The Caretaker - rehearsal diary week 3

I have received the 3rd installment of Hal's (assistant director) rehearsal diary and from the sounds of it, it is all coming together. The set is also up and looks fantastic. I will try and post some photos of that too but anyway I will now hand over to Hal.

Monday 23rd February
I am away from Bolton doing a casting for a children’s play I am working on at the Bristol Old Vic. It is about adventurers, dinosaurs and cave men; a little different from Pinterland!

Tuesday 24th February

Matthew Rixon (Aston) and Paul Webster (Davies). Image: Joel Chester Fildes

I’m back and things are looking promising. A weekend of rest mean there is a new confidence in the room. We go through Matthew’s long speech and it is beautifully delivered. He has a wonderfully sensitive touch. The main worry during this long section is where to place Paul (Davies). We work this out after some experimenting. I spend the rest of the morning with Jeff (Mick) going over his lines in the second half and talking over the difficult final scene. We try out his speech in this scene a couple of different ways. It requires a huge burst of passion, and we try to unlock the true emotion that lies within this rant. Progress.

The final moments of the play are examined throughout the afternoon. There is a plethora of darkness, pathos and desperation in these few minutes. It is important to judge them carefully. I feel there is a significant step forward. We re-position Paul, and Mark makes a few comments. More to discover, but it is certainly going in the right direction.

In the last hour or so we run our second half for the first time. It flows reasonably well – but plenty still to get our teeth into during the coming days.

Wednesday 25th February

Paul Webster (Davies). Image: Joel Chester Fildes

Our first run is the order of the day. In attendance was Andy Smith (Sound) and Brent Lees (Lighting), as well as James, a tutor from Active 8 Youth Group. How was it? Not bad at all. Quite a few notes are given by Mark. He asks for more youthfulness and play from Jeff. Generally the power shifts between the characters are exciting and surprising. There are quite a few moments to examine, and the pace needs a bit of a lick on it. Decisions to make. Still plenty of room for improvement.

During the afternoon we develop Mick’s character. Jeff is now finding a lightness of touch, an arrogance and twinkle in his eye. It is thrilling! He is daring, risking and enjoying himself. Come 5pm it is bag time again. It is frantic and quick. Maybe this will work. Finally we revisit the final scene of the play. Energy in the room is starting to waver, but it has been a long day.

Jeff Hordley (Mick) and Paul Webster (Davies). Image: Joel Chester Fildes

Thursday 26th February
A big breakthrough day. Our run this morning feels a little slow and mechanical. Mark’s big note is to relax our approach to the rhythm of the piece – to place our focus more on the actor’s instincts and being less ridged on the honouring of the pauses and dots. With Pinter’s musical beat in our subconscious maybe it is time to experiment. This unleashes a new overall energy in which the actors feel released.

Paul Webster (Davies). Image: Joel Chester Fildes

Jeff and I spend the afternoon playing with this licence to thrill! It is rip-roaring fun! The time is spent hammering out clarity, and we experiment with intentions. Back in the rehearsal room things are starting to really fly. The electricity is well and truly back!

Friday 27th February
The excellent work of yesterday continues throughout a vibrant morning session. We have a bash at Mick and Davies’ first scene which is turning into huge fun. Andy (sound) records some of the rising footsteps and mumbles from the stairwell. We then plot in the music for the production which Mark and Andy have thoughtfully selected. It adds an extra layer of intensity and a strange sense of beauty. I want to get myself a personal copy! The afternoon run is pleasing enough. Next week is production week, when we hope the production will reach the next level.

Paul Webster (Davies) and Matthew Rixon (Aston). Image: Joel Chester Fildes

The Caretaker - rehearsal diary week 2

Monday 16th – Wednesday 18th February
We thunder through the second half of the play at a pace. Monday sees Mick terrorising Davies with an electrolux – a thrilling scene that will ultimately be played out in the dark. Paul (Davies) practises this section by doing it with his eyes closed. His willingness to throw himself around the rusting set is astounding! Jeff (Mick) does a great sound effect of the electrolux in the absence of the soundtrack! He unleashes an energetic sense of charming chaos to this scene to the immense satisfaction of all in the rehearsal room. I spend quite a bit of time line bashing with Matthew (Aston) during the long afternoon.

