Gold, GOLD, always believe in your soul....

Okay, this isn't strictly theatre news but news of a performer on a different stage - a sporting one! If, like me, you were sucked into the breath-taking spectacle of human endeavour that was the Beijing Olympics, you cannot fail to be blown away by the achievements of the UK Cycling team.

Luckily for us, one of those Gold Medal winning cyclists, was Bolton boy Jason Kenny. Apparently, he is Bolton's first ever Gold medalist. There will be a civic welcome on Victoria Square for the marvellous Mr Kenny tomorrow (Saturday 30 Aug).

The celebrations will start at 11.30 and Jason will display his medals on the steps of Bolton Town Hall, where members of the public will have the chance to congratulate him on his success on Victoria Square. We will also have with us former Bolton Olympians, including Amir Khan who personally wanted to come down and congratulate Jason, the Chairman of Bolton Wanderers and other special guests.

Not only that, but Saturday sees the second day of the marvellous Food and Drink Festival. So loads to see, do and eat in Bolton this weekend. You can read about the Octagon Food Festival event here.

I Design for Life!

Apologies for the rather bad corruption of the Manic Street Preachers lyrics for the title. Forgive me, it's Friday!

This post is about a brand new designer, Tom Scutt (he designs for his livelihood - does the post title make sense now!?) Not only is he brand spanking new, he is also award-winning! Tom was not only a prize winner at the 2007 Linbury Biennial for his work at Headlong Theatre, he also picked up the Jocelyn Herbert award. So pretty talented, I'd say! And nice. So nice that he has agreed to answer a few questions and has also sent some of his sketches for the costume for Merchant of Venice. A sneak preview if you will.



Which project, that you have undertaken, are you most proud of?


I guess ‘proud’ is the wrong word, but every project gives a sense of fulfilment in at least one area – hopefully! I’ve just finished Metropolis with 60 children for Theatre Royal Bath which was an immense physical challenge, but then a tiny show for two in a London pub theatre offers up great mental challenges which are equally fulfilling when solved.


I think the achievement I’m most proud of is not actually a realised show: Winning one of four awards for the Linbury Biennial Prize for Stage Design last year, and its sister award The Jocelyn Herbert Prize, was extraordinary. It’s a beacon I’ve always looked toward with excitement and fear! Winning it has opened up so many doors and changed so much for me that I don’t really know what I’d be doing right now without it!


If you could produce designs for any production, what would that production be?
The eternal question! Luckily – it’s rare that a designer gets to choose what’s put on stage so the weight of that question is placed squarely on the shoulders of the producer and director! If I had to choose, I guess I’d have to say ‘Macbeth’. Greg Doran’s RSC production in 1999 with Anthony Sher and Harriet Walter was truly inspiring and the reason why I decided to go into Theatre Design. That, and in 1998 at the Worcester Swan a certain Mark Babych directed a very gawky 14 year old Tom Scutt as Fleance in the same play. I’ve come back to haunt him like Banquo’s ghost! It’s a play that’s been with me all my life and for that more than anything I’d love to create the world for it.


Can you describe a bit about the process you went through to design the set and costumes for The Merchant of Venice?
Mark and myself both came with our own initial concerns. His was how we move fluidly from Venice to Belmont, mine was about the colour and the texture of these worlds. We discovered a surface that allows for the both the watery, harsh, steely world of Venice and the vain, opulent, glowing palace of Belmont. This discovery started to dictate the rest of the process. Sliding doors allowed the set to be permeated or sealed off completely in what started to look increasingly like one of Portia’s caskets – a set than can at once appear alluring and deadly. We also found that it began to resemble what has become known as ‘the corporate bombsite’. A kind of decimated skyscraper that has sinister overtones of Ground Zero - a warning in itself of what might happen if money is allowed to come higher than God.


