And Did Those Feet - behind the scenes

The cast are in the final week of rehearsals for And Did Those Feet this week or is that 'pre-match' training! Some of the photos look energetic enough. Joel Pammenter came in to grab a few snaps of them being put through their paces ready for kick off, I mean opening night, on Thursday.

They seems to be well into the spirit of it all and if you look at their attire they seem to have come over all Bolton Wanderers as most of them are wearing various shades of blue and white!

We bumped into a very nice gentleman in the foyer this morning buying his tickets for the show. Not only was he very excited about seeing the show again, he was also an authority on the Wanderers and Bolton's social history. All very interesting stuff.

Below is a review of Midsummer Night's Dream as written by Lindsay Wilkes. Lindsay is one of our youth theatre participants (see her in the promo shot for Well Swung above) and is currently working towards her Silver Arts Award. As part of the arts award she needs to review a show and ensure it is ‘shared with an audience’. So I thought as the readers of my blog were a worthy and kind audience, I would share it with you as it provides a different perspective on how Shakespeare is viewed by one of our young people.

Midsummer Night’s Dream, is one of Shakespeare’s comedies. This production at The Octagon Theatre is directed by David Thacker.

The two main themes of theshow that stood out to me are love and drugs. The four lovers act as if they have been drugged and when lovers get a love juice put into their eyes, the cast act as if they are tripping. A big part of this production feeling uplifting rather than boring was the technical aspects such as lighting, set, costumes etc.

The set design was really cool and funky. It wasn’t what I expected at all, it is very creative. When asked to describe it to someone, my answer was “full of big balls”! The lighting is always changing which makes the moment when Puck delivers his final monologue stand out. The lighting here stays the same, which helps you to focus in on it. One of the good things about the lighting is that it’s illuminous and the glow in the dark lights are mint -you end up looking around the audience to see who’s clothes are lighting up the most.

For me Titania's costume is to die for. I didn’t think that the costume would be 1960’s as I thought the play was a lot older! Whoever designed these clothes [It was Ashley Shairpe - Ed]chose brilliant costumes. The funniest costume for me was Nick’s, who plays Lysander, as the costume is flares and a multi coloured shirt, nothing like I have ever seen in my lifetime.

Also I think that David has picked a brilliant cast. The first time I saw it I loved Paula, who plays Titania and Hippolyta. She was outstanding, but for me Jake’s (Demetrius) and Vanessa’s (Helena) performances have been consistent and strong every single time. The way they act is outstanding and they draw your attention with all the running about and shouting that they do! I was very impressed with Rosie’s performance and how she had real tears in her eyes as Rob (Theseus) shouts at her in the first half. Also Vanessa’s performance for me was amazing as she wants Demetrius so much, that the more he refuses her, the more she wants him. This for me is something a young person can relate to…if we get told we aren’t allowed to do or have something, it makes us work all the harder to get it!

I personally didn’t know that Shakespeare did comedies but watching this show makes me want to watch more of Shakespeare’s plays. Before this performance I really thought Shakespeare was a load of old balls, turns out it is, but not in the way that I first thought!

Wanderers’ Glory Days at the Octagon

Next month the Octagon Theatre is giving you the chance to relive one of the greatest FA Cup moments in the history of the football club.

From Thursday 11 March, the Octagon is turning the clock back to the Trotters’ finest hour with And Did Those Feet. It’s a play tracking the lives of two families on the build up to the club’s appearance at the first FA Cup final to be played at Wembley Stadium. And Did Those Feet was written by Wanderers fans and University of Bolton lecturers Les Smith and Martin Thomasson in celebration of the way the famous cup run captured the imagination of the whole town. And a replica of the FA Cup that Wanderers’ captain, Joe Smith, lifted on that memorable day in 1923 has arrived at the Octagon to star in the show.

And to coincide with this memorable production, Wanderers are contributing to an exhibition celebrating the wonderful heritage of the football club. A collection of memorabilia, photographs and paintings will be displayed as part of an exhibition at the theatre before shows.

Mike Needham, Marketing Manager at Bolton Wanderers, comments “We were delighted to find out that the Octagon Theatre had decided to undertake another run of the highly successful play And Did Those Feet. We are proud of our rich heritage and that this story celebrates one of the Club’s greatest achievements. The play was hugely popular with Wanderers fans, young and old, last time and we would urge any supporters who haven’t yet seen it to go and see it.”

For more information or to book visit the website or call the Ticket Office on 01204 520661.

A very nice email...

We have been sent a very nice email from someone that came to see A Midsummer Night's Dream. We are also getting some really great comments on our new ' customer feedback wall' downstairs. the meial was so nice I thoought I would re-produce it here.

Dear Marie,

You went to such trouble to ensure that my children and I would enjoy the performance of A Midsummer Night's Dream today that I thought I would let you know that we really did!

A sensuous and seductive Titania (oh to be able to move like that!), a beautiful and truly sympathetic portrayal of Helena, a Lysander and a Demetrius in whom we actually believed, an absolutely side-splitting play within a play (wherein Bottom and Wall particularly surpassed themselves), a fiery and determined Hermia, wonderful music, great setting, divine costumes (I want Oberon's coat). It was just marvellous from start to finish.

My 10 and 8 year olds loved it and followed the script easily because it was so exquisitely delivered (isn't it incredible that the language is still so alive after all these years?). My 8 year old had tears rolling down his cheeks by the final act and my 10-year-old didn't interrupt once - rare indeed!

I have never yet been disappointed by the Octagon, but today was a real theatre-going climax for us. Thankyou so much, and please pass on our congratulations to players and producer.

Best wishes,

Dawn

PS there was but one moment of potential embarrassment when both children whispered simultaneously "what IS going on?" as Titania leapt upon the all-too-accommodating Bottom in the elevated bed and the lid was closed upon the bizarre lovers - I deftly sidestepped the issue with a "she is tickling him" and escaped unscathed (phew).

Thanks for taking the time to write in. So what do the rest of you think? How about making a comment below...

Free tickets to And Did Those Feet

If you are a Wanderers fan you will already know that they are playing at home this weekend against Wolves. We have been given the opportunity by the kind people at BWFC to place an ad for the production (see above) on the video screen at the stadium during the match and I would like a photo of our ad in situ in the stadium.

If you are going to the match this weekend and you are willing to take your camera along you could win yourself a pair of tickets to see the Wanderers in their finest hour, lifting the 1923 FA cup, in our upcoming prodution of And Did Those Feet.

The sender of the first five photos I receive of our ad on the screen at the Reebok stadium will get a pair of free tickets* to see And Did Thsoe Feet which runs from 11 March - 10 April. Send you photos to sally.boyd@octagonbolton.co.uk. *One pair of tickets per sender.

The Hired Man Community Chorus - get your application in...

Just a reminder that you need to get your applications in by Thursday if you are thinking of taking part in the Community Chorus for The Hired Man. You can read more information here.

You can request an application form by emailing info@octagonbolton.co.uk or calling 01204 529407.

Faces and figures

A couple of recent articles in The Bolton News. One here about the very lovely Vanessa Kirby and another one about something completely different here.