. Our Verona has room for all of these elements to manifest freely.”

“We are trying to ensure that like any truly great creative environment, we are free of constricting laws and preconceptions. Ours is a Shakespearian world where Prospero really could have ’
powers, where Oberon and Titania do live freely in the woods, where any of Shakespeare’s stories could easily happen”

I will be posting some images from the design meetings happening next week, And maybe, if I can get my hands on some, maybe some music from the research and development period.

Until then its time for a 2am sausage roll and an old episode of the X - files…

P.S Tom promised me a review of the latest Frantic Assembly show, he saw it yesterday and so I hope to get that online tomorrow.

Tuesday 28 September 2010

Star Wars Episode IV: A New Blog

Welcome friends, to the all new Night Light Theatre blog. Its very exciting. I'll be be keeping track of all goings on within the company, and hopefully get some videos and stuff like that up here soon. I'm a bit new to all this, but I've known Tom for a few years, so when he and Rich Rusk asked me if I wouldn't mind keeping a blog for the company,  I got very excited about it. Then I couldn't log on for a while, so that was a problem. But I went away, had a snack and tried a bit later, and it was fine again. So there you go.

After logging on, I wasn't too sure what to do, so I phoned up Tom to see what was going on today. He said he was filling out application forms and sending letters and emails. I didn't really want to write about that, so I said I had to go to the shop. I think he's in a bad mood because his heatings not working. He has to wear his coat when he watches telly.

While I was at the shop, I decided that I should just start this new blog by telling you whats coming up for Night Light over the next couple of months. 

In October, there is the beginnings of rehearsals for Romeo and Juliet - the arts council very kindly sent a bit of money so they can have some fun. Puppets are being made, plans are afoot and Rich is working away furiously - all good signs. They'll be joined by some very good friends from time gone by, so its going to be a really exciting month.

A couple of things to tell you about in November. Firstly, the Night Light Orchestra are playing a gig at the Snug bar on Lensfield Road, Cambridge on 16th November. Then, the next evening, a scratch performance of Romeo and Juliet will be taking place at The Junction's Jam Night in Cambridge. The evening will showcase October's work on the show, as well as showings from some other theatre companies - all of them brilliant - so it looks like it'll be a great autumnul night of theatre.

Well, I think thats my mission accomplished for tonight. Im going to have some soup now and read a book about Ronnie Barker, but do keep coming back here -  I like this blogging and I'll be updating as often as I can.

Dave