Week 2 of Rehearsals

So, the second week of rehearsals is over for our first project of the year and suddenly it's beginning to take shape. The cast has been broken off into little sections and assigned tasks to devise various different scenes by Jemma and I have to say, I am pleased with what I have been assigned to do.
When we were interviewed before being cast in the pieces, I explained to Jemma that I felt I was strongest when presented with a character and text to work with although also stressed that I was not adverse to attempting new things. I was very surprised then when she cast me in her piece which had been essentially plugged to us as being more physical theatre based.
This week however it has become pretty clear why. Throughout the rehearsal process, the cast has been gathering various bits of research from the general public for use in the Verbatim Theatre aspect of the piece, all of which myself and Charlotte Brind have been left in charge of.
We will be using all of the research as a basis to create different characters and then use the research to create various scenes to present what it is we have discovered. I can't tell you much more than that but if it intrigues you enough then feel free to come along on the 31st October to the University of Northampton's Avenue Campus to see the show. (The time is yet to be confirmed but will be posted on my website as soon as it has been).
As well as all of that there have been other pieces of devising going on, heavily influenced by dance (with a bit of New Zealand-esque intimidation thrown in here and there). We are half way through the rehearsal process now which also adds some level of "woah-factor" to the whole thing but at least I now see where it is going.

Hopefully, the next instalment of this "Rehearsal Journal" will be posted around the same time next week so keep your eyes peeled!

Location:Birmingham,United Kingdom

Docked and Loaded

Today, I have returned to Birmingham for the weekend to visit the family and en route home decided it was time to make a purchase that I had been waiting a small while to make.
I ventured, for the first time into the Apple Store in the Birmingham City Centre. Yes, despite me being the proud owner of an iPhone and iPad, I had yet to visit one. Anyhow, I entered the building and it was heaving almost to the point of being chaotic, which for some reason I had not quite expected. Members of staff donning their blue t-shirts were weaving in and out of customers, wielding new iPod Nanos and the like. Before long I suddenly felt myself morphing into some form of Apple Fan-boy, which made me feel incredibly uneasy. I will openly admit that I like what it is that Apple do, however I like to believe that all my opinions on their decisions and methods are not irrational and yet there I was eyeing up the iMacs as well as the new Nano (which the novelty driven side of my brain thinks would be a rather swish wrist watch).
But what I had entered the store for was neither of these things. I wanted the keyboard dock for my iPad and so, I purchased it. Right now I am sitting at the dining room table (aka 'Wayne's Office' when I'm visiting the parents) typing this blog post upon it, and I have to say I very much like it. It is somewhat smaller than I had initially expected but in a very good way. It doesn't seem to intrude on the sleekness of the iPad in the slightest, in fact I would go so far as to say that in some ways it very much adds another level of class to the device, making it seem very much like a very swish desktop computer.
It is quite clear to me that in some ways, the iPad + Keyboard Dock combination could very much be the test for the next logical step in Apple's master plan, the touch screen iMac, and I have to say, despite my scepticism of going between touching the keyboard and the screen, it works surprisingly well and is almost effortless.
The only thing now that will make the iPad a perfect working tool for me will be the inclusion of multi-tasking and printing, all of which are on their way in the next iOS update (4.2) due next month (I just wish they'd hurry up about it, I'm like a child waiting for his new toy)!
All in all, if you are considering getting the keyboard dock for your iPad, I very much recommend.

Location:Birmingham,United Kingdom

Success is not the result of spontaneous combustion. You must first set yourself on fire.

Rehearsals have begun for our latest project, the first of many shows that we will be putting on in our final year of training. At the present moment it is in very early stages of rehearsal, having completed only day two today, but already it has the potential to be very interesting.
The production is going to be a purely devised piece looking at the psychological and social aspects of binge drinking in the UK and is being artistically directed by Jemma McDonnell of The Paper Birds Theatre Company. Naturally due to the way the piece is going to be created we do not know exactly what shape the show will take by the end, although there are several ideas floating around as we speak. My intention is to post some sort of rehearsal journal on my website every week just to summarise the direction in which things have gone so keep an eye open for that.
Also before Christmas we will be producing and performing some small-scale applied theatre shows within the Northampton area more details of which I will share with you all as news comes to me. Also the second half of this term will also see the commencement of our Industry Preparation module in which effectively we are educated specifically on the business side of acting which I strongly believe is knowledge that can help to make or break an actors career quite drastically.
I'm going to hold off telling you any of the information for after Christmas for now as things at the present moment are also a bit sketchy for us too so for now the focus will be on this term.
I've noticed also that my latest couple of posts have been a little wishy-washy of late and not entirely thought provoking which is unfortunate as I like to help people really reflect on things around them and the way that things influence the various relationships within our live. Hopefully though before long I will find my feet again and get some more juicy stuff on here. However, for now, it is getting late and I have an earlier start than I am yet used to tomorrow so for now, I bid you goodnight.



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Northampton,United Kingdom