Come the evening Jeff, Matthew and I retired to the pub and talked through ideas for the brother’s back-story. Pinter gives you so little about their relationship, yet a huge amount in their shared slight smile in Act Three.

Tuesday is a long line learning day for me! I have Jeff for much of the day. We work in the main house and hammer home a couple of scenes. We then work on some speeches – especially his rant to Davies which begins: ‘you’re stinking the place out’. The best way to gain clarity within this tirade of sales talk was to break it down into much smaller sections and find different energies within them. It is a brilliant section, which I personally love. Jeff is certainly starting to get to grips with it.
I later work with Matthew on his long monologue on electro-therapy. We discussed the process of this therapy and the treatment for manic depression or mental illness around this period. I had watched some footage of this kind of therapy recently – it was truly horrific viewing.
Wednesday leads us to the end of the play. Paul’s desperate, sad mumblings are spine tingling, and this was just the first bash at it. I spend more time during late morning working sections with Matthew and then Jeff in the main house. Scripts are beginning to disappear from the rehearsal room. Our hard work is paying off!

Now with the play covered once through we are planning to go through it all again. Each time we revisit scenes more layers of meaning, humour and invention are unpeeled. The next couple of days should be very exciting room in the rehearsal room.

Thursday 19th February
Today was dedicated to Aston and Davies’ scenes. Their banter at times is childlike in its simplicity, and there is such a difference in rhythms; Davies being a swirling tornado of energy and unrest, against Aston’s stillness. The first scene is especially intriguing to watch. The ignorant audience have to try and work out what is happening. Paul and Matthew’s interplay is a delight. Mark (Director) nudges them forward with some careful observations. The language and rhythm are really starting to fizz. Much more to come though.

Back in the main house during the afternoon, Jeff and I look at Mick’s character journey. There is a surprising amount of compassion within Mick in contrast to his tough exterior. His use of language is dazzling, and asks for a lot of vocal clarity and control from an actor. Jeff prowls around the stage as we attack some of the speeches.

Friday 20th February
I oversleep my alarm this morning, but manage to ride the 540 bus down to the Octagon just in time to start rehearsals. Matthew and I go over and over his long speech. He is essentially there on the lines now, and we try varying the speed of delivery. A line that comes up in discussion between us Aston’s admission: ‘I laid everything out in order, in my room, all the things I knew were mine, but I didn’t die’. This fascinating line gives us a potential insight into the internal workings of the character. Being surrounded by junk in the flat suddenly takes on a strange new meaning…Back in the rehearsal room Paul, Jeff and Matt embark on more bag snatching from Act Two. The tension and level of non-verbal communication is building.

Mark is very strict on observing the pauses properly and accurate with the text. This attention to detail helps gives the ‘elecrolux’ scene with Mick and Davies a pinging rhythm. The introduction of real sandwiches seems to make an incredible difference to the scene. Jeff (Mick) starts to relax into the zippy interplay. Amazing how a bit of bread can unlock so much!

Post-mid afternoon tea break, (Matthew is especially keen on his tea), we work on Mick and Davies’ scene in Act 3. Discussions on the best way to play the scene are at the forefront. Power and status shifts are explored. This is a scene where perhaps Davies perhaps seals part of his fate with his loud mouth. Plenty of energy buzzes around the room for a Friday afternoon. With another weekend for the good work of the last couple of days to settle, Week Three should be a treat.

Images: Joel Chester Fildes

The Caretaker - rehearsal diary week 1

Paul Webster (Davies) Image: Joel Chester Fildes

One of the things I love about working here is the opportunity to meet new, creative and very lovely people. For The Caretaker, Mark is being ably assisted by the very lovely Hal Chambers.

Hal is a young theatre director who recently trained at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School. He has been as Assistant Director with the Theatre Royal Bath and is soon to be working at the Bristol Old Vic. He works as a freelance theatre director and workshop leader in London.

Over the next few weeks he is our inside man and will be keeping a diary of his time here and reporting on ‘Pinterland’, where director, Mark Babych, takes an experienced cast through a modern masterpiece.

