Nose twitching

Oh, there you are.

I took a short hiatus from the rehearsal diary.  I’ve been spending my time really getting to know this hamster.  Together, I think we’re staggering towards the light.

It’s been a real pleasure searching for the theatrical language with which to tell the story and finding exciting new bits of narrative along the way.

This rehearsal diary is a jolly difficult thing to write because I don’t want to give the plot away.  

Please come and see the show.  I think it’s going to be spectacular spectacular.

Book your tickets now, at www.camdenfringe.com

David & furry companion

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Interview

Interview with yours truly up at The New Current.

Click here to peruse.

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That was the ‘slaughter your darlings’ week.  The shape of the show is much clearer now and a style is starting to emerge. 

It’s hard to get the ball rolling sometimes.  You make six scenes, all of which are good and none of which could ever be in the same show because they’re too stylistically varied.  Then there’s that ruthless process of cutting all your favourite moments from a scene because it’s too long and you need to keep the story moving.

Relocating to London tomorrow.  Thanks again to The Art Organisation (TAO) in Nottingham.  Now looking forward to moving into a shiny new rehearsal space near London Bridge, run by Echange Theatre.  Find out more about it here.

Hamster Town opens on 2^nd August.  To buy tickets, click here.

Homelands

Well, I’m back, face down in the hefty maternal bosom of my native England.  Farewell Paris, hello cheddar cheese.

Last week we moved into our new rehearsal room at The Art Organisation (TAO), on Station Street in my hometown Nottingham.  It’s a former industrial building that’s been reclaimed for use by artists.  The building next door has a fantastic gallery and cafe, which I highly recommend if you’re ever in the area.  (Website here.)

In the first week of rehearsals, I worked on the show using very little text, focussing on play and sometime more abstract or expressionist movement.  In the last couple of days we’ve put the voice back in and rediscovered a direct engagement with the audience to go with that.  I’m having a lot of fun improvising.

I also blew a lot of money in a pet shop recently but the acquisition of a SuperPet Critter Cruiser and a Hamster Moon Module have enriched the creative process no end!

Yesterday, we had one of those ‘breakthrough moments’ which make you think, “Wow, we’ve found something really great there.”  And simultaneously, ”Hmmm, well that does change everything really, doesn’t it?”

More anon.

Tragic clown

Yesterday, during a movement improvisation, I found myself oscillating wildly between Greek Tragedy and angry clown. 

Supplicating gestures to the gods followed by foot stamping, pouting and rolling around on the floor.

Then I spent an hour pretending to be a hamster.

Rehearsals going well.

Day One

Excellent first day of rehearsals for Hamster Town! 

Lots of improvising, looking for gestural language and movement.  Used various different pieces of music as stimuli.  Interesting cinematic things started happening when very slow music juxtaposed with frenetic movement.

Question of the day: how to mime a hamster in a wheel?