Author: Anthony Richard Lancashire

The Technical rehearsal for our show When You See It was a smooth transition from the rehearsal room. With minor changes to our set design such as a hanging instead of free standing projector screen with front on projection instead of rear projection being the major change due to a lack of the 5 metre space to rear project. Furthermore, after the run we abandoned the 2nd TV screen, choosing to move forward with one TV with the live feed and a projector screen. As I had already programmed the sound and projection cues into the QLAB software, we were able to run ahead of schedule and complete a full run in the space after the lights had been set and programmed. This naturally allowed us to see things that worked well and those that didn’t to make minor changes to the piece in our rehearsal in-between tech and show day.

Show day, although a long day, was a successful one. We did 2 runs prior to the show both between 48 and 48 and a half minutes. After each run we had minor changes for tech in terms of either position of lights, level of sound or in some cases the cue line to press go. Again we ran to schedule and had a photographer on hand for both runs in the day. We had an audience of 147 which, considering it was a Sunday, I believe can be regarded as a success. The audience reaction post show was very touching with many in tears from both laughing and crying. Taking the show forward there are minor tweaks that could be made after seeing the audience reaction but through several work-in-progress sessions with other companies the show had been viewed and refined which I believe aided its ultimate success.

Refract Theatre Company – When You See It

Refract TC Week 7 Rehearsals

Having now received breakdowns for lighting and sound from the designers, I have been able to further develop the magic sheet and begin the QLAB cue sheet for the show. With some scenes not implementing any text or words, I will have to write a ‘script’ of the movement to help me cue these scenes correctly.

With the technical rehearsal 10 days away there is plenty still to do. We have a production meeting with the stage manager of the venue tomorrow to ensure that everything is in place and can be achieved. We then have time to make minor adjustments if anything is not quite right based on the limitations of the space. For the technical rehearsal and the show’s get in I have created day plans. On tech day myself as Stage Manager and the ASM will be “on stage assisting in the fit-up” (Copley and Killner, 2001, 118). All aspects of the day will be under my supervision with the relevant members of the company called at appropriate times so the day is the best use of everyone’s time. The cast will have an opportunity to get a feel for the space whilst the stage management team “are running the show that is in performance while the rehearsals are in operation” (Copley and Killner, 2001, 79). Hopefully this will ensure a smooth technical rehearsal, get in and get out.

Works Cited:

Copley, Soozie. and Killner, Philippa. (2001) Stage Management: A Practical Guide. Wiltshire: The Crowood Press Ltd.

Refract TC Week 6 Rehearsals

During the past week, we have run the show in its entirety. This allowed myself as Stage Manager/Assistant Director to both take technical notes to add to the book and give notes to the cast about the show so far. With some scenes still being devised and developed we are happy with the show’s progress.

For me the work and work ethic of Frantic Assembly has impacted on our piece. In rehearsal we have used script and sound as “the launch pad and inspiration for most of the devising process” (Graham and Hoggett, 2009, 5). Like Frantic Assembly, a lot of the fragments we have now developed started with the “kernel of the idea” and were then tested “to see if it [wa]s interesting enough to us and if ‘it ha[d] got legs’” (Graham and Hoggett, 2009, 6; 6). The product also somewhat resembles that of Frantic Assembly. Whilst we do not use heavy beats or movement that is as physically demanding as Frantic Assembly, much of our show is movement based and could be branded physical theatre in the same way that Scott Graham and Stephen Hoggett’s company are. Although some of our work is more dance based than Frantic, choreography has the same meaning to us: “any formalised movements that become set and can be repeated” (Graham and Hoggett, 2009, 123). This has definitely had a stylistic impact on the direction in which the show has moved.

Works Cited:

Graham, S. and Hoggett, S. (2009) The Frantic Assembly Book of Devising Theatre. Oxon: Routledge.

Refract TC Week 5 Rehearsals

This week we have been working towards a work in progress session with a fellow emerging theatre company, Forefront. We have been primarily working on developing and polishing three scenes all inspired by famous images but depicted “in and alternative light” (Refract, 2015). The inspirations for the more established two are found below:

The Falling Man

Since 11th September 2001, when the World Trade Centre was attacked by terrorist group al-Quaeda resulting in the death of around 3,000 people, ‘The Falling Man’ has been one of the world’s most iconic images. The image displays a man “hurtling through the air” (Junod, 2003). It could be said that “If he were not falling, he might very well be flying” (Junod, 2003). The image divides opinion with “Some people who look at the picture see[ing] stoicism, willpower, a portrait of resignation; others see something else – something discordant and therefore terrible: freedom.” (Junod, 2003). The cast of the company were presented with an enlarged picture of the man falling to devise work from. The work created has been very physical and focusing on the relationship between the two falling people, aiming to look at the image differently.

A Sunday on La Grande Jatte

Georges Seurat’s 1984 painting ‘A Sunday on La Grande Jatte’ depicts “people relaxing in a suburban park on an island in the Seine River called La Grande Jatte” (Artic, 2015). It uses the technique of pointillism in which a multitude of small dots “appear as solid and luminous … when seen from a distance” (Artic, 2015). In our interpretation we have attempted to recreate the image on a smaller scale with each actor picking a character. This is then scored by a track played on a ukulele with physical and prop based stylized choreography inspired by items in the paining. The scene plays with the potential relationships between the characters seen in the paining and could act as light relief after one of our more serious scenes.

Works Cited:

Artic. (2015) A Sunday on La Grande Jatte – 1884. [online] Available at: http://www.artic.edu/aic/collections/artwork/27992 (accessed 21/03/15).

Junod, T. (2003) The Falling Man. [online] Available at: http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2003/sep/07/featuresreview.review1 (accessed 21/03/15).

Refract Theatre Company. (2015) Manifesto. [online] Available at: https://refracttheatrecompany.blogs.lincoln.ac.uk/our-manifesto (accessed 21/03/15).

 

Refract TC Week 4 Rehearsals

This week I chaired a meeting between the technical team and the director to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding the scale of tech required for our show. By “check[ing] with the Director and other backstage departments [we are able] to avoid complications or clashes” (2003, 3.1). Although it is impossible to finalise anything at this stage due to the ever developing nature of the piece, draft plans are now underway and I have completed the Technical Rider, stating our minimum technical requirements.

Our set designer has completed the first draft of the set. Although this is subject to change it has allowed the cast to get a rough idea of the space they will be performing in. As The Complete Stage Planning Kit advises we plan to “Use rough sketches and a scale model to demonstrate ideas” (2003, 3.1). In the coming weeks I will be preparing the rehearsal space by taping down the floor plan so that the cast can more accurately get a feel for the space.

It is perhaps too early to be specific on lighting but it is doubtful there will be any lighting ‘specials’, such as gobos or strobe, with a series of washes and projection dominating. That said as the show gets nearer we will want to ensure we “light actors appropriately” and “add dramatic emphasis” (2003, 4.1; 4.1) through lighting. A large proportion of sound looks like being live, original compositions using guitars, ukulele and flute.

At present the show is looking like having a relatively demanding technical side. Careful planning and communication with the in house technical team will be instrumental to the success of the stage management.

Works Cited:
Davies, G. (2003) The Complete Stage Planning Kit. London: A & C Black.