Jeff Hordley (Mick) Image: Joel Chester Fildes

Day One: 9th February
The Octagon shines on a dreary, rainy afternoon in February. I, the eager young assistant director, am staring the terrifying play, The Caretaker, down the barrel and am consumed with both excitement and nerves! The latter largely disappears pretty quickly as I am greeted by the lovely atmosphere within the theatre. In turn I meet the different members of the team, including director Mark and the cast.

After some routine introductions and strong coffees the model box of the set is introduced. Richard, the designer, has done a great job - the set exudes a lot of the darkness and uneasiness of the play. People seem impressed. Paul Webster, who is playing Davies, has a lot of questions. Not surprising since he will barely leave the stage in over two hours!

Paul Webster (Davies) and Jeff Hordley (Mick). Image: Joel Chester Fildes

The read through arrives and it is lively. Debate and theories are on the table in the break. Everyone is bursting to get underneath the surface of this maze of language. When the read through is over I am guided by stage manager, Helen, around the Octagon building. The place has a friendly, local feel. Debate between Mark and the cast – Jeff, Matthew and Paul, continues in the rehearsal room. The day ends, thankfully, in the pub. Spirits seem pretty high….
I walk up a hill with bursting shopping bags with Assistant Stage Manager , Jake, and arrive at my digs. A huge house. Hello Bolton!

Day Two: 10th February
A beautiful sunny morning greets the city. Jake and I walk down to the theatre and meet Paul (Davies) who has been there since 8am. He is dressed in rehearsal clothes and looks every bit a professional tramp! Mark (director) and Matt (Aston) arrive and we launch into pages 1-7. Pinter’s words are so open to different readings. It is a minefield! We spend a bit of time discussing the many ways of saying ‘uh’. Mark leads the uncovering of meaning and we start getting stuff on its feet. The play presents so many possibilities, and we start decoding it like detectives!

Matthew Rixon (Aston). Image: Joel Chester Fildes

Jeff (Mick) joins us after lunch and we work through Mick and Davies first meeting. Mind games, shifts of status, and the threat of violence are in the air. Classic Pinter. We later have Matt back in the room and we attempt trying to change Aston’s rhythms and accent slightly. The results are very exciting.

Plenty of work covered on day two. I lie in front of the sofa watching a documentary on dreams in the evening. Both Davies and Aston claim they don’t dream when they sleep. Hard to imagine a life without them…

Paul Webster (Davies) Image: Joel Chester Fildes

Day Three: 11th February
Rain greets up this morning. I am not a fan of rain. (Lucky the North West is usually so dry then - Ed!)

The rehearsal room provides safe shelter. Part of the first hour of today’s rehearsal involves a logistical puzzle of how to best hide Davies’ bed, and how to take off all of the intricate junk later. We eventually find a good rhythm for this section and look forward to the end of the scene. Jeff arrives after lunch again and we start playing with Mick’s twisted persona. The psychological torture he inflicts on Davies is examined. Jeff enjoys freeing things up a bit. I find myself laughing a bit too much, after all, what is happening on stage is pretty nasty!

Paul Webster (Davies) and Matthew Rixon (Aston). Image: Joel Chester Fildes

Matt returns and we rehearse the bag swapping business in Act Two. I narrate through the precise directions from the text, and Paul, Jeff and Matt work through it. It is a bizarre and fascinating moment in the play - and the speed of it, both mentally and physically, may well provide an apt group warm up! Jeff leaves us around late afternoon, and we spend the remaining time going over the first twenty-seven pages of the play in detail. The play is already becoming funny and strangely haunting. Discoveries are starting to be made.

I spend the evening with leader Craig, and activ8 Youth Group. The 13-15 year olds are hugely energetic and intelligent. They even looked at scenes from The Caretaker. I wonder what they made of it!

Day Four: 12th February
A short day today as Jeff is away. I come in early to run lines with Paul (Davies) and Matthew (Aston). The director arrives and we work through a section where Aston leaves Davies all alone in the dilapidated flat. Mark gives a few suggestions and after a few runs of the section everyone seems happy. An early finish.

Jeff Hordley (Mick). Image: Joel Chester Fildes

I spend the afternoon exploring Manchester, and pay the Royal Exchange a visit. I then come back to the Octagon to see Paul in his one-man show about Hitler. An amazing transformation!