And so the process went on, one problem answering the next, moving progressively forward towards a complete world – one in which all faiths find themselves up against the biggest religion of all: money. It’s the one thing all characters have in common and both Mark and I felt that the idea of wearing one’s wealth on one’s sleeve was exactly right for the costuming of a masculine Venice driven by highly-pressured money-makers and a feminine Belmont inhabited in particular by one super-rich, appearance obsessed Portia. Some design decisions like this were made after weeks of wrangling, others, such as “what if the Prince of Arragon were an ageing Flamenco dancer??” were just great one liners over a cup of coffee!

What were the biggest challenges of designing for Merchant and what was most enjoyable about working on this production?
I think the biggest challenge and the most enjoyable element are one and the same for me. The issue of race within the play is such a difficult one. It is essential when approaching the design – the direction, and the performance for that matter – that one treads very carefully. Coming from a generation that is, one the whole, much more tolerant of race, sexuality and class, it can often be hard to enter into the mind of an individual who has the ability to spit at a stranger in the street, simply because they are a Jew. Both myself, Mark and David Fielder (Shylock) were keen to raise questions, not answer them, but also to treat Shylock first and foremost as a man. Not a religion. We were keen that he look very much like everybody else in the play.


I was also particularly interested in how, when backed into a corner, religion can all too often be used as a sword to defend oneself from harm rather than an arm to reach out – as ongoing world events never fail to demonstrate. If the first part of the play is about the people that are Shylock and Antonio, the court scene distils them simply to the religious symbols they stand for. This issue is not one to be taken lightly, nor one to be solved here with this production but it has given us all big challenges and immense pleasure in discovering more and more about as we continue through the process.

Well Swung

You may remember me talking about the auditions for our community musical play, Well Swung, that is being produced by activ8. Well they have been rehearsing like mad over the last week or so and from what I can hear coming from the bar, it is sounding pretty darn good.

The production involves a small team of professional actors and musicians supported by a youth cast and orchestra of 25. It’s the first time activ8 have attempted a show with a large orchestra and the musical arrangements are quite stunning.

The play tells the story of a local swing band struggling to survive and creating a cunning plan to find their audience. Think Brassed off with a bit of a swing and a love story thrown in for good measure!

The performances take place the same weekend as the Bolton Food Festival. There is a preview performance on Friday 29 August (7.30pm) and further performances at 2.30pm and 7.30pm on Saturday 30 August. Tickets are available from £4.

So why not make an afternoon of it? Join in the Food Festival fun on Friday or Saturday afternoon and then enjoy an evening of Swing music at the Octagon in the evening....

The Merchant of Venice - cast announcement

Mark has pulled together a great cast for The Merchant of Venice. Not only are they great in talent but also fairly great in number - there's eleven of them. Not as many as The Crucible though who struggled to all fit on the stage when they took the curtain call (not that we have a curtain but you know what I mean!).

Not only are there faces from the recent past (a fair few you might recognise from our Anniversary Season) but also some that are new to the Octagon stage. Wyllie Longmore (Meet the Mukherjees / I Just Stopped By To See the Man) returns in the role of Antonio. David Fielder joins us as Shylock - can't wait to see these two trading verbal blows on stage! We welcome Emily Pithon as Portia and say hello once again to Paul Barnhill who plays Bassanio (Anna Karenina).

Other faces making a welcome return are Paul Simpson (And Did Those Feet / Road / Spring and Port Wine), Simeon Truby (Oh What a Lovely War / A Christmas Carol), Catherine Kinsella (The Crucible) and Dan Poyser (Blue Orange). Jenny Platt, Neil Madden and David Hobbs complete the cast.

It's Tasty Up North

Although things are relatively quiet here at the theatre at the moment, we will soon be starting preparations for next season. The production staff will be back after their well deserved summer holidays, cast will arrive to start rehearsing once again and our exciting special events programme will commence.

