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The Pals' Diary |
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Well dear readers, what a difference a week really does make ...
I always maintain that you can easily tell how well a production will eventually turn out based on the strength of the warm-up!
You know what they say. The company that claps together ... will - receive claps together ... or something.
So the cast have stepped up to bark the relevant orders for one rehearsal each. There's just one rule. Zip-Zap-Boing is expressly forbidden. Even the Eastenders version.
This week I'm delighted to say this strategy bore real fruit, as we turned our hands to 'rhythmic word association' -
basically forming a circle, clapping in time and saying words that may or may not vaguely link to each other.
Having enjoyed many revealing sessions on the couch in the past I have to confess I really excel at this one!
Others, let's be honest ... struggled. However, the exercise certainly helped us channel fresh heights of excitement, frustration and
despair, which are sure to contribute to the final phase of character development now underway.
In other news, we proved more than capable of counting to 20. I guarantee a more in-tune, well timed troop you will not have seen!
Last weekend a number of us also headed off to Stratford East to immerse ourselves in wartime spirit at the fabulous new production of
Oh! What A Lovely War. This was a real treat, bringing up a number of the more serious themes in our own play even as we were
entertained with cheeky song and dance numbers, complete with charming audience participation.
In addition, we were very pleased to find the famous soldier drill sketch was not dissimilar to our own efforts at military precision -
and we learnt a cracking new tongue twister about Sister Susie shyly sewing saucy shirts for soldiers. I think.
Back at HQ, my own reflections now turn, a little uneasily, to bath time. I've never really been a fan if I'm honest.
I didn't like it if the water was too hot, or when the soap got in my eyes. Sometimes Mum would hurt my hair when she was drying and
brushing it, and I needed a special emollient for my sensitive skin. I was a bit of a little poppet you see.
And you know when they say, however hard you run, your past has a habit of a catching up with you?
Well, more on that later.
Possibly.
Well dear readers, we've now about three weeks to go until Peter Whelan's modern classic The Accrington Pals is finally oop! Flamin' eck and blinkin' Nora is what I have to say about that ...
The cast's first full 'swagger through' takes place this coming Sunday - and I'm still incredibly excited to be one of a fair few beautiful new faces making their first appearances for the Tower Theatre Company. I'm not sure I've ever worked on a production involving such lovingly detailed discussion and dissection of what we can try to recreate from delving into the history books.
Rest assured, we're all about putting the finishing touches to performances now. For example, the wonderful Sue Brodie has been on hand to ensure, at the very least, we all sound like we come from the right half of 'The North'! The lads have been on marching drill to get a taster of the sort of training the Pals we are playing received in Wales. We're also really focused on creating that particular chemistry of a small community who have been living in one another's pockets and annoying their neighbours for years. The 'Corrie' factor if you will ...
Jesting aside though, I think everyone working on this production does now feel a real sense of responsibility to do this subject matter justice. I'd be lying if I said that isn't pretty daunting. One of our cast's great grandfathers signed up to the York and Lancaster Regiment in 1914, but then transferred to the Royal Marines. His former Regiment went out to fight at the Somme, where most fell.
I hope it doesn't constitute a 'spoiler', for example, to say this week we were working afresh through a short scene where the Pals are trying to prepare themselves in the trenches. However experienced you are as an actor, (or indeed a human), how do you break through to appreciate what that particular set of emotions involved? I don't know - but we'll keep reading, keep working, and we'll see you there!