Rehearsal week 1
I planned to blog far more about this week but it’s been hectic. Next week I will interview the cast and take some photos…
Night Light have begun rehearsals on Romeo and Juliet, finally, and it’s been a full on week.
The cast are a combination of people who have worked with Rich in the past and some whom he auditioned recently. The creative team is made up of Director, Designer, Composer, Technical Stage Manager and Lighting Designer- all of whom have been in and out of the room all week.
Rich has enlisted an intern in the form of production assistant Joe Bass. Joe has been bouncing around the room all week, joining in with games, devising material, making tea, prompting performers and taking photos. He made me a cracking hot chocolate.
I haven’t been in the room all week but everyone seems really committed and what is apparent from the work I’ve seen is that this will be no ordinary show.
I asked Rich
Dave: How are you feeling?
Rich: “Ok. It’s been a very mixed week, these people didn’t know each other on Monday morning and so it was essential that we spend enough time just working each other out. If Romeo and Juliet are going to convince anyone that they are deeply in love, they have to have time to meet and play together in the rehearsal room.”
Dave: What has been the focus of week one?
Rich: “Music, no question. We don’t have Dom (composer) next week, which means we had to learn a lot of music this week. There are themes developing for every character and we are organically inserting them into the scenes as we go along. We have a week on just text next week and then the music comes back into the room in week three”
Dave: Any breakthroughs that you weren’t expecting?
Rich: “About a hundred. The cast make everything their own in every second and I won’t ever fight that. I love seeing their Mercutio’s and their Benvolio’s… They are always discovering but what has surprised me most is how quickly everyone has taken to the world that we are trying to make. Everyone is starting to really believe that this play could belong in a world of magic, a world of puppets and people living together in harmony. I just hope the audience are ready to open their imaginations too.
I’m sure that they will.”
Dave: Do you have a favourite moment yet?
Rich: “Yes.”
Dave: Will you tell me what it is?
Rich: “No”
Dave: Right.
Rich: “Sorry Dave, but it’s secret. I don’t want to tell you all the best bits.”
Dave: Ok.
Rich: “Don’t sulk Dave”
Rich then ran off so I spoke to one of the cast briefly.
Dave: What is your favourite moment so far?
Philippa: “I have two, the first is when we first conjure up some magic to battle with in act one. It’s so simple but I think it will be really effective. I also love the way that lady Capulet moves. She’s strangely sexy”
Dave: What can people expect from the show so far?
Philippa: “Excitement, adventure, magic and other-worldliness.”
Dave: What are you looking forward to most at the New Wolsey Studio next week?
Philippa: “This week feels like it could be more about the big moments, bringing out the heart of the story. We scratched on the bigger emotions of the show this week but only musically. I am looking forward to seeing the death of Mercutio, Tybalt, Paris and Romeo and Juliet of course. There’s quite a lot of death in the piece actually… it might be quite a heavy week. I’m also really looking forward to getting to know everyone better.”
Night Light have just had a delivery of a working Friar puppet and I can tell you now, he is beautiful.
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