New Adventures

 

Whilst being sat on a train touring the country seems like the perfect time to give you an update of our production rehearsals and big opening in Plymouth last week!

As we braved the very long journey to the south west it was clear that this was going to be an eventful week, I was buzzing even more than everybody else as Plymouth is my closest theatre to home, this is probably a great thing as if we took the show to Cornwall we would most likely be performing in a matchbox with an audience the size of a large family, but nevertheless Plymouth is close to home and this upped the pressure (as if there wasn’t enough already!).

There is also no doubt that it was nice to be opening near the sea, every morning we would take company class at the theatre’s rehearsal and production centre on the water front; TR2. Doing ballet and looking out of the window onto the sea was definitely a calming image to see before the long days ahead and gave the classes a lovely placid feel. A place like this on the Thames could be lovely, Any ideas?

So we graced the theatre after class on the first day and the anticipation was apparent straight away, we all wanted to see the set, put on the costumes and hear the surround sound music! We were kept in our dressing rooms until the unveiling moment and the faces at the sight of the set were ones of amazement. Lez Brotherstone has really done an incredible job. The basic surrounding set structure is that of bombed out buildings and brick walls, they automatically transport you to the time period and yet it is also clearly London. The rest of the set then changes throughout the show to follow the story. It includes glittery stair cases, doors, mirror balls, a motorbike, sofas and possibly the most noticeable; a train carriage! The show was isn’t done by half, but would you expect anything less from Matthew’s work?! It was an exhilarating atmosphere as we started to tech the show in costumes and plot the lights etc, all the time thinking ‘could this fulfill the saying ‘feast for the eyes’ any better?’

After the 4 days of ‘teching’, the characters also became clearer and the story formed and we were ready for a dress rehearsal by the skin of our teeth. We ran the show for the first time on the afternoon of the day of the premier and it was far from perfect, with some people not making costume changes and set not moving correctly etc but with Kerry Biggin as Cinderella, Sam Archer as the Pilot, Chris Marney as Angel and Michela Meazza as Step Mother we were being led by an amazing group of performers and I felt confident that it would be fine.
My first show of Cinderella, was also my New Adventures debut and it possibly was the most surreal experience of my life so far.The show went strangely very well for being so fresh and the audience were warm to us. Having Ashley Shaw to anchor me and be such a beautiful partner was an endless help and i’m very lucky to have had her as a partner these last few weeks! The show is physically exhausting, your legs build up with lactic acid and I was an emotional wreck by the end but the adrenaline pulls you through and hearing the wall of sound when the audience exploded with applause gave me goosebumps and the smile on my face said everything I couldn’t get into words.

In total we performed Cinders 9 times to audiences in Plymouth and over 100 members of my family and friends watched the show. I have never seen a show have such an effect on people, everyone is pretty speechless afterwards with awe, emotion and wonder. The combination of Prokofiev’s startlingly beautiful music, Lez’s transformative setting and of course Matthew’s extraordinary choreography is phenomenal and I wait for you to watch the show to understand what I mean. It is becoming clear that we are performing something very special and i’m so grateful to be part of it. The railway scene at the end of the show gets me watery eyed every time, as it does my Mum who has already watched the show 4 times! The human relationships and the accurate history in the show are so empathic and thats what will make you, the audience, get absorbed in it all.
On a more relaxed note, between all this work the company is bonding and becoming closer and sometimes even having fun (if it is possible outside of work!). We’ve enjoyed cheese and wine nights, company meals and the odd cheeky drink. It is going to be an exciting tour thats for sure and i’ll try and get some pictures to add along the way!

After 2 days comatosed in bed back in London i’m about to arrive in Manchester for a week of shows at the Lowry in Salford. I’ve never been to Manchester before and in my head Lez Battersby from Coronation Street is very prominent, I wait to be proven wrong! Anyway, i’m staying in what I hope will be a lovely flat with Michela, Sam and Joe on Salford Quays. I know that this week the show will develop and blossom to packed houses again. In the words of Ross Carpenter; ‘I’m a believer’!

 

Tom. x