Night Light are currently casting for Romeo and Juliet and two other projects, since Monday they have received over 1400 CV’s. Rich has demanded that he take control of all the casting and I asked about this earlier.
Why are you doing this?
Because I am looking for something very specific.
Have you read every single application?
Yes of course, it someone takes time to send you their CV you bloody well read it from top to bottom.
What are you looking for?
I’m trawling through hundreds of CV’s looking for magic.
What kind of magic?
Not tricksters or illusionists, although there are a lot of people applying who have ‘magician’ on their CV- those people almost always get an audition because I do love a good magic trick.
What I am searching for is theatre magic. It sounds really cheesy but I never really take much notice of drama schools, or random ‘experience‘, if someone says they have worked with a relevant company then that’s great obviously. But I don’t really know anything about ‘Oaklahoma’ or ’Devised piece from Uni’. I want to know are you the kind of person who is going to slave to make this production wonderful, for yourself, for the company and above all for the audience? I want to work with the best people, sometime that's not the best trained people. I'm not against 'training' i just find it a secondary factor in casting.
What is the most important thing about casting for Night Light?
Well, character, clarity, vocal control etc are all important but over the years working with Gomito and for Gecko and most recently Hoipolloi, the thing that I have learned and want to take forward is that good people make good theatre. You have to have heart. You have to take your heart out of your chest and hold it up to the lights and let the audience take it, or stab it, or cuddle it or roar with laughter at it. Once I have found someone with no ego, who has bags of excitement and energy, then I can decide if they have the skills required by the part.
And what are the parts for Romeo and Juliet?
Well, it’s open, I am forming an ensemble, not in an RSC sense, I’m not thinking anywhere near that scale obviously. I want a group of multi-skilled performers who can share roles, puppeteer and sing. But they have to be a great group of individuals too. If they can move that’s a bonus. I think my cast for Romeo and Juliet is 6 or 7, but it depends who I find. 3 ladies, the rest men. Sarah, our producer will have the final say on this I reckon. I’d have 50 if I could and it would be really good fun.
What tips can you give anyone auditioning or sending their CV?
I am so not the right person to answer that question. Casting is hard on everyone, the performer has to say the right things, present themselves as they think a director wants them to look and then, if they do get an audition, they only have a tiny amount of time to prove their ‘worth’. It’s rubbish. I hope to cast as few times as possible in my life, wherever I can I will try to use the same performers, over time people learn the way I think- I talk a lot of crap in rehearsal and it takes a while to get used to me…
When are the auditions?
I think we are aiming to see most people on the 24th of March, then if we need to see any more of people then we will run some recalls the week after.
And what are you planning to do in the audition?
I really don’t know yet, depends on the people involved. Dom will need to hear people sing. I will need to do some puppetry and then we will probably run a movement sequence or two. It will be fun…
Can I come along?
No, Dave. You ask too many questions.
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