Talking of special events, we'd like to tell you about a new event that will be taking place here at the Octagon as part of Bolton's Food and Drink Festival. The Food Festival takes place over the last weekend in August and there are lots of events taking place around the town centre, including a paella tasting (I won't be bringing my sandwiches in on that day!), a cookery theatre featuring demos from Simon Rimmer (owner of the fantastic Green's restaurant) and Mike Harrison plus head chefs from some of Bolton's fine range of eateries (I recommend the Spice Valley chefs if there is a tasting), an Ale Trail and singing waiters! To top it off there will also be a whole host of special offers and tastings, so bring your appetite. You can read more about the Food Festival here.

The Octagon are delighted to be hosting an event here in our Hospitality Suite. Jim Hollyman will be coming in to talk about Fair trade and how important it is for future sustainability. His talk will be followed by a cookery demonstration by local chef Mike Harrison, using Fair trade ingredients. So not only informative and inspiring it will be mouthwatering too! And if that isn't enough to support the event there will be a Spotlight Cafe Fair trade themed SPECIAL OFFER for all attenders.

Event details

Date: Friday 29 and Saturday 30 August

Time: 2.30pm

Running time: approx 1 hour

Where: The Hospitality Suite at The Octagon Theatre

Tickets: FREE - places are limited so must be booked via our Ticket Office on 01204 520661

activ8 Showcase

You may remember me mentioning the activ8 showcase here. Well, at last I have got round to uploading some more info and more importantly details of the winners...drum roll please! Here's Lynsey to talk to you a bit more about it.....

Hello there!

We, in activ8, would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for all their hard work and support at our activ8 showcase and awards on Saturday 5 July. The whole evening was a great success and we’ve had some great feedback so thank you!Also congratulations to all those award winners out there! Here is a little more info about those special people whose hard work and commitment was recognised through the awards as part of the event.

Outstanding Personal Achievement and Development through Creative Arts

Awarded to: Thomas Mann

Thomas is a member of activ8 Bridges, our theatre company for young people with disabilities. Thomas has difficulties communicating in the same way many young people can but despite this he is a committed and enthusiastic members of the theatre group. He has created some fantastic music, films and theatre over the past couple of years.

Outstanding Contribution to Bolton’s Communities through Creative Arts

Awarded to: Holly Ball

Over the last year Holly Ball has been an activ8 volunteer that has worked above and beyond the call of duty. In November of last year, she volunteered on our two week summer school and large scale production of Millboys, Chavs and Space Cadets. Throughout this project Holly committed large amounts of time including weekends and evenings to offer invaluable help in the creative and logistical production of this project. Ever since, she has been a fortnightly volunteer with our 8-11 year’s youth theatre group, assisting the workshop leader in the sessions. Holly has been a fundamental asset to activ8 over the last year; she is always enthusiastic and willing to try anything new whether it be street dance, classical singing or rap! Always willing to get involved! Thank you Holly you are a legend!

Most Supportive Team Member

Awarded to: Molly Stevenson

Molly is a member of our Stage 3 youth theatre who meet at The Octagon Theatre every Wednesday evening. Within a group of 25 other young people aged 11-13; Molly has been an outstanding support to her peers. She is always offering to help and guide other members of the group, and you can be sure that any new arrivals to the sessions will be made to feel very welcome as she will go out of her way to make sure. In addition to this her effort, concentration and commitment to the work that they do is always 100%.

It is an absolute pleasure to have Molly in our youth theatre, and we hope that this award will highlight the outstanding levels of support that she offers to her youth theatre group. Well done Molly!

Most Memorable Individual Performance and Most Promising Newcomer

Awarded to: Andrew Darlington

Andrew has received this award for his numerous performances with our stage two youth theatre and through his involvement in our Half Term Play in a Week projects. Andrew’s performances always promise to be enthusiastic and full of energy with brilliant comedy timing.

Andrew has been involved in a number of activ8 projects over the last 2 years, and somehow always manages to steal the show! We wanted to give him this reward as recognition of his hard work and commitment to all of the projects he has been involved in, and for always, without fail, making us laugh!