Day Five: 13th February
A very productive day. We reach the end of our first act and go over it. There is a good flow emerging although there is a general feeling that we have still only scratched the surface of this beast of a play. There are so many more layers to unearth.

During some of the afternoon I went through lines with Matthew (Aston). Many of his lines consist of ‘Mmm’ and ‘Yes’ and there are many random jumps in thought. I spend the time doing my best Paul Webster impression and Matthew feels a bit better for the hard work. Back in the rehearsal room we run a good section of our first half to finish the day and decide on calls for next Monday. Mark seems to be a happy director.

Back to the rush of London for the weekend. Bring on Week Two!

Thanks for this Hal. Look forward to reading about what's in store next week....

The making of Millboys, Chavs and Space Cadets

One of our Youth Theatre attenders, Jaymi Sulley (Thank you Jaymi!), has been keeping a diary on her involvement with their current project, the multi-media theatrical journey that is Millboys, Chavs and Space Cadets. It gives future and wannabe activ8-ers a chance to see what goes on at the Youth Theatre, so if you would like to know what's involved, please read on.

Day One

Today was the first day at drama school. The main focus of the day was to get to know the cast and staff involved in our production.

When we arrived we all stood in a circle and had a ball which we threw and had to say the name of the recipient of the ball. We played a few more games and then sat down and got serious. We discussed the basic storyline of the performance and were split into groups to perform a little piece of the script.

I enjoyed making new friends and I also learnt how co-operation is a key role in your part of a production.

Day Two

I arrived at drama today with the fabulous news that I was going to be dancing for about four hours of my afternoon. I was more disappointed when I found out that half of my fellow production / cast team members were singing all morning. I suppose I have to make sacrifices to be a reliable member of the team. Although the dancing was a low point, I had a morning of acting ahead of me which was good ;) !

We all went off into groups and went over parts of the script and then acted it out in front of the rest of the group. After lunch we were greeted by a dance teacher (choreographer) who taught us all a dance. I didn't enjoy it much as I am naturally unable to dance, but after a long session it was worth the embarrassment as the dance was awesome.

Today I enjoyed working with new people and I learned that patience really is a virtue.

Day Three
Our turn to sing today and I was so glad! During our morning we were with Pete (the music producer alongside me) and we did basic vocal warm-ups, to get our voices ready, such as number chords. We basically said numbers as a chord with 1 being low and 8 being high but to confuse matters we had to go back down in chords e.g. 1,1,2,1,1,2,3,2,1....

After the warm up we got our song words for 'Let the great big world keep turning', learnt the chorus and when Pete thought we were good enough he made us sing solo. After all the fun of singing, we were placed with the group to continue with script reading.

Today I enjoyed the singing as I love singing. I learnt how I can use my voice to suit the basic style of the song. I also learnt a new song and vocal exercises.

Day Four

Today we arrived and played a few games and then we decided to do the Mill scenes, creating machinery and workers we put together a little routine that emphasises the mood / feel of the scene.

After we had produced the scene we performed it and it turned out great. Our afternoon was just a recap of what we had done during the week so far. We went through the dance and sang our songs. With any spare time we had to went through the script.

Day Five

We found out our parts today. I am a Millhand, Musical Dancer, a futuristic museum exhibit and a talent show performer! Because we didn't have a script for the talent show, we improvised a talent show. I was grouped and we decided to do a Spice Girl mick take! It was so much fun. Later on Ellie and Caz decided what type of music / talent they wanted to involve. This became my chance to out ideas down for what music and lyrics we need for each performance.

Day Six

Today was when we got down to the real business of rehearsals. As I am not a lead placement, I was given a large opportunity to rethink my ideas for the music and lyrics needed for the show. So far my ideas are quite blunt and amateur but as an amateur it is all that is expected of me!

So far though we have a heavy metal band, Exit Shikiri (which is a rip off of a current rock band named Enter Shikari), performing Sorry You're Not A Winner. I also have to do music and lyrics to the song that Wicked (an all girl pop combo so I am told - Ed) dance to. It's quite difficult as I can see them using a cheesy pop style song.

Day Seven

Today we went through the Mill scene and perfected it. We then watched everybody else do their scenes and all put forward ideas but Ellie did most of it.

During the time I had, I tried again to put some music beats together but it didn't work.

Day Eight

Today we did the same as yesterday...rehearsals, putting ideas forward and went through the dances, song and the talent show.

Day Nine

Again a whole day of run throughs with the main characters.....

I think that gives us a nice insight into the elements that make up a production and I am sure there is many an actor out there that feels the same as Jaymi about having to dance. I know Barrie Rutter does!

Millboys, Chavs and Space Cadets will be performed at Bolton Lads and Girls Club on Saturday 17 November with performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm (performance times are subject to change).

Barrie Rutter's Rehearsal Diary - part 1

Barrie Rutter is the Founder and Artistic Director of Northern Broadsides the multi-award wining touring company based in the historic Dean Clough Mill in Halifax. He is also playing the part of Old Man Mars in Lisa's Sex Strike . This is his diary......

Day 1
I love first days – new words, new folk, new tour, new mates – made all the sweeter by the Octagon’s famed tremendous audience response, good at any time but greater still as we are the first play in the 40th year celebrations.

We were last here in 2001 with Oedipus and Cracked Pot, both by Blake Morrison as is Lisa’s Sex Strike out of Lysistrata by Aristophanes but not since more's the pity. But we're glad to be back. Rehearsals have started, tickets are selling well so you might want to buy yours now, just so you don't miss us!

So the pleasure is all ours to be invited to kick off this years’ terrific programme.
Rehearsal photography: Nobby Clark

Day 2
Blake Morrison and Conrad Nelson, the Director, have served up a text which is light years away from the severe, faithful narrative that I read four months ago – a mouth-watering feast of verbal dexterity and invention, with more changes to come as Blake hears actor’s voices for the first time, delighting in the creative juices released with utterances. Many songs have appeared, more yet may. It’s wonderful to have a poet in rehearsal – two, in fact, as Con’s a poet of music, recent Tempest as evidence.

Overnight edits and new lines allow Blake to catch the 2 o’clock back to his family in Greenwich – there’s plenty to work on ‘til he arrives back next week with more. More – give us more: how exciting!

Rehearsal photography: Nobby Clark

Day 4
Suddenly the building’s louder, fuller – staff and production crew back from holiday; Youth Theatre running to and from the BNT; the Spotlight Café open to the public and most of our 14 actors in every day – singing, dancing, learning going on around every corner. It’s buzzing.

Day 5
A day off for me. The first time ever in the history of Northern Broadsides.

Day 6
Return to find a chorus of whistling appendages (!) – you’ll just have to see the show, I am not giving anything else away – and a tumbling, trotting, truncheon-toting troupe of silly police of course!

Ambling around the Precinct and popping in to place a bet do I detect a less than favourable atmosphere towards the chap known as ‘Little Sam’? Hmmm. If I do it fits in with mine, being a supporter of the Tigers of Hull City, similarly throwing away home advantage on the first day of the new season. Good job the horse wins, and I whistle away with £30.

Day 7
I’m a God! Many have suspected this for some time I know but the vagaries of Aries, God of War (Mars to the Romans) are now realised in a half-deaf, half- blind, hip replacement needing old geezer from Hull – that’s me!

Another Day.....

A frightening day, a nervous day, a ‘will-I-get-found-out’ day – choreographers in!

The girls love it of course. The lads love watching the girls of course!! It’s always delightful to see the grace that women’s bodies seem to naturally possess. And as always, the movement queen herself is just sensuality on legs….

A serious discussion ensues on how men walk when armed with a certain theatrically enhanced, mechanical strap-on, battery operated 'prop'. Intrigued? You might just have to come and see the show! Oh girls, what you don’t know or haven’t observed – we waddle. Relaxed sauntering is not possible. So it’s legs slightly apart too when stood at attention.

It’s gratifying to know that a certain mechanical prop rescues the possessor from intricate dancing steps. So, being condemned for having two left feet is put off for another day. What’s more the girls will be in various Ann Summers garbs at this stage in the show and so will carry the ‘dance’. For this relief much thanks. “Relief”? Oh stop it Rutter….