Most promising newcomer

Awarded to: Betty and Margareth

Betty and Margareth moved from Africa to Bolton a couple of years ago. Since living here, they have become involved in a theatre project called ‘Young in Bolton’ and are now regular members of one of our satellite youth theatre groups. Betty and Margareth are popular members of the group and have shown great talent and commitment.

Shift Happens - part 3

Beautiful Thing (Octagon Theatre and Pilot Theatre) 2005

The next speaker at the Shift Happens event was Artistic Director of the Pilot Theatre, Marcus Romer. We have been lucky enough to work with Pilot on a couple of co-productions (Beautiful Thing and East is East) and it seems Pilot have really embraced the whole Web 2.0 age, so much so that I don't even have to give you the low down on his talk. You can read it here, plus there are some really nice bits and pieces on their site such as short little video guides to social networking, wikis, blogs and things of that ilk. They are fun and also remove much of the mystique about web phenomena and applications. Have a look here, here and here. You can even see a video demo of Pilot Theatre in Second Life! Fancy....

Next up was Roma Patel. Roma is a Scenographer and Digital Artist and has embraced the opportunities offered via new technology with her work in Theatre Design with some great results. Not only does she use new technology herself, she has also researched the impact of utilising this new technology amongst her peers.

I will admit to having rather a soft spot for the 'old skool' small scale models of sets that theatre designers use, there is something so touchly-feely about them and I love seeing things in miniature, plus the beautiful costume sketches designers produce are little works of art. It was the same when I worked in advertising, I loved the hand-drawn black and white 'scamps' the creatives used to convey a concept or idea as they allowed the imagination to flow and the idea to be discussed without distractions about what colour the headline would be or what image we would use in that space. However, not everyone could see an idea from a hand drawn outline and as more and more 'creatives' became conversant with Macs and thus Mac visuals, it seemed as if the focus of discussions moved away from whether this was a good concept to if blue or purple would be the best colour for the headline. Shame!

Anyway, I digress but I can see how the beauty of harnessing digital technology has started to provide more freedom for theatre designers and also allowed a practical solution to many problems, particularly when it comes to designing for tours that require a set to be adaptable to various different spaces. Imagine the scenario...

Production manager: But the ceiling is lower at our a venue, not sure it will fit. Can you build me a new model to check the scale!!

Designer No, problem, no need for a new model, let's see if the set still fits. [Tappity tap, adjust scale button (?!)] There you go, it fits no problem.

Or how about:

Director: I want the atmosphere to be more dramatic, more moody, more ominous, perhaps we need to re-paint the set (I am sure Director's say things just like that, don't they??)

Lighting Designer: Hmm [Tappity tap, adjust lighting with Apple, control adjust lighting key or something] Is that the kind of thing you want?

Director: [Looking at screen] Perfect

Lighting Designer: We'll just need some new gels and to re-set the light at a different height to change the shadowing....

Hope you get the idea. Apologies lighting designers/directors/production managers I have no idea how it the production side works but can see how computers might add a flexible new dimension to the design process. An opportunity to trial, adjust and test before we go to the build stage.

The thing that struck me most about Roma's talk was the overview she gave of Cork's Capital of Culture production (2005) of The Merchant of Venice! In large part due to her ability to be able to recreate the town in 3-D on her computer they were able to have different scenes of the production taking place at different venues throughout Cork town with the audiences being guided between the venues / scenes by musicians and placard wavers. It allowed them to take advantage of some impressive locations while at the same time showing visitors some of the beautiful architecture in the town. The court scenes took place in the court (of course), Belmont scenes were inside various warehouses and Venice scenes out on the street and the wedding / Shylock's conversion to Christianity where else but in the Church. You can see some of the images from the production (both real and digital) here. Unfortunately, you can't see the computer generated walk through of the town which was quite startling.

So thank you Roma and Marcus, all really good